In advance care planning (ACP), there are cases where it is difficult for patients to express their intentions for various reasons. In this study, we discussed the difficulties and countermeasures for the implementation of ACP in the cases of children and the elderly, involuntary hospitalization for psychiatric care, and the choice of end-of-life nutrition, as cases in which it is difficult for the patients to express their intentions. Internal difficulties caused by the individual, external difficulties such as non-provision of appropriate information and social difficulties such as the absence of significant others were considered to be the factors that make ACP implementation difficult. It is important for supporters to understand these difficulties and to implement ACP according to the individual patients. It is hoped that discussions on the promotion of ACP will be further enhanced in the future.

Excessive use of social networking services (SNS) is known to have a significant negative impact on mental health in university students. In this study, we conducted an online questionnaire survey of university students and analyzed 146 responses in order to clarify the relation between SNS addiction and self-compassion among university students. As a result, it was found that there was a significant negative relationship between SNS addiction and self-compassion in the university students. In addition, the subscales of "self-judgment," "isolation," and "over-identification" were significantly associated with SNS addiction. These results suggest that selfcompassion education may help reduce the deterioration of mental health caused by SNS addiction.

We developed a lifestyle reflection sheet for preventing and treating metabolic syndrome. Our tool aimed to help local residents identify their risk factors for metabolic syndrome, recognize areas for improvement in their lifestyle habits, and proactively engage in health promotion. We enrolled 1,146 patients, consisting of 715 men and 431 women, aged 18 to 92 years. Inclusion criteria were those who underwent health checkups at Mine City Hospital and answered a lifestyle questionnaire. We hypothesized that individuals with conditions related to metabolic syndrome have undesirable lifestyle habits. To test this hypothesis, we conducted logistic regression analysis to examine the probabilities of metabolic syndrome, hypertension, hyperglycemia, and dyslipidemia. The results were displayed as similarity percentages, reflecting how closely the daily behaviors of individuals with these conditions aligned with the behaviors of those who had these specific health issues. Eight specific behaviors were selected for preventing and improving metabolic syndrome: diet-related (eating behaviors that do not lead to obesity, avoid snacking, consume vegetables, reduce salt), physical activity-related (physical activity/ exercise, avoiding prolonged sitting), health-related (maintaining a sense of coherence), and alcohol-related (amount of alcohol consumed). The scores for these factors were calculated using a validated factor analysis. Each item was visualized by displaying a graph showing the standard deviation for all survey subjects. The lifestyle reflection sheet was printed on special paper and returned to individuals after their health check. The sheet served as a reference tool for health guidance. By utilizing this sheet, individuals could be individually notified of their risk of developing metabolic syndrome and the benefits of healthy behaviors. Behavioral changes for health were encouraged through a review of lifestyle habits.

The dissemination of knowledge and awareness regarding mental health promotion is an important issue in the mental health and welfare policies of local governments. In order to clarify the relationship between the social life situation of local residents and their mental health, we analyzed 1,139 people who underwent health checkups at Mine City Hospital and answered a lifestyle questionnaire about their psychological state (Kessler 6 Scale [K6]), social interaction (Lubben Social Network Scale-6 [LSNS6]), sleep (Athens Insomnia Scale [AIS]), economic situation, household composition, and residential area by sex and age group (youth: 20-39 years old, middle age: 40-64 years old, elderly: 65 years old or older). In men, K6 score decreased as the age group increased; however, there was no change in women across all age groups. Furthermore, when comparing by age group and sex, elderly men had the lowest K6 score. Analysis of the data for all subjects revealed that K6 score was negatively correlated with LSNS6 score (r = -0.219, P < 0.01) but had a significant positive correlation with AIS score (r = 0.495, P < 0.01). The "difficult" economic situation group had higher K6 scores than the "average" and "affordable" groups. These findings suggest that people with a poor psychological state have less human interaction and tend to suffer from insomnia and that improving one's subjective economic situation may contribute to a good psychological state.

