crime

Korean man assaulted by extremists for protesting Japanese war crimes

201 Comments
By Steven Simonitch

A Korean man protesting at the infamous Yasukuni Shrine was assaulted by a group of Japanese men on Aug 15, the 67th anniversary of Japan’s surrender in World War II.

The incident was brought to light by South Korean news source Yonhap News Agency on Saturday.

At around 2:20 p.m., the man appeared outside the Yasukuni Shrine, a source of contention between the two countries for its enshrinement of Japanese war criminals, to protest the Japanese government’s refusal to accept responsibility over the “comfort women” issue.

Japanese police arrived to arrest the man about 10 minutes later. However, as the police were escorting him away from the Tokyo shrine, a group of 5-6 Japanese men, said to be right-wing extremists, approached him and began punching him in the face and kicking his legs while yelling racist remarks.

In an interview with Yonhap News Agency after the incident, the man claims that the police made only a passive effort to stop the violence.

“As a South Korean national, I wanted to raise awareness of the false perception of historical events. I didn’t think the mood in Japan was this bad,” he spoke.

There’s no mistaking that.

News of the incident was also reported on the Japanese version of the Korea Joongang Daily website, which allows readers to rate what they thought of the article from a few simple selections. For this particular article, 317 Japanese readers found the article “interesting” and 314 said it “made them feel better,” while only 35 readers found it “sad” and 39 reported it “made them feel angry.”

Source: Korea Joongang Daily

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201 Comments
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Obivously, as many commenters pointed out, this guy picked a stupid time and place to do something stupid. Sure it makes sense that some idiot(s) would assault him.

But the whole point of the story is the police were there were already escorting him away when this happened and did nothing allegedly. That is the disturbing, scary thing. That's what cops are there for, I have seen them protect killers from crazed relatives, serial killers from, werll, everyone. But not a Korean. Arrest the right wingers, if they actually came up and punched s/b in the face who was in Police custody. They are just showing they are weak and have no control.

18 ( +23 / -5 )

Shouldn't this be under the crime section ?

12 ( +15 / -3 )

Try this type of stunt in Arlington Cemetary on Memorial Day and see how the public reacts?(Both the witness and the mass public)

Shows how little you know about he country you incist on bashing non-stop anyway. No doubt a protestor on Memorial Day at Arlington Cemetary no doubt would not be very popular. But they wuld not be assaulted while in the "custody" of police, that is for sure. And if they were, the U.S. press would report on it, and not over-looked like in Japan. IMO, that is the most disturbing part of this story. Why was it the Yonhap News agency that reported it? Is it because the J-press is intimidated by the right-wingers, as many have suspected?

12 ( +18 / -6 )

The South Korean was being assaulted by the thugs before the police arrived. The police came and they rescued the Korean.

http://cdn.diodeo.com/news_photo/2012/08/16/83858-01-20120816175528-570.jpg

11 ( +13 / -2 )

Lowly: "That's what cops are there for, I have seen them protect killers from crazed relatives, serial killers from, werll, everyone."

It is scary indeed, though I haven't seen them protect killers from crazed relatives, serial killers, or anyone else. Instead, I've just seen stories of them allowing mafia members to pull a man asking for help out of a Koban and beat him to death, to ignore dozens of calls about violent stalkers and allowing the stalkers to kill their victims before doing anything, allowing rape suspects out of the police stations through backdoors, etc. They are extremely incompetent, and in this case what they don't realize is that they've put the lives of Japanese in danger -- for I've no doubt South Koreans will reciprocate with even less provocation.

The police should be immediately dismissed, and the men, if they can be caught, arrested for assault. Neither will happen, of course, because this is Japan.

8 ( +15 / -7 )

Japanese don't go to Yasukuni on Aug 15 to glorify people for killing millions...They go to remember/pray for those who died and many pray for world peace.

Yeah, I could tell how badly some there wanted peace!

But anyway, what you are saying, is that all Japanese are the same and you can read their minds. Sure.

But you know, when I see a group of a people at a place that enshrines war criminals angrily denying the facts of history with shouts and blows, somehow I think its not peace they want, and the remembering is glorification of the past and the praying is hoping for a repeat of history than anything else. That goes double when you see people go there dressed up in IJA uniforms. This is all very much like Germans burying Hitler and Goering with honors at Invalidenfriedhof, dressing in Wehrmacht uniforms, and visiting the cemetery annually with excuses about praying for peace. All of Europe would be up in arms and rightly so. We don't read minds, but we aren't stupid!

