Edmond-Club-ET18

Play Outside, Japanese Children!

     Swimming is fun for most people. Swimming both in a swimming pool and in the
sea is enjoyable. Many people used to go swimming at a beach in their childhood and
get sunburned by bathing in the sun. Japanese children would play outside in the
daytime. They were praised for playing outside cheerfully in former times. However,
the situation of the present is quite different from that of the past, because a threat of
ultraviolet rays has recently been emphasized in Japan. Some commentators or medical
specialists have advised putting a hat on, avoiding going out from ten to three o’clock
and putting suntan cream on. If children must stay at home from ten to three, how
bored they would be! They will be able to do nothing but play at housekeeping in their
rooms. Children had better play outside cheerfully.
     Japanese people’s recent response to ultraviolet rays seems to be too sensitive. A
column of “sun-bathing” disappeared from a ‘mother-and-baby notebook.’ Some
outdoor swimming pools have set up a tent. Children’s playing outside has been
restricted. Such phenomena could not be found in former times. Now, there is a certain
kindergarten that has made day care to protect children from ultraviolet rays their sales
point. The principal of the kindergarten says that her facilities have prepared emergency
supplies for ultraviolet rays that have been available in Australia. Besides, cosmetic
companies and clothing makers have publicized UV-blocking cosmetics and clothes.
Judging from these phenomena, a tendency to prevent ultraviolet rays seems to have
relevance to commercialism. Both kindergartens and companies regard ultraviolet rays
as a trump of their business. However, it is doubtful whether ultraviolet rays are as
dangerous to Japanese people as some medical specialists say.
    In fact, ultraviolet rays are not dangerous for two points; the strength of ultraviolet
rays in Japan is not so strong as in other countries, and the complexion of Japanese
people is different from that of white people. Regarding the first point, the strength of
ultraviolet rays in some cities of the world appears according to the information on
ultraviolet rays on the Internet (http://www.wni.co.jp/cww/docs/uv/). For example,
ultraviolet rays of three cities in Australia (Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne) are much
stronger than in Tokyo. Ultraviolet rays in Tokyo are as weak as in London and New
York. In contrast, ultraviolet rays in Australia are still stronger than those in Japan. The
strongest ultraviolet rays in Australia are far beyond 2,500 mW/m2 in the summer,
although those in Japan are less than 2,500 mW/m2 throughout the year. Therefore,
Japanese people do not need to prepare for preventing ultraviolet rays as Australian
people do. It may be useless that the above-mentioned kindergarten has prepared
emergency supplies to protect themselves from ultraviolet rays to the same degree as
Australians do.
     Next, graphs on the Internet show the strength of ultraviolet rays of cities. It is
because ultraviolet rays are very strong that they have come into question in Australia.
However, there are more cities whose ultraviolet rays are much stronger. For instance,
Cairo, New Delhi and Manila are by far over 2,500 mV/m2 almost throughout the
year. However, we have not heard that the rate of skin cancer is very high in Egypt,
India and the Philippines. The situation is the same in Australia because Aborigines do
not suffer from skin cancer so much. In fact, it is because of damage to white people
that ultraviolet rays have come into question Black people and the yellow races like the
Japanese do not need to worry about ultraviolet rays as the source of skin cancer. In
particular, children’s playing outside should not be limited although women may need
to protect their skin from ultraviolet rays for beauty. In conclusion Japanese children
should play outside cheerfully in the same way as before.