Dokkyo University

ABSTRACT Measures of creative behavior have typically been developed for adults (Biographical Inventory of Creative Behavior [BICB]). Such measures are important for examining the mechanisms of creativity and for understanding how creativity education relates to creative behavior. In Japan, where creativity education has become increasingly emphasized in schools, a scale needs to be developed that can assess creative behavior not only among adults but also among adolescents. Thus, this study developed a Japanese version of the BICB (BICB‐J) and examined its measurement properties using the Item Response Theory (IRT) (Study 1). The results demonstrated that multiple BICB items had a high difficulty level and that the BICB‐J was extremely difficult for Japanese adults. Differential item and test functioning analyses revealed that the difficulty of the BICB‐J items varied by gender and age even when the respondents' traits were the same. Furthermore, this study developed the BICB‐J for adolescents by adding items and examining its measurement properties using IRT (Study 2). The results showed that the BICB‐J items for adolescents had less difficulty measuring the creative behavior of Japanese adolescents than that of adults. The results are discussed considering previous findings on creative activity among Japanese people.

Abstract. Atmospheric methane (CH4) growth rates reached unprecedented values in the years 2020–2022. To identify the main drivers of this increase, an inverse modeling study estimated regional and sectoral emission changes for 2016–2022. Three inverse estimates based on different sets of atmospheric CH4 observations (surface observations only, surface and aircraft observations, and GOSAT observations) consistently suggest notable emission increases from 2016–2019 to 2020–2022 in the tropics (15° S–10° N) (10–18 Tg CH4 yr−1) and in northern low latitudes (10–35° N) (ca. 20 Tg CH4 yr−1), the latter of which likely contributed to the growth rate surge from 2020. The emission increase in the northern low latitudes is attributed to emissions in South Asia and northern Southeast Asia, which abruptly increased from 2019 to 2020, and elevated emissions continued until 2022. Meanwhile, the tropical emission increase is dominated by Tropical South America and Central Africa, but emissions were continuously increasing before 2019. Agreement was found in the sectoral estimates of the three inversions in the tropics and northern low latitudes, suggesting the largest contribution of biogenic emissions. Uncertainty reductions demonstrate that the flux estimates in Asia are well constrained by surface and aircraft observations. Furthermore, a sensitivity test with the probable reduction of OH radicals showed smaller emissions by up to 2–3 Tg CH4 yr−1 in each Asian region for 2020, still suggesting notable emission contributions. These results highlight the importance of biogenic emissions in Asian regions for the persistent high growth rate observed during 2020–2022.

ABSTRACT We examined the impact of the National Unity Day (NUD), a national sporting event, on Juba citizens in South Sudan, a conflict-affected country. Employing quantitative and qualitative analyses, the research investigates NUD’s effect on social capital, trust, perceptions of unity, and identity. The findings reveal that NUD enhances trust, mitigates conflict perceptions, increases unity among diverse groups, and strengthens South Sudanese identity. The study suggests rotating future NUD events outside Juba to broaden their impact, highlighting the potential of sports for peacebuilding in conflict zones. NUD offers a simulated experience of coexistence and conviviality.

Abstract This article provides a brief overview of the history and current situation of freedom of association in the Constitution of Japan. Part i introduces the related provisions of freedom of association in the Constitution, including labour unions, religious corporations, universities and families. Part ii presents a brief history of the period before the current Constitution was established. Part iii examines the laws that limit associations based on the Constitution. Part iv considers the potential of freedom of association by analysing the original drafts of the Constitution of Japan. We further review the direction of theory of freedom of association by laying out the situation of academic discussions in Japan.

