心境報告・State of mind
先日開催された県・市・青年会議所・県体育協会の芝生化アカデミーが11月と思えない天気にも恵まれ、野球解説者の小宮山様の素晴らしい講演と関係者の皆様のお陰で想像以上の大成功を納めたことを報告したい。 イベント前日の交流会ではここ数年間の活動の中で知り合ったいろんな方々との再会もあり、ブログやネット上でしか交流がなかった「知り合い」にも初対面ができて、その後の非公式交流会(飲み会)も半端ではない盛り上がりだった。 当日は朝からの視察でまず行った場所がグリーンフィールドで、その日は地元住民が企画したフリーマーケットが開催されていた。県外から来られた視察の参加者が人の多さ、活気、芝生の中まで全く誰もが気にも止めないで平気で車で乗り入れる様子、湖山西住民にとって芝生が完全に生活の中でごく当たり前になっていることに衝撃を受けた模様だった。ニュージーランド生まれ育ちの僕がここ数年間訴え続けていることがここでは実施されている。嬉しかった。 午後いっぱいのイベントで小宮山さんが野球と芝生についての講演、その後は小宮山さんを交えて現役小学校の校長先生は校庭が芝生になっての効果についてやこれからの芝生化に対する必要な姿勢を話し合ってその場を盛り上げた。 でも今日はこの話をするつもりではない。 僕が初めて来日したのは37年も前であり、実際に在日年数が 26年以上になる。数年前は永住権を取得し、恐らく日本で骨を埋めることになるだろう。最愛の妻と一緒に自分たちが気に入るように家を改装し、可愛い犬3匹と騒がしい都会生活から遠く離れて、田舎で静かに生活を楽しみたい。 友人や知り合いからいつかは日本人に帰化をしないかとよく聞かれることだけど、現在の永住権での生活と帰化して日本人になる生活の何が違うかを当然考えたことがある。永住権では仕事を変えるときはビザの再申請は不要で、普通の日本人と同様に税金を納め、住民サービスを受け、特に不自由はない。帰化する唯一の利点が永住権では5年に一度更新しなければいけない再入国許可までが不要となる。 や、もう一つの違いがある。永住権では参政権がない。国会選挙にも地方選挙にも投票する権利もなければ、立候補する権利もない。だから、自分の税金が議員の給料に使われているにも関わらずその議員にどんなことでもお願いする権利もない。 その権利欲しさに帰化するつもりはないです。性格、物事に対する考え方、取り組み姿勢、その他諸々の今の自分がいるのはニュージーランドで生まれ育ち、その国特有の精神・性格・特別な「何か」が深く自分の一部になっているからだとほぼ毎日感じずにいられないでいる。 僕以外に帰化された数多くの方々は恐らく違うと思うのだが僕の心の中では帰化するというのはこのすべてを否定することになるという気持ちがある。自分の最も大事な肝心な部分を心から抉り取る程のことだと思う。 だから、自分が選んだ国日本で一生投票も立候補もできないまま生きて行く決意表明をします。 The Grass Academy staged a couple of days ago in conjunction with the local governments (prefecture and city), the Junior Chamber of Commerce, and the Athletics Association was blessed with magnificent weather and a thought-provoking address by a former baseball star Mr. Komiyama. Thanks to the efforts of all involved, the event was a stirring success. At the informal party held the previous evening, I was re-acquainted with some people who I had met through the grass project and even met some for the first time after numerous 'conversations' over the Net and blogs. Both the party and the subsequent second session were highly entertaining. The grass tour on the main day started at Greenfield, where the local residents were staging a Flea Market from the early morning. The many out-of-state participants in the Grass Academy were astounded not only at the large number of people attending the flea market and their pulsating energy, but also at the total nonchalance with which people were driving their cars right into the middle of the grassed area, proof beyond anything I could say that for the residents of West Koyama, grass was just another totally-natural part of their life. This is the sort of approach I have been trying to spread for the last several years and to see it actually happening made me very happy. The afternoon session lacked nothing in excitement, with Komiyama-san telling us all how natural grass is far better for baseball than dirt or artificial turf and then me and the headmaster of a local primary school with a grass playing field joining him in a free discussion about the positive effects of grass and what is needed to promote its acceptance from now on. But that is not what I wanted to talk about today. I first came to Japan 37 years ago and have lived here for more than 26 years. I acquired permanent residence several years ago and will die here. All I wanted when I left the hustle and bustle of the big city was to live a quiet life in the countryside with my wife and our three dogs, gradually reforming our house into exactly what we wanted. I am often asked by friends why I do not naturalise and become Japanese and I have naturally thought about the potential benefits of living as a permanent resident and of living as a Japanese citizen. With permanent residence, I do not need re-apply for a visa whenever I change my job, I pay taxes just as every other Japanese resident, I receive the same services from local government, and find no specific disadvantages. The only benefit of naturalising is that I would no longer have to renew my re-entry permit once every five years. I am wrong, there is one other difference. Permanent residents may not participate in politics. I can neither vote in local or central government elections nor stand as a candidate in any such elections. Thus I do not have the right to make requests to government councillors whose salaries my taxes help pay. That said, I have no intention of naturalising in order to acquire those rights. Not a day goes by when I am not aware in some manner that my character, way of thinking, and approach to life and business is to a very large degree formed and influenced by the fact that I was born and brought up in New Zealand and that the character, spirit, soul, something unique about that country permeate me very deeply. I do not presume to speak for all the many people who have naturalised to become Japanese but naturalising would to me symobolise my denial of those elements of myself that are based in New Zealand, elements that are totally integral to me. Thus, I state clearly to all interested parties, I intend to live my life without the right to vote or stand in any elections in my chosen land, Japan.