More highly female-biased sex ratio in the fig wasp,Blastophaga nipponica Grandi (Agaonidae)

The sex ratio of the pollinator fig wasp,Blastophaga nipponica Grandi (Agaonidae), was examined in an experiment manipulating the number of foundresses. The sex ratio ofB. nipponica was conditional on the number of foundresses and corresponded to the qualitative prediction of the local mate competition (LMC) theory that the proportion of males increases as foundress number increases. However, the sex ratio ofB. nipponica was consistently more female-biased than predicted by extended LMC theories that incorporated effects of inbreeding, and these deviations were statistically significant. Plausible factors that would make predictions more female-biased are discussed.     

Historical meaning of post-Fukushima social movements: Crisis in hegemony in postwar Japan and prefigurative politics in the 2010s

Since the Great East Japan Earthquake in March 2011 and the nuclear power plant accident, a number of movements have emerged in Japanese society, including the anti-nuclear power movement and others with a variety of agendas. The social movements of the 2010s in Japan have expanded along with the spread of social networking services and have brought together a new class of people who are different from those of the established movements. This article will compare and examine the social movements of the 2010s with those of the past, as well as the function they played in the social structure. In the early 2020s, a structural crisis in the political and economic foundations of postwar Japan has become apparent. The Japanese social movements of the 2010s were movements that pressed for the transformation of the old social system as well as the transformation of the old anti-system movements. Thus, this movement had the distinction of prefiguring a fundamental shift in the confrontational frame of reference between conservatism and progressivism that had shaped postwar Japan. This article will discuss the historical significance of the Japanese social movements of the 2010s in light of the structural factors behind the decline of the social base of both conservative and progressive forces.     

Space,People, Interventions and Time (SPIT): A Model for Understanding Children's Outdoor Play in Post‐Disaster Contexts Based On a Case Study from the Triple Disaster Area of Tohoku in North‐East Japan

Play in the outdoor environment is important for children as part of their childhood and is particularly important for children in a post‐disaster situation. This article explores issues around outdoor play opportunities in the Tohoku region of north‐east Japan, 13 months after the triple disaster of earthquake, tsunami and nuclear power plant failure. A model of space, people, interventions and time (SPIT) is used to understand the situation in this unique case study.     

The Impact of Bandung City's Rapid Development on children's Independent Mobility and Access to Friendly Play Environments

This study explored the extent to which the enormous development in Bandung City, Indonesia has some bearing on local children as the youngest inhabitants. In particular, it focused on the issue of children's independent mobility and the availability of friendly play environments in children's neighbourhoods. The result of this study showed that the development of Bandung City has created a disparity in access regarding children's opportunities for mobility as well as participation in friendly play environments. This study identified that many children were allowed to visit two places — local shops and the local mosque — without accompanying elders. This study also recognised children's desires to have appropriately designed play spaces, such as parks that are equipped with play equipment and rich in nature. Thus, this study argues the necessity to preserve the remaining and add a significant number of new, free, outdoor play spaces in the city.