Hello & Welcome
My name is Shizue Tomoda. After retiring from the international civil service, I pursue my interest in creative writing.
My Creative Writing Works
This is a fascinating memoir/study by a former director of ILO's Colombo office that deciphers the tragic civil war, the complex ethnic composition, and social and labor issues of vulnerable women workers in Sri Lanka. It is a story of pain, toils and agony, but also of light.
This novel explores the life and times of a brave young Japanese woman named Sachiko who escapes the stifling culture in Japan for a life of promise in the United States. Through hardships and lost love, she comes to discover a new spiritual peace within herself.
A sweet memoir describing the process of how the author formed a lovely family with her two adopted cats Taro and Tomi. The fact is you can learn a lot from a cat, and this book serves as a beautiful portrait of the simple life.
Tag Archives: Japan
Essay: Ageing female prisoners in Japan
According to the 2013 edition of World Population Ageing, a UN report, Japan was most aged society in the world with 32% of its population being 60 years or over. Italy and Germany came second and third, both with nearly … Continue reading
Essay: A big “No” to the re-start of nuclear reactors
Before the meltdown at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant following the powerful earthquake and the tsunami of March 11, 2011, there were 54 nuclear reactors operating throughout Japan. They used to supply about 30% of the energy in the … Continue reading
Essay : My thought on Shinzo Abe’s visit to the Yasukuni shrine
As expected, both China and South Korea reacted furiously to Prime Minister Abe’s visit to the controversial Yasukuni shrine in late December 2013. Diplomatic relations between Japan and these countries, which had already been strained, worsened further with no hope … Continue reading
Essay: The Enigma of Gender Gap in Japan
In March this year, I posted on my blog an essay titled “Japan: The worst developed country for women?” I mentioned in it that Japan came in 101st in the “global gender gap index” in 2012 out of 135 countries … Continue reading
Essay: Honest-box Vegetables in Tokyo
I was planning a month-long trip to Japan from mid-March of this year, but decided to postpone it because of the powerful earthquake/tsunami that struck there and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant explosions that followed. I delayed my trip … Continue reading
Essay: Food poisoning: Hygiene control and staff training
Food processing plants and catering establishments must always be thorough in handling and conserving food ingredients because goods produced in factories with poor hygiene standards or meals served in such restaurants can cause food poisoning. Both must always be extremely … Continue reading
Essay: On Euthanasia
At the end of April this year, I had a sad experience when I had to euthanize Malice, my feline companion for nine years. I wrote the details of this painful event in an essay, “Euthanasia for Malice”, which I … Continue reading
