...as the crunch continues
A few things to take my mind off of my thesis, and your mind off of thinking:
The liberal leadership circus, er, race is down one candidate to a slim total of ten candidates. So now each candidate gets 32 seconds to answer a debate question rather than 30 seconds. Hooray. Here's two more who should drop out so we can get that number up to a lofty 35.
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi continues to piss off China, South Korea, Taiwan and the other half-dozen or so countries subjugated by Japan in World War II. Koizumi has once again visited Yasukuni Shrine, a Shinto homage to Japan's war dead that includes over 1,000 convicted WWII war criminals. In case you don't understand why this is offensive to the Chinese, do yourself a favour and perform a Wikipedia or Google search on "The Rape of Nanking." Or, perhaps, imagine how Western Europe and Israel might feel if leading German politicians regularly paid respects to Hitler, Goerring, Goebbels and the rest of the Nazi leadership, literally enshrined as martyrs in a Berlin church.
Koizumi usually defends his visits to the shrine by saying that he is doing so as a "private citizen," and not as Prime Minister. Frankly, worshipping war criminals is objectionable regardless of whether you do it on state dollars or not. Koizumi is normally a model world leader — he even loves Elvis — and his personal visits to the shrine probably won't cause World War III. But if North Korean madness or Taiwanese independence causes World War III, Koizumi's actions as a "private citizen" will hardly look innocent. And I wonder how he would deal, as both a "private citizen" and Prime Minister, with the millions of dead Japanese, Koreans and Chinese that would result.
Lastly, my friends Amy and Johann are in town. And it looks like we're drinking over here Friday. Anyone up for some Fri/Sat escapades -- Nadine? Neal? Riles? -- should gimme a ring on my "new" cell (War of 1812 cell) or send an email.
再见。
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi continues to piss off China, South Korea, Taiwan and the other half-dozen or so countries subjugated by Japan in World War II. Koizumi has once again visited Yasukuni Shrine, a Shinto homage to Japan's war dead that includes over 1,000 convicted WWII war criminals. In case you don't understand why this is offensive to the Chinese, do yourself a favour and perform a Wikipedia or Google search on "The Rape of Nanking." Or, perhaps, imagine how Western Europe and Israel might feel if leading German politicians regularly paid respects to Hitler, Goerring, Goebbels and the rest of the Nazi leadership, literally enshrined as martyrs in a Berlin church.Koizumi usually defends his visits to the shrine by saying that he is doing so as a "private citizen," and not as Prime Minister. Frankly, worshipping war criminals is objectionable regardless of whether you do it on state dollars or not. Koizumi is normally a model world leader — he even loves Elvis — and his personal visits to the shrine probably won't cause World War III. But if North Korean madness or Taiwanese independence causes World War III, Koizumi's actions as a "private citizen" will hardly look innocent. And I wonder how he would deal, as both a "private citizen" and Prime Minister, with the millions of dead Japanese, Koreans and Chinese that would result.
再见。
posted by C. LaRoche at
22:06
5...thoughts from my fellow Saturnalians:
Koizumi is someone whom I, in general, think is pretty good. But his visits to the Yakasuni Shrine have really pissed me off.
I don't blame China or South Korea for getting all upset about what he is doing, but at the same time I feel that they are using the events for political gain.
I do wonder why Koizumi keeps making those trips, in spite of worldwide condemnation. I figure that he hopes that people will stop being so offended if he does it enough times....
By
Eric, at Wed Aug 16, 12:37:00 p.m. ADT
S.O.:
Koizumi is definitely a world-class leader, and a model at that. He's charismatic, knows how to get a country out of recession, and also knows how to crack a joke (see the Elvis stuff). Definitely the best leader Japan has had in decades; Harper could learn a lot. Yasukuni is really Koizumi's only weakness, as far as I can tell.
I'm not sure if South Korea uses the shrine visits for any particular political gain, given that their gov. has no real legitimacy problem -- although I'm told South Koreans are more anti-American than ever, and Japan is the U.S.'s best ally in Asia.
As for China, the cancellations of meeting with Japanese ministers and whatnot as a result are certainly used for political gain. In fact, the Chinese are basically making a big international issue out of something that -- you would think -- would remain relatively inconsequential to the "real" foreign relations going on between China and Japan -- trade, trade, and trade.
And, in fact, there's no real evidence that icy Sino-Japanese political relations have affected the the bulk of the two countries' massive trading relationship.
So it's ALL a matter of publicity. The CCP can be guaranteed to rely on two things if to ensure legitimacy: economic stability and opportunity, and nationalist rhetoric.
It's the Japanese side that really worries me, though. Koizumi's actual visits are private, and there doesn't seem to be much talk about righting WWII wrongs in Japan. Koizumi would do the world some good to hold off on visiting the shrine until he steps down this fall. China would have no excuse to rattle war drums, and for Koizumi's sake, his image in Asia would look a whole lot better. I mean, let's be honest. Visiting a shrine that honours Tojo and the rest of his Kodoha gang is reprehensible, and it underlines the fact that Japan has never really apologized for its imperialist years. In a region that has a few powderkegs, this ain't good. It gives nations an excuse to hate each other.
By
C. LaRoche, at Wed Aug 16, 09:16:00 p.m. ADT
I don't disagree with you at all.
Quite frankly, when I was attending high school in Japan I found it amazing that they omited much of what they did during the war focusing instead on the 'good' things that they did and Hiroshima of course. (Like their ambassador to Lithuania's heroic efforts to save Jewish lives).
To be honest, China's 'economic stability' is a bit of an oxymoron. At least from my perspective in living there.
I don't know for sure, because my time there was spent in the Beijing-Tianjin area only and most of my information comes from either working class families or upper class families.
By
Eric, at Fri Aug 18, 01:15:00 a.m. ADT
S.O.: I take it you've spent a fair amount of time in both China and Japan?
A wee bit jealous :)
RE: China's "economic rise" -- while the rise is a bit of an oxymoron, particularly in the sense that the greatest benefits and cons of the current regime are derived from it. the current round of growth is probably better than whatever the majority of Chinese lived through pre-Xiaoping. To think that tens of millions died as a result of the Great Leap Forward...
By
C. LaRoche, at Fri Aug 18, 01:46:00 a.m. ADT
Well, I spent a month in Beijing-Tianjin area as a 100% tourist (which I hated being) but I enjoyed the time.
If you get to go to Tianjin visit the downtown area where all the old western-style buildings were preserved.
My friends there are very interesting and I learned a lot about the 'darker' side of China. My own Mandarin skills are quite elementary as I have never had any formal training, just picked up grammar and words off my friends.
If you get to go to China soon, take some time, and travel around Beijing (all around Beijing). Walk the streets, eat in the restaurants (for goodness sakes get a friend to tell you which to avoid!), try to get a feel for the 'real' Beijing. Not just the 'tourist' Beijing.
By
Eric, at Sat Aug 19, 12:31:00 p.m. ADT
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