MIZUNO Shoji （みずのしょうじ）

"My personal history"

・ Born in Kyoto, I had been brought up there, before I came to Nagasaki more than 40 years ago, having lived here till now. 
・ In Kyoto as a young boy, I enjoyed rambling through historic temples and shrines where I had valuable experiences to use my primitive English with foreign visitors there, and was wild about explorations of deep mountain paths and streams around the north part of Kyoto. I might, in a sort, have been all curiosities, taking, more often than not, the form of rather reckless fashion. One of my interests then also was film appreciation, especially of the Hollywood movies. 
・ After moving to Nagasaki, I devoted myself to shipbuilding in “Nagasaki Shipyard” : engaged in construction of various kind of vessels, such as oil tankers, car carriers, bulk carriers, war ships, and passenger ships and so on. 
・ Back then, blessed with opportunities for several voyages as an service engineer after ships’ deliveries. These fresh ships used to sail around sometimes Persian Gulf and sometimes toward European countries through Cape Town. In most cases, the crews were foreigners, commanding various kind of languages.
・ During that maiden voyage, there were adequate chances for my reading a wide variety of books, about the histories of Japan, China, Europe, and novels, mystery stories including Ellery Queen, Agatha Christie etc, and the like. 
・ Meanwhile at that time infatuated with “Enka”, popular Japanese ballads, by singing loud in the ‘steering engine room’ on board, where any other sailors were seldom there, especially at night, I managed to get rid of solitude and antsy due to an entire lack of speaking chances of my native language [Japanese] at all, for the duration of as many as 3 months. These experiences might have possibly evoked my consciousness and thought as well as friendliness and interest with other cultures and humanity.
・ Later, since leaving the position in Nagasaki Shipyard, I took on a job of waste oil disposal in its affiliated company, having an opportunity to get the certificates as follows ; 
 A] Prevention of Pollution Manger
 1) Air Pollution – 2nd class 2) Water Pollution – 1st class 3) Dioxin Relations
 B] Electric Chief Engineer etc.
・ These certificates qualified me as “ Environmental Advisor ”, and eventually allowed me to have engaged in one project of technical guidance for a waste oil disposal company in Montenegro - extremely far away from Japan, taking no less than 3 steps of flights through transfer-points of Vienna and Beograd in Serbia, even so its land is facing the Adriatic Sea, with lots of scenic beauty and serene atmosphere, rather less touristy place. Despite that fact, environmental concerns in future of this country seemed to be very common by now.
・ That was, however, a great experience for my life. I’ve got to know there many people, all kindhearted, cordial and even humorous. 
・ Indelible impression was that a taxi driver I came across there told me kinds of his life philosophy, arguing “ humanity will not be affected by the government behaviors, but just depend on individual minds, therefore we could make good friends with any foreigners (in spite of even unpleasant circumstances or histories with each other). We must pay homage to the famous and not-so-famous people around the world. ” His words is never far from my mind, so I’d like to make his word to be food for thought and my motto for my tour-guiding activities from now on. 

 PS [1] : - Medical Tourism -
 I aspire to contribute to Medical Tourism as an interpreter, getting certificate of Medical English Level Pre3 recently. 
 Incidentally, the potential demand of Medical Tourism is high, yet quite uncertain of what it really is in details, or unsubstantial. 
 Anyway, as the proverb has it, “Healthy is more than wealthy” and also “No one is so old but he may learn”. Accordingly people’s concerns about health promotion-cum-tourism seems to be on the increase worldwide. The Medical Tourism typically ought to involve so-called Preventive Medicine, and also needs absolutely the sense of omotenashi, hearty hospitality.
Tourism and Medicine will be definitely essential bonds and contribute to the happiness among almost all people in the world. Japan must be I believe one of the most suitable countries in the world for the Medical Tourism.

 PS [2] : - My major etc. –
 An electronics major in Kyoto University, and an American Football player during that time. Sumo was also my favorite both as a spectator and a participant. The hard training thereby had made me sound healthy so far.