7 ( +9 / -2 )

What is offensive about the truth?? J Govt is not trying to make amends when it comes to the comfort woman. I don't think he did anything to deserve the abuse he received just for protesting. Thank goodness he is alive, after being attacked like that. One of those abusers could have used a knofe.

6 ( +15 / -9 )

Ah, Japanese racism at its best! In the real world, the right-thugs would have been arrested and charged with assault. The war may have finished 70 odd years ago, but there are some very imperialistic and prejudiced views within Japanese society. Japan is definitely the most racist and prejudiced country I have been to.

6 ( +6 / -0 )

nigelboy: "I think you are confused Smith. This is a nationalist Korean going overseas acting like a lunatic INSIDE and the day many relatives come from all of Japan to honor their fallen ancestors."

I don't support the man's actions at all, and think he was stupid to do what he did; that does not forgive the actions of those who assaulted him, nor does it in ANY way forgive the actions of the police. Are you saying it does?

6 ( +15 / -9 )

Try this type of stunt in Arlington Cemetary on Memorial Day and see how the public reacts?(Both the witness and the mass public)

Who do you mean, I doubt it would have gone as far as the folks who attacked a LONE Korean protestor Seriously.

5 ( +10 / -5 )

I couldn'(t see from those pix at all if the guy was assaulted before the police got there, or after. Or both, or neither for that matter. It was a bunch of confused pix.

My opinion still stands, the cops should arrest any right-wingers, not just protect the guy getting assaulted. That's the only way to shut down a situation like that (and prevent it from happening in the future) is just take everyone in. Much less again on that day, bunch of riled up ppl esp kids may go out looking for more violence. Just dangerous.

Smith- agree w/ beginning and ending of your comment. But when I read the list of j-cop f-ups in the middle, I just couldn't be sure as to the amount of cop f-ups in my own country. I complain about jcops each time I read that stuff, but just not sure how bad it is in my home. I have a feeling there's more professionalism, and more learning from experience over time and better procedures, on average than jpn. But I think depending on the department/ town/ individual cop, there are plenty of bad situations at home.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Did anyone watch the whole video? I did. It looked like the cops were trying pretty hard to protect him and kept pushing away the mob. And thanks for the 3 thumbs down for just stating the facts.

5 ( +8 / -4 )

yasukuni:

" They go to remember/pray for those who died and many pray for world peace. "

They sure as hell could find a more suitable place for that than Yasukuni with its revisionist propaganda and enshrined war criminals. Especially for the "world peace" part.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

I notice OssanAmerica is conspicuously absent from this thread. He declared that Japanese are not as nationalist as Korean and Chinese, and yet here you have the J-cops sit back and watch as right-wing nationalists beat up a man who is engaging in non-violent protest.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

smithinjapanAug. 19, 2012 - 12:53PM JST

"Japanese police arrived to arrest the man about 10 minutes later. However, as the police were escorting him away from the Tokyo shrine, a group of 5-6 Japanese men, said to be right-wing extremists, approached him and began punching him in the face and kicking his legs while yelling racist remarks."

Did you perhaps miss that part of the article? It doesn't say the Korean man said that, it states it as fact, save for whether or not the men were wingers. Why do you defend these people? Do you think the Korean guy beat himSELF up?

Perhaps you missed the point that there is just one account used for the story, the person claiming to be the victim. We cannot be certain that the altercation did not start ahead of the man being taken into custody, nor do we know why they were fighting after the cops arrived.

There is no excuse for the men's actions, and I have never said anything to that effect. However, to attack the character of the police without proper justification is equally inexcusable, and until evidence is found to support that stance, it is counterproductive. They seem, by the limited information given in this article and photographs of the event, to be following protocol and protecting before of enforcement. Perhaps the next time the cops won't even bother to show up, which would result in a far worse end for the protestor.

4 ( +10 / -6 )

What I saw in the Video is the J-Cops escorting and guarding the Korean protester, followed by media and a 2nd line of police and right-wingers that wanted him arrested.

They got him to safety which is their job and told some right-wingers they might get arrested.

No so sign of injury, blood which would come with an assault but either cops or right-wingers.

Like I said mostly verbal.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

Not just stupidity, but lack of decency and respect.

