ODR, which appeared in 1999 around back and forth for solving chain mail problem, fraudulent and misrepresenting personality or sex, is actively applied for insurance dispute, another dispute resolution even including civil affairs in all over the world recently.

8th ODR forum, subsequently 7th forum held in Victoria CANADA, was held in Israel, 3rd to 4th June, 2009. Haifa university located north of TelAviv was venue, 1.5 hours by train from Bengurion International Airport.




Luckily, We had an opportunity to introduce about our activity for The ICA-Net about which I have been participating, though just attending a conference as a audience in CANADA.

Forum agenda

ICA-Net is an abbreviation for International Consumer Advisory NETwork.
It is based on bilateral collaboration for small claim in electric commerce, and now is trying to extend to multi-lateral collaboration, by private companies.

GBDe（Global Business Dialogue), which is international conference by CEO, is driving it as one of activities in Consumer Confidence Issue Group, introduced in APEC, OECD and ERIA project.
Finally as authorized project in ERIA, a trial was started with CALO(Consumer advisory liaison Office) from 5 countries, United States, Malaysia, Singapore, Vietnam and Japan, observed by Thailand and Taipei since 2009.

The basic structure is that CALO as window organization for consumer complaint will be assigned in each countries. The CALO will receive complaint from consumer in located country, or handle complaint from other CALO to solve with Business company.

The ICA-Net is already handling several complaints crossovering on plural countries. I believe our presentation at the conference could work for recruiting some candidates of CALOs.

By the way, on the way back to Japan, as not usual, stayed in London 2 days, enjoyed "walking tour for historical Beatles memories" including Abbey road.

My VW beetle with its old wheels had some trouble. It became flat because of tired valve. Those wheels are old fashioned, so ordinary car shops do not carry them anymore. So I have to ask specific maintenance factory to get wheels and repair them.

In the factory, who is very good at treat old automobiles,
there are several well-designed automobiles in a dock right now.

Renault 8 gordini, cute french blue, rear engine


Citroen 2 CV







And my beetle

Many people who is living abroad especially United States told me that I should not say sorry so easily. Actually I found several blogs that said almost same thing but I try to re-think about this issue.

I, personally, think it could be better to say sorry if you want to continue relation. Expressing your apology will make people peaceful rather he or she considers to sue if one say sorry.

But those blogs said if you say sorry means you admit your ERROR, means you may be sued or fired, means you may be redressed suit.
Yes, I understand if you are in a court case. If you admit something and say sorry makes you millions of dollars compensation, you should not say sorry only for maintaining relation.
In case you are in a traffic accident, the cause may be "not looking ahead carefully" for you and "speeding" for the other side, also you should not say sorry only for maintaining atmosphere.

I agree those art of saying sorry is one of technical issues for negotiation.
I think both should say sorry to maintain atmosphere in such conflict.
That maintains atmosphere and start of negotiations are same.


In addition, I would like to describe here about "yuzuri-ai" spirit in Japanese.
In Japanese-English dictionally, some expresses it as "give and take".
It's almost near, but core of its feeling is different.
My understanding is "Give and take" means "you give to take". I truly think it is fair.
But Japanese "yuzuri-ai" is "just you give, then you may be given but it is not noblesse if you want to take".

You can give but the other can not give sometimes, but you allow it. That will help you when you can not give.
If you only get without giving, other will loose things to give you finally, so you should give when you become to give others. That will make "yuzuri-ai" spiral.

Japan provides huge amount of ODA for many other countries.
The basic mind of this behavior is we believe "yuzuri-ai" will make world peace.
Sometime in the future, someone will give help to whom someone gave thing in the past.

UN decided for North Korean missile issue to announce the statement, but not resolution.

I love this japanese style "giving without expecting taking".

But we may be not able to give continuously without getting, because nobody plays "yuzuri-ai".