The purpose of this study was to examine the advantages and problems of the mutual nomination method from the viewpoints of both teachers and children, in order to introduce the method more appropriately and effectively in the classroom. In order to understand from the children's standpoint, we asked university students to reflect on their classroom situations at elementary, junior high, and high schools, and conducted a questionnaire survey using both face-to-face and web-based surveys. The subjects consisted of 138 university students. To understand from the position of the teachers, elementary, junior high, and high school teachers were interviewed. Eleven teachers were elementary school teachers, nine were junior high school teachers, and five were high school teachers. The method of analysis was content analysis for both the children's and the teachers' standpoints. The results are presented initially from the children's perspective, followed by the teachers' perspective. First, from the children's perspective. Regarding experience with the mutual nomination method, in elementary school, the number of respondents with and without experience was 88 and 29, respectively, in middle school, 37 and 77, and in high school, 28 and 102, respectively. Five categories of advantages of the mutual nomination method were obtained, including [active and motivated participation in class], [ease of raising hands and speaking up], and [bright and peaceful atmosphere]. On the other hand, four categories were obtained for problems such as [bias and fixation of nominated/non-nominated students], [classroom relationships revealed by bias of nominated/non-nominated students], and [creation of rules for effective implementation of the mutual nomination method]. Next, from the teachers’ perspectives, regarding their experience with the Mutual Nomination Method, elementary school teachers implemented the method according to the subject matter and learning objectives, and according to the condition of the children and the classroom. Junior High and high school teachers implemented the method only slightly. Five categories of advantages of the mutual nomination method were obtained, including [active and motivated participation in class], [deepening of learning], [ease of raising hands and speaking up, and confidence gained from the experience of giving presentations]. Six categories were obtained as problems and innovations of the mutual nomination method, including [introduction of the method in consideration of the situation of the children and the classroom], [bias and fixation of those who are nominated/not nominated], and [creation of rules for effective implementation of the mutual nomination method]. Based on the above results, and considering both the children's and teachers' standpoints, the mutual nomination method seems to have the advantage of making it easier for children to actively and enthusiastically learn, raise their hands, and speak up. However, there are also problems such as the bias of children who speak up, the fact that some children experience not being nominated even if they raise their hands, and the fact that relationships in such classes become more visible. To introduce the mutual nomination method, it is necessary to have a supportive classroom climate and good classroom discipline as a foundation. It was shown that it is important for teachers to fully assess the classroom situation and implement the method under management, such as by applying rules according to the situation.

The Blue & Green Art Project (BGAP), launched in 2020, is unique in that it addresses regional environmental issues through the interconnected perspectives of sea and land. Over the past few years, BGAP has held symposiums and exhibitions to encourage discussions on environmental challenges while presenting solutions through art and culture. The 2024 exhibition focused on kimono upcycling and included works by environmental artist Mago Nagasaka. A key objective of BGAP 2024 was to explore Nagasaka’s concept of "Sustainable Capitalism," which aims to create a harmonious cycle among the environment, culture, and economy. This paper examines the theme of "Regional Revitalization and International Exchange through Clothing Design," primarily discussing the activities of BGAP 2024 in the realm of clothing design. Chapter I provides an overview of the research, while Chapter II traces the evolution of clothing design activities from BGAP’ s predecessor, the Agri-Art Festival, to its current endeavors, analyzing them through the lenses of regional revitalization and international exchange. BGAP has long facilitated international workshops that utilize Yamaguchi’s local resources. This year, an online workshop was held in collaboration with the University of Hawaii Maui College, focusing on kimono upcycling with participants from both Japan and Hawaii. Chapter III highlights the clothing pieces featured in the exhibition, including Mago Nagasaka’s art and their underlying concepts. The works of Yusaku Harada, utilizing factory waste, and Erina Kashihara, incorporating marine debris, were also featured. The process of kimono upcycling in this exhibition, framed as an international exchange activity, proved to be significant, offering insights into perspectives in both the creative phase and the exhibition and appreciation phase. In summary, BGAP continues to utilize clothing design as an art and cultural initiative aimed at regional revitalization and addressing local issues. Looking ahead, the project aims to expand these efforts, even on a modest scale, with the aspiration of contributing to the local economy through sustainable practices.