Well, Yasukuni shows a distinct lack of decency and respect to the 10 million people the Japanese killed in WW2, by glorifying their actions..So the protester's choice of venue was apt and profound. Thanks for pointing that out to us.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

This comment thread is representative of the typical Japanese apologist's mentality:

1) Try to claim that nothing bad happened, even in light of irrefutable evidence (in this case, VIDEO FOOTAGE!)

2) If #1 fails, blame the whole incident on the VICTIM. The Japanese can't do any wrong, after all.

Distortion at its finest. It must be easy after 67 years of practice.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

Robert S. McNamara from the 2003 Academy Award winning documentary film, 'The Fog Of War'... talking about the US firebombing of Japan in WWII...

"LeMay said, "If we'd lost the war, we'd all have been prosecuted as war criminals." And I think he's right. He, and I'd say I, were behaving as war criminals. LeMay recognized that what he was doing would be thought immoral if his side had lost. But what makes it immoral if you lose and not immoral if you win?"

... Anyway, this Korean guy was out pushing the wrong buttons in the wrong place. He's lucky to be able to talk about it.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

nigelboy

"I LOVE KOREA" "Stop Ministers Yasukuni Visit", "Do not Enshrine Koreans", "Apologize to Comfort Women". "Stop the Invsasion of Dokdo".

Such offensive messages! This guy sure needs to be beaten and kicked by the sensible, mature and rational ultra-nationalists.

3 ( +17 / -14 )

smithinjapanAug. 19, 2012 - 12:04PM JST

yet here you have the J-cops sit back and watch as right-wing nationalists beat up a man who is engaging in non-violent protest.

It doesn't say that anywhere, and considering that in none of the photos the man is bloodied or even dirty, we can assume that "beat up" would be an excessive term. The only "witness" discussed in this article is the "victim", which is shoddy journalism considering the photos of the event show dozens of people. Even then the man admits that the Japanese police protected him "the man claims that the police made ... effort to stop the violence".

Lets not forget this line from the article:

I didn’t think the mood in Japan was this bad,” he spoke.

There’s no mistaking that.

If that is not yellow journalism, Pulitzer himself would have a hard time explaining that sentence.

3 ( +9 / -6 )

I don't think anybody here has the right to say the Koreans and Chinese are acting immature in comparison to the Japanese any more. This is horrible... And embarassing.

3 ( +9 / -6 )

LowlyAug. 19, 2012 - 12:37PM JST

My opinion still stands, the cops should arrest any right-wingers, not just protect the guy getting assaulted. That's the only way to shut down a situation like that (and prevent it from happening in the future) is just take everyone in. Much less again on that day, bunch of riled up ppl esp kids may go out looking for more violence. Just dangerous.

Unfortunately, that's how people get hurt. For a situation like this, protection and removal are the primary step, to minimize the chance of violence escalation as well as to protect the individual. Only after the individual is safe should the cops focus on justice, as there are bound to be video and photos from which officers can identify assailants anyway. Much like in medicine, the system is "first, do no harm", in this case prevent the escalation of violence against the individual.

While the exact details are not known (and will never be reported in Korean news channels), it is very likely that they minimized harm as best as humanly possible, to all parties involved. If the man wishes to file a complaint against his assailants, he will be allowed to do so, and very likely it will be easy to see exactly who was involved.

3 ( +9 / -6 )

nigelboy:

Your remarks actually make me want to puke. You sound as if the Korean guy, wacko or no wacko, deserves to be beaten to death. Whatever happened to free speech? As for your comparison to Arlington - I highly doubt policemen there would let someone beat the hell out of someone else. The fact that Japanese policemen just sat back and watched everything (they just forgot to bring the popcorn) doesn't surprise me one bit - this happens time and time again - same spot, same problem. This is the most frightening thing - the fact that Japanese police are useless, racist, as well as incompetent and corrupt. I'm sure you're proud of them - I'd be embarrassed as hell if they were from my country.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Pukey2Aug. 19, 2012 - 02:26PM JST

Whatever happened to free speech?

Free speech is a fictitious creation misconstrued from the poor simplifications of the US constitution. This is Japan, so you should base it on the Japanese constitution instead. That said, this man first violated people's right to religious practice by protesting on private property and was removed for trespassing. It is technically akin to walking into his house and protesting in his kitchen.