In today's world, social challenges, such as the rise of individualism or the desire for uniformity in a team, affect the way we form our personalities. On the one hand, the culture of self-realization and success often encourages selfishness and competition, which can lead to social isolation and problems in interpersonal relationships. On the other hand, an excessive focus on collective values and standards that negate individuality suppresses a person's unique talents and intrinsic motivation. In the context of globalization, digitalization, and rapid social change, the balance between individual development and the ability to cooperate is becoming critical to fostering a personality capable of adapting to the challenges of the 21st century while maintaining internal integrity and flexibility. The harmony of individual and collective aspects of human life implies both personal development and integration into the social environment. It is important for a person to be able to develop his or her unique abilities while maintaining a sense of belonging to a group, as this strengthens his or her internal resources and contributes to successful self-expression. Only a harmonious combination of individual and collective development will allow a person to unleash his or her creative abilities. The choice between egoism and collectivism equally inhibits human development and self-realization. The development of cooperation is the way to harmony between the individual and the collective. Cooperative and partnership relations create favorable conditions for achieving acme. They provide knowledge exchange, support and motivation, enhance creativity, develop communication skills and expand the network of contacts. Thanks to these aspects, an individual has a better chance of realizing their potential and achieving maximum results in life. In today's world, which faces numerous challenges, such as social exclusion, conflict, inequality and environmental issues, a cooperative approach is becoming critical for the harmonious development of the individual. Supporting this approach not only contributes to the formation of socially responsible citizens, but also ensures the creation of a healthy social environment in which everyone can realize their potential. The cooperative approach is based on the principles of mutual respect, cooperation and support, which allows individuals to interact with each other, taking into account both their own and collective needs. This creates conditions for the development of personal qualities such as empathy, tolerance and responsibility, which are key to effective coexistence in society.

An inverse study of atmospheric methane (CH4) estimated regional and sectoral emission contributions to the unprecedented surge of the atmospheric growth rate for 2020-2022. Three inverse analyses, which used only surface observations, surface and aircraft observations, and satellite (GOSAT) observations, consistently suggested notable emission increases in the tropics (15°S-10°N) (10-18 Tg CH4 yr −1 ) and in northern low-latitudes (10-35°N) (ca. 20 Tg CH4 yr −1 ), the latter of which likely contributed to the growth rate surge from 2020. The emission increase in the northern low-latitudes is attributed to emissions in South Asia (6-7 Tg CH4 yr −1 ) and northern Southeast Asia (5 Tg CH4 yr −1 ), which abruptly increased from 2019 to 2020, and elevated emissions continued until 2022. Meanwhile, the tropical emission increase is dominated by tropical South America (5-7 Tg CH4 yr −1 ) and central Africa (3-6 Tg CH4 yr −1 ), but they were continuously increasing before 2019.

Abstract. An inverse study of atmospheric methane (CH4) estimated regional and sectoral emission contributions to the unprecedented surge of the atmospheric growth rate for 2020–2022. Three inverse analyses, which used only surface observations, surface and aircraft observations, and satellite (GOSAT) observations, consistently suggested notable emission increases in the tropics (15° S–10° N) (10–18 Tg CH4 yr−1) and in northern low-latitudes (10–35° N) (ca. 20 Tg CH4 yr−1), the latter of which likely contributed to the growth rate surge from 2020. The emission increase in the northern low-latitudes is attributed to emissions in South Asia (6–7 Tg CH4 yr−1) and northern Southeast Asia (5 Tg CH4 yr−1), which abruptly increased from 2019 to 2020, and elevated emissions continued until 2022. Meanwhile, the tropical emission increase is dominated by tropical South America (5–7 Tg CH4 yr−1) and central Africa (3–6 Tg CH4 yr−1), but they were continuously increasing before 2019. Agreement was found in sectoral estimates in the tropics and northern low-latitudes, suggesting that biogenic emissions from wetlands, agriculture, and waste are the largest contributors. High-precision surface and aircraft observations imposed constraints that were comparable to or 1.5 times stronger than GOSAT constraints on the flux estimates in South and Southeast Asia. Furthermore, a sensitivity inversion test suggested that the effect of the probable reduction of OH radicals in 2020 might be limited in the Asian regions. These results highlight the importance of biogenic emissions in Asian regions for the persistent high growth rate observed during 2020–2022.