For EFL learners to develop their interlanguage (IL) system efficiently, input, output, and interaction are indispensable. Advancements in ICT have made it possible to access high-quality input, such as TED and YouTube. Learners can also practice producing output by writing diaries, self-talk, giving a presentation, etc. However, interaction can only be done with an interlocutor. Recent remarkable technological advances have enabled natural interactions between generative AI and EFL learners, allowing learners to practice interactions at their own pace with less anxiety. This study aims to elucidate the effects of interaction opportunities with generative AI on the Willingness to Communicate (WTC), anxiety, and perceived competence of EFL learners. Sixty-six undergraduates were recruited as the participants. They had opportunities to interact with generative AI regularly. A questionnaire consisting of 24 items was employed to evaluate their WTC, anxiety, and perceived competence. The analysis of the collected data suggests that interaction opportunities with generative AI raise WTC and perceived competence and lower anxiety.

In this study, an interview survey was conducted to examine communication between foreign technical intern trainees and Japanese employees in the workplace, focusing on companies in Yamaguchi Prefecture that accept foreign technical intern trainees. The results revealed that the primary factors contributing to communication misunderstandings between foreign technical intern trainees and Japanese employees stemmed from cultural differences between low-context and high-context communication styles, as well as a lack of consideration in the Japanese expressions used by Japanese employees in the workplace. Furthermore, an additional survey of both technical intern trainees and Japanese employees highlighted that the most frequent misunderstandings arose not from complex expressions but from simple phrases like “I understand.” To facilitate smoother workplace communication, foreign technical intern trainees were provided with opportunities to learn the original meaning and proper usage of phrases such as “I understand” and were guided on the importance of asking for clarification when necessary. Additionally, feedback was given to Japanese employees to help them understand the reasons behind the linguistic behaviors of foreign technical intern trainees. These initiatives were found to significantly foster mutual understanding and proved highly effective for both parties.

The aim of this paper is to examine historical materials that show the political and military roles played by Buddhist priests during the civil war at the end of the Edo era, when the Tokugawa shogunate was opposed by various clans. They overthrew the old regime and ushered in the Meiji era, when the emperor reigned. During the Edo era when today’s Yamaguchi Prefecture was known as the Chōshū clan, Shin Buddhism priests belonging to temples in the clan’s territory set up a new school for monks to learn both liberal arts and French style martial arts to prevent Buddhism and temples, which were linked to the Tokugawa shogunate, from being destroyed. This study focuses on one of the priests involved in this movement, Kagawa Hōkō, and aims to clarify the reality of previously undocumented espionage activities using three historical documents. The third document is a transcript of an interview with the mother of a merchant in Osaka who was a supporter of the Chōshū clan’s espionage activities. It provides specific details about how the spies raised the funds they needed, how they communicated their information, and how they evaded the authorities by moving from one hiding place to another. There was also a monk, a spy mate of Hōkō, who abandoned his espionage duties and instead spent the money on sake and geisha. He ended up abducting a geisha and ran away, which led to Hōkō being imprisoned by both the shogunate’s Shinsengumi and the Chōshū clan on two separate occasions. After this, Hōkō and his comrades became responsible priests at the heart of the administration of the Shin Buddhism Hongwanji sect in the Meiji era, and he became the president of a university established by the sect, but in his twenties, he was involved in military activities like this. This is a new and interesting specific case that has previously been undocumented.

基盤教育Ⅳ群の「やまぐち未来デザインプロジェクトⅠ・Ⅱ」は、2023年度から３年間の予定で、一般財団法人三菱みらい育成財団から、カテゴリー４「21世紀型教養教育」として助成を受けている。2024年9月28日、JPタワーホール（東京都千代田区）において、「みらい育成アワード2024～知見、実践、その想いを分かち合う～」が開催され、2023年度に採択された助成先の中から、カテゴリーごとに、優れた活動・成果に賞が贈られた。本稿は、グランプリの受賞スピーチを報告するものである。

This paper argues that there are several points that should be considered when building a chat server in a university. Three arguments are made to demonstrate the points. First,an overview of chat servers are given and pointed out some of the issues involved in deploying a chat server. Next, to solve these problems, the introduction of Matrix, an open source chat server is argued. Finally, it is described that some types of service that can be provided by introducing chat server.

Japanese children naturally acquire many words in their daily lives, but foreign children do not have as many opportunities to do so, so it can be inferred that Japanese language ability affects problem solving in math problems. First, we text-mined commercially available problem books and extracted frequently used words. Next, we examined the standard difficulty level of the JLPT and its use in textbooks, and found that more than 70% of the vocabulary commonly used in arithmetic sentence problems were familiar words used in daily life, and even those not commonly used in arithmetic were often used in other subjects. In solving arithmetic sentence problems, not only some difficult words and words that are not frequently used in textbooks, but also the language environment can be a major hurdle for foreign children to learn, as they are required to have Japanese language skills in their daily lives.

