区役所の職員：世田谷区では、スロットマシーンがついた空き缶の回収機をいれたそうですよ。
同僚：そうですか。一台いくらぐらいするんですか。
区役所の職員：180万円。空き缶を回収する値段としては、ソロバンが合わないと思うけどね。
Soroban ga Awanai
Kuyakusho no
shokuin: Setagayaku de wa, surottomashin ga tsuita afeifean no kaishuki wo ireta soo desu yo.
Dooryoo: Soo desu ka. Ichidai ikura gurai suru'n desu ka.
Kuyakusho no
shokuin: Hyaku-hachijuu man en. Akikan wo kaishuu suru nedan to shite wa, soroban ga awanai to omou kedo ne.
Ward Office
Employee: I hear over in Setagaya Ward they've put in a machine for recycling cans that is also a slot machine.
Colleague: Really? How much does one cost?
Ward Office
Employee: \1.8 million. I don't think it'll pay to buy a machine for can-recycling at that price.
* * *
Soroban ga awanai means something 'doesn't pay,' 'isn'tworth it' as in "It doesn't pay to own a gas guzzl- ing car when gas prices are so high." It's said the amount of garbage we produce has increased 46 percent over the past 10 years. Local governments throughout Japan are thus concerned about recycling. As if it weren't enough that they already have to fit a hefty bill to collect all the empty cans which accumulate during this hot time of the year. Indeed, if this were a task for private enterprise, soroban ga awanai to itte, tokkuni yameteiru desho (they would have given up long ago because it just doesn't pay).
The machine mentioned above adds a game atmosphere to the task of recycling. When you put a can in, five rows of figures start spinning. One wins a coupon which can be redeemed for a gift by lining up the same figures. Young children like the machine and some place can after can into the slot. Some want the coupon so badly they even pick up cans which have been discarded in the streets. Some idea if you ask me.
The machine was invented in Switzerland in 1988 and there are now about 70 such machines in Japan.
In Vancouver, Canada, (and other places around the world) if one brings an empty can to a shop one can receive some money in return. When in Canada, I remember seeing people with bundles of cans going into shops. I wonder how many Japanese would collect empty cans if they knew they would be reimbursed in cash. Somehow I don't think the response would be great. This recycling machine will have better luck. If it helps people recycle takai okane wo dashi temo, jubun ni soroban ni au to omou (even paying a lot of money for one of these machines will pay off).
The machine is called "Lucky Can. " It automatically separates steel cans and aluminum cans and crushes them to one fifth their size. It can hold 1,000 cans. The city employee is bound to conclude, "Karera ga soroban ni awanai koto wo suru hazu ga arimasen (There is no way they would do something that doesn't pay). Let's buy one of those machines too." One can use the expression to talk about things other than money. It is sometimes used metaphorically as in, Shusse no koto wo kangaeru to buchoo ni hantai suru no wa soroban ni awanai (If you're thinking about getting promoted it won't pay to criticize the boss).