Author: Japan Reacts Editorial

A graduate student at Nara Women’s University has sued the university and the national university corporation that runs it, seeking the award of her doctoral degree and about 17 million yen in damages, after the university notified her the day before her PhD program was set to conclude that it would not grant her the degree — despite the fact that her dissertation had already passed committee review and she had published a co-authored paper with her supervisors in an international academic journal. The university has no rule requiring it to disclose reasons for withholding a degree; only after the student filed an objection did it explain that “a separate meeting held after the dissertation review did not reach the required number of votes in favor.” On 5ch, users debated where responsibility lies with the supervising professors, and discussed how the realities of earning a doctorate differ between the sciences and the humanities.

It was revealed on the 22nd that a graduate student at Nara Women’s University has filed suit in Nara District Court against the university and the national university corporation that operates it, arguing it was unlawful to withhold her doctoral degree even though she had met the requirements — passing her dissertation review and having her work published in an academic journal. She is seeking the degree itself plus roughly 17 million yen in damages. The suit was filed on the 18th.

According to the complaint and members of the review committee, the student submitted her dissertation in January. The review committee found it passing in February, and the findings were also published in an international academic journal as a paper co-authored with her supervisors. However, on March 23 — the day before her doctoral program was due to conclude — the university notified her that it would not award the degree.

According to the university, there is no rule requiring it to disclose reasons for withholding a degree. When the student filed an objection, the university explained that at a separate meeting held after the dissertation review, the number of votes in favor among attendees fell short of what was required.

Source: news.yahoo.co.jp / Original article here

*This article is excerpted and summarized from the 5ch (News Speed+) thread ‘Seeking Her PhD, Sues Nara Women’s University Despite ‘Passing’ Dissertation Review.’

Saeng Mankharat, who lives in a village in northeastern Thailand, has an ID card listing her date of birth as September 18, 1896 — if true, that would make her 130 years old, a full 13 years older than the current record holder for world’s oldest person. Locals have hailed her as a “super-centenarian,” and she’s become an overnight sensation. Over on 5channel, the thread lit up with talk about the reliability of extreme-age claims — from users reminiscing about their own grandparents born in the Meiji era to the case of Shigechiyo Izumi, whose recorded age was reportedly thrown off by a family-registry mix-up.

‘130-Year-Old’ Grandma, 13 Years Older Than the World’s Oldest Person — ID Card Reading ‘1896’ Discovered By Chance, Draws Huge Attention in Thailand

In a quiet village in northeastern Thailand, a “super-centenarian” is now drawing attention.

The worn ID card belonging to Saeng Mankharat lists her date of birth as “September 18, 1896.”

Source: news.yahoo.co.jp / Original article here

*This article is compiled as an excerpt/summary of the 5channel (Breaking News Plus) thread “‘130-Year-Old’ Grandma, 13 Years Older Than the World’s Oldest Person — ID Card Reading ‘1896’ Discovered By Chance, Draws Huge Attention in Thailand.”