Nobody suggests anyone deserves to die. Rather, that this man was intentionally seeking a confrontation for the purposes of publicity, and the Japanese police protected him as best as humanly possible.

3 ( +9 / -6 )

If you think the police handled him rough, check other police forces.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

smithinjapanAug. 19, 2012 - 02:57PM JST

So no arrests were made at all? I bet if you can bother to provide links to when I could easily provide a link to arrest reports.

Try to check Aug 15th, just after 230pm, as the article states. Perhaps also Aug 17th when the video was uploaded.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

For the down-voters.

I have seen some real riots where people died(hacked to death and shot), this was just standard procedure getting him to comply and away from the scene.

He didn't get tazered, shot, handcuffed as he would have in other countries.

Police handled it well.

3 ( +8 / -5 )

@yasukuni

Japanese don't go to Yasukuni on Aug 15 to glorify people for killing millions.

That some Japanese do, I have no doubt.

3 ( +8 / -5 )

Yasukuni-

Lowly and Jeff Lee, you both are missing an understanding that Japanese don't go to Yasukuni on Aug 15 to glorify people for killing millions. They go to remember/pray for those who died and many pray for world peace. Ordinary citizens have all kinds of feelings when they choose Aug 15 to go to Yasukuni. It's not the right place and day for foreigners to protest. There is a time and place for everything. btw, Many would say that more than 10 million died at the hands of Japanese military. August 15 at Yasukuni is not the place to bring up other nations grievances. And apart from being insensitive, it's not effective at all - rather it has the opposite effect. Do you really think that Koreans (or Australians, Chinese or whatever) protesting at Yasukuni on that day will do anything positive? Even if the footage of the Korean were on the news, it would make the average Japanese even less inclined to listen to the Korean point of view. No Japanese I have spoken to this August is more reflective of Japan's actions in WW2 at all - rather there is even more ill-feeling towards Koreans and Chinese. zannen.

I do not know what you are talking about.

I said in my first 2-3 posts, cops should be protecting anyone in their custody, it is routine for them to protect suspected murderers from mobs in their job. Also, anyone assaulting someone in their custody should be arrested. In this article/ video, no assaulter was arrested.

In my last post I compared this Korean to a Fictitious Vietnamese protester in my home country. I could not imagine ANY of what happened in this article/ the vid happening in my country w/o the arrests, media coverage, some number of citizens of my country joining the foreign protester.

That is all I said and all I think about this story. It doesn't matter to me whether it is Yasukuni on Aug 15 or Jan 15 or if it is a pachinko parlor or a mosque or a starbucks.

Since you bring up the particularities of Yasukuni and the particularities of Aug 15, I will say, there are protests there EVERY YEAR, there have been protests BY JAPANESE OF JAPANESE, BY JAPANESE OF FOREIGNERS, BY FOREIGNERS OF JPNS and probably even BY FOREIGNERS OF OTHER FOREIGNERS. On that day and many others. It is a messed up place and I doubt that any one person who goes there is praying for the same thing as any other particular person who goes there. It in itself is not a problem. But it is a physical representation of all sorts of problems that exist in this country/ corner of the world. As such it draws all sorts of publicity -seeking types, and ppl who want other ppl to realize something. That's the way it is there, and I for one am not going to say no-one can protest here or there on this or that day. It's really none of my business.

I will observe however that Japan wants to be seen as a grown-up nation with maturity, etc, but it can not get it's public servants to behave well. It cannot guarantee safety and protection to everyone. It cannot open its doors to being a member of the human race. Do these things/ ppl exist on an individual level in America, or former Nazi Germany? Sure. Everywhoere there are these ppl. But how does the state, the ppl as a whole, the media behave in America/ Germany? Not the same. When mistakes are made there is reflection, apology, re-structuring, complaints from the populace/ media. Etc. etc. etc.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

ubikwit

The man in question is apparently the President of Korean Tattoo Association(?) which in essence makes him a tattoo artist. (Apparently, he has participated in demonstrations in Seoul/Japan Embassy as well) First, he posted on the online forum that he was going to protest at Yasukuni alone on August 15th. A Korean student who lived in Japan responded this message and they both hooked up.

http://pann.nate.com/talk/316548084

3 ( +4 / -1 )

It looked like he was just outside the gate. If inside, they could have moved him outside. You say he wasn't arrested, article says he was. Why weren't the guys shouting and hitting arrested?

