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A little talk with Mr. K vol.2


"Enjoying their life. Looked so happy" "So aren't you happy enough?" Mr.K asked me. "I don't know" I said. "With living in such a rich country?" "I think it's a good old days' story" "Similar to Iran. We got tough situation in economy. Hard to make living indeed because of high inflation.
That must be true. Actually, I was surprised by the infinflationation when I came here. Doubled or tripled for last few years. The prices listed on a latest guide book was almost useless. On the other hand the converted prices in US dollar was not changed so much. It means the Iranian currency was losing the value minute by minute. Traveller could not use a credit card because of economic sanctions by the US. Eventually they had to bring a bunch of "Rial Bill" Iranian currency,with them through the travel. A dollar was equal to 30,000 rials, 10,000 rials for a cup of tea. 150,000 for a meal, 1000,000 for an accommodation ... See? gradually my 0 sense was paralyzed. Because of too many digit, people use another unit as "Toman" with cutting off the final 0. This made me confuse more and more. It recalled me the nightmare of Cuba where I had not be able to make sense the correct price forever.


"In economic depression, Japan got deflation. The consumer price has been lowering, you know?" "I have some stereotype for Japan as an expensive country" "So Japanese government force to be an inflation for economic recovery" "Why the inflation makes the economic recovery?" Mr.K looked being wondered.
Same to him, I myself didn't understand the strange theory "Reflation". Yeah, it's certainly possible economic bubble leads the inflation. Although how about opposite? Is there the theory that buying big house with loan makes me rich? May be the man who had experienced hyper inflation knew its horror.
Recently Japan's consumers price gets start rising. The main reason is increasing cost of imported materials with exchange rate. Once it reaches to the government's inflation target "2%", it's not so far getting to be 50%. Otherwise stay in price and just losing the value as we had been for last decades. Japanese products or services had been loosing the quality and quantity. May be we have been in shadow inflation for all the years, not deflation. Meanwhile Iran's inflation is slowed down recently with reconciliation to the US. Mr.K said so.


"Iran has an abundant natural resources such as oil or mineral. Nevertheless our government sells 'em to the overseas like in free. Moreover only the government got a money with the deal. We, ordinary people, cannot get the profit" Mr.K shrugged his shoulders. Actually Iran is the 4th biggest oil-producing country. 1 USD to 1gallon gasoline. 1/5 of the Japan. Energy cost is extremely low in Iran. Transportation fare is also inexpensive. However compare to Arabic countries, for example, Iran doesn't looks good at business.
If talking about the people who doesn't get a profit from economy, the both countries are in similar situation. Only the difference must be the upper layer which hold the money, politicians or few big companies. Economic disparity, maybe we got same problem all the world.
But at least Iran has the free energy. Even if it cannot selling out the crude oil to the overseas, domestic production cost is lowering.
On the other hand, Japan's will tread a thorny path. Now Japan has to look for alternative energy resources for nuclear plants and fossil fuels. However the government is going to opposite direction. There is a huge arguments for newly building nuclear plant in Japan. So they gotta sell the plants to the middle eastern countries. Instead of that Japan has to buy the expensive fossil energy from the nuke clients in next decades. Eventually Japanese government loose the orientation for alternative energies.


With reconciliation to the US in nuke developing issue, the Iranian economy is getting brighter expectation. It's going through the long long tunnel of war and economic sanction. How about for Japan?
"By the way, how's a Japanese woman, uh? xxx xxxx, uh?" Mr.K looked so young, still standing by and going for it LOL
"Here we are now in the square. I gotta go that way" The 2km felt not so long. Then I asked about the big plastic bag hanging from his left arm. "Oh, it's a desk light for my child" Well, must be for his grand child.
"Oh, I wanna ask you one thing, Mr.K. Are you happy in your life?" I asked him. "Yes, I am. Definitely" He answered. "Now I'm happy hearing it from you" He put his right hand on the chest and smiled. Then we shook hands in the busy crowd.


Jan. 2014



Today's piece
" Gold " Kerman, Iran 2013




fumikatz osada photographie