This paper presents a field study in which the author conducted interviews with Japanese Americans affiliated with the Honolulu Yamaguchi Kenjinkai in Hawaii about their families’ stories. The author participated in the 2021 Aloha Project, a collaboration between Suo-Oshima Town, Suo-Oshima High School, and Yamaguchi Prefectural University, to design a set of Aloha shirts. During the foundational research for this project, the author visited the Japanese Hawaiian Emigration Museum operated by Suo-Oshima Town, developing a strong interest in the relationship between Suo-Oshima and Hawaii, particularly the history and current state of emigration. After retiring and becoming a professor emeritus, the author began researching Japanese immigration in 2023. The research began in September 2023 with a visit to Los Angeles, home to the Japanese American National Museum, to investigate Nikkei communities across the United States. Interviews were conducted with members of the Nanka Yamaguchi Kenjinkai. In mid-June 2024, the author traveled to Honolulu to interview members of the Honolulu Yamaguchi Kenjinkai about their family stories. At the same time, research was conducted at the Hawaii Japanese Cultural Center to better understand previously documented historical events. With these insights, the author decided to describe the individual family narratives collected through interviews. The study revealed the existence of historically significant Japanese immigrant communities in areas like Moiliili and McCully, which are comparable to Little Tokyo in Los Angeles. These areas, being older, hold a key place in the history of Japanese immigration as centers of work, education, and daily life for Japanese Americans. Through interviews about the lives of immigrants and their ancestors, the study provides opportunities to reconstruct the history of immigration, life in Hawaii, and changes in values over time. This has underscored the importance of continuing this research. Additionally, interviews were conducted with residents of Suo-Oshima who have relatives who emigrated. The author plans to further investigate how Suo-Oshima’s history of immigration has influenced the awareness and lifestyles of its residents.

In the late Middle Ages, the Ouchi clan made secondary use of the Kurumazuka Tomb and Dainichi Tomb in connection with Myoken faith (Hokuto faith) in order to strengthen their own political voice in Suo Province. They also unified and strengthened their ritual rights within the clan by moving the bases of Myoken faith that existed all over the country to Kouryuji Temple and Jofukuji Temple in the Ouchi Basin, where they were based.

The purpose of this study was to clarify what kind of support is needed for education and employment of childhood cancer survivors based on the current situation and issues. The research method was a literature review, and 12 articles were collected. The collected literature was divided into two categories: education and employment, and descriptions of the status and issues were reviewed. As a result, it was found that, with regard to education, it is necessary to provide learning support from the time of hospitalization with a view to returning to school, to cooperate with teachers at both the in-hospital school and the school of origin, and to promote understanding of the disease among classmates who will accept the students after discharge from the hospital. In addition, it is necessary for them to acquire the ability to explain and develop strategies for disclosing their disease so that employers will have a correct understanding of pediatric cancer when they are looking for a job. Furthermore, after employment, it is necessary for supporters to think together about strategies to continue employment in spite of physical condition and late-effects complications. In addition, it is necessary to support the patients to grow as a person and acquire social skills through education even while they are hospitalized.

本研究は、生活者理解を目的として導入したライフヒストリーインタビューを初学者に用いることの効果、すなわち基礎看護学実習Ⅰの目的の一つである「対象を生活者として理解」するという目標が達成できているかどうかを明らかにすることを目的に、令和5年度基礎看護学実習Ⅰ受講生57名が教育の一環として作成したレポート内容 を研究のために二次利用し、学生が理解した「生活者」を質的帰納的に分析した。その結果、【自宅での日常生活を送る人】、【楽しみを追究する】、【前向きな思いがある】、【その人らしさがある】、【病気や老いに向き合う】、【家族との関係】、【地域の人との関係がある】、【役割を持つ人】、【否定的な感情がある】、【自立して生活したい】、【困難感を感じる】、【今後のことを考える】の12カテゴリが抽出された。これらの内容および視点は先行研究で示されており、本研究の結果とも一致していたことから、学生は対象を生活者として理解することができていた。

The purpose of this study was to examine whether university students' knowledge about blood donation is related to their willingness to donate blood and their behavior as part of efforts to promote blood donation behavior. The subjects were 79 female students at University A in Yamaguchi Prefecture, aged 20.367 ±1.312 years. Of the 79 subjects, 51 (approximately 65% of the total) had past lectures and self-study (learning experience) related to blood donation, and 28 (approximately 35% of the total) had no experience. Regarding the experience of actually donating blood (blood donation experience), of 79 people, 22 had experience (approximately 28% of the total) and 57 had no experience (approximately 72% of the total). Knowledge about blood donation was asked about 19 items, including “reasons why blood is needed,” “uses of blood,” and “types of blood donation. The results were as follows: (1) Those who had studied the subject had more knowledge about blood donation than those who had not studied the subject for all 19 items except for “Reasons why blood is needed” and “Uses of blood”. (2) For all items except “Uses of blood'' and “Information on blood donation buses in Yamaguchi Prefecture'', those who had experience of blood donation were more knowledgeable than those who had no experience of blood donation. (3) The reason for going to a blood donation for those who had experience donating blood was the availability of snacks and other small gifts, invitations from friends, etc. When thinking about going to donate blood, 60% of respondents said that it was because of their own convenience, such as having time, having a blood donation bus, being in good physical condition, and feeling well. In addition, 30% of the responders were due to factors from the blood center or others, such as a notification from the blood center that blood could be donated or an invitation from a friend. (4) More than 60% of the respondents who had never donated blood did so because of their physical condition, such as anemia or being underweight. In addition, lack of opportunity to go, image and impression of blood donation such as “painful” and “scary,” and lack of knowledge about blood and blood donation were also cited as reasons. (5) When we examined how gaining knowledge about blood donation was related to the willingness to take action for those who had never donated blood, we found that not only did gaining knowledge increase the willingness to take action, but also some did not change their willingness to take action and some decreased their willingness to take action after gaining knowledge. These findings suggest that it is important to make efforts to sustain interest in blood donation for those who have experienced blood donation behavior, and for those who have not donated blood, it is important to simultaneously provide knowledge about blood donation and opportunities to donate blood, and to devise approaches for those who lack weight or other factors to meet blood donation criteria.

Abstract: the “Act on Special Measures concerning Assistance in Self-Support of Homeless” was enacted in 2002, and the national and local governments began providing full-scale support for homeless people. The national survey on homelessness conducted in 2003 identified 25,296 homeless persons in 581 municipalities nationwide, while the January 2024 national survey confirmed 2,820 homeless persons in 217 municipalities. For more than a decade following the introduction of the Act on Special Measures, independence support centers have been the main providers of support. However, the enactment of the law to support the independence of people in need in 2013 has created a pathway for self-support, allowing homeless persons to make practical use of the welfare law. As support for homeless people became enhanced in this way, a new problem emerged: the free/low-cost lodging facilities were serving as a place, other than the temporary living support projects, to provide welfare coverage for homeless people based on independence support centers and the law to support the independence of people in need. However, their housing conditions were poor and facility usage fees were unreasonably high. One of the measures against this“ poverty business” is the newly established residential facilities for daily life support. This paper discusses the support those residential facilities provide to the residents who are experiencing homelessness toward in-home living based on a survey of visits to the facilities and interviews with the residents. The results showed that individuals experiencing homelessness have not only restored their health through the use of the facilities but also a sense of security and freedom thanks to the involvement of the staff. This stabilization of the body and mind allows them to imagine the transition from the use of the facilities to in-home living. When selecting a place for in-home living, it is also important to form a social support network for a life in the community after leaving the facilities. Therefore, it is necessary for the residential facilities to build good relationships with other facilities that assist people experiencing homelessness and with government agencies outside their jurisdiction, as well as to form networks among support personnel.

In recent years, early support for preschool children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) has been the focus of social attention. In this study, we report the results of an early support program, APPLE, for one preschooler with ASD. As a result of the implementation of this program, it was confirmed that the joint attention behavior and verbal behavior of the child who participated in the program became richer. In the future, it is necessary to verify the effectiveness of the APPLE program by increasing the number of children participated in this program.