He was inside the premise. If he moved outside, what good would it do? The rightietst are going to follow him and harrass him. And he wasn't arrested as per link I provided (in Korean). And as for an assault, if you believe based on that video that there exist an action where assault charges can be found, you and I have to agree to disagree.

And more than that, Why is there so little sympathy for anything viewed as "anti-Japanese" here? They have had more than half a century to reflect on that war and occupation of Korea. I know many individual jpns who would not be a fan of that war and wouldn't do it again. But why after so long is it so publicly taboo to even talk about, history is repressed and skimmed over in schools, teachers are fired for teaching anything approaching the truth and the idiots in the uyoku trucks have so much power to instill fear, and some sort of fake cheap-a%$ pride in ppl and suppress truth?

It's not a taboo to talk about it at all. In fact, there are many books written by Japanese scholars who sympathize with the Koreans during the period while at the same time there are scholars who believe that the annexation period, compared to the European/U.S. occupation in SE Asia whose ex-colonies are not that vocal, wonder why Korea acts this way.

Believe it or not, the Japanese Education system for many years have been dominated by Nikkyoso who were left wing and were teaching how bad Japan was during that time. But times have changed where evidence are reviewed and broadcasted throughout the population where contradicting views are now being factored.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

The police removed him from danger as quickly as they could. Not sure why there was no transport though.

Anybody who actually knows what they are talking about will recognize that the police did a good job - good perimeter maintained while calmly escorting him, constantly gauging the situation too.

The only alternative would have been direct confrontation which would have made things far worse..

Zenny, I back you up 100%. Obviously some of the posters here don't understand real danger or brutality but prefer to be to mouth off anyway.

One thing - the Japanese nationalists should show more dignity by ignoring him.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

The Japanese police really did a good job. Besides, the Korean protester knew before hand that Japanese are not violent as their mouths do. Most of Japanese fighting begin with too long prelude of shouting and cursing.

In other countries, including the US and Korea, temporary insane protester like what this Korean guy did can be equated to the movie "Die Hard 3".... Bruce Willis a white man having a placard saying "I hate nigers" in the heart of the black neighborhood.

In most countries, in situation like this, .... the police will arrive just to collect your vegetable or lifeless/dead body.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Oh, punching and kicking while yelling racist remarks - very mature and sophisticated! Good citizenship, indeed!

2 ( +11 / -9 )

nigelboy

That's if you take this lunatic's accusation word for word. Yet another conclusion based on assumption?

Even on those pictures that you posted you can see the ultra-nationalists kicking him or trying to kick me.

2 ( +11 / -9 )

SunnysideUpAug. 19, 2012 - 11:03AM JST

What did he expect from the criminal worshiping mob?

How do you know that? What if their brothers and fathers were killed during the war? Will you deny the millions honored there for the few that are also honored there?

This person also ignored that fact, and was likely attacked for sullying the memory of their loved ones rather than for political reasons. There is of course the chance it was entirely political, but the Korean media would rather just assume it's political regardless of the actual reason.

2 ( +8 / -6 )

smithinjapanAug. 19, 2012 - 01:23PM JST

In other nations, this would not have happened as such.

Actually it happens the same everywhere. And in fact, in many countries the cops simply wouldn't show up until a real beating was already done and everyone gone. The first thing is always to protect, then seek the perpetrators. This horribly biased author never even sought a statement from the police, so perhaps the people have already been arrested or are at least known, and considering the fact it's absent from the article, the people probably have already been arrested.

2 ( +8 / -6 )

smithinjapanAug. 19, 2012 - 01:46PM JST

In any case, I'm still waiting to hear your reasoning on why the police didn't arrest the assaulters.

Watch the video, you'll see the man was never assaulted, and the police protected him with their bodies for the whole 2 "attacks". No more discussions about police not doing the right thing, they were actually very good at their jobs, if a bit slow at getting a car there.

2 ( +9 / -7 )

There is also verbal and physical assault.

Sounds it like was the former and the J-cops did the right thing.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

smithinjapanAug. 19, 2012 - 02:35PM JST

And did they arrest the people who committed the assault? NO! So why no talk about police doing the 'right thing'?

Where does it say that they were not arrested? Certainly not in the article, it doesn't mention anything other than the man claims right wingers hit him and police made only "a passive effort". The video clearly shows the police forming a wide perimeter where space allowed, as well as protecting the protestor with their own bodies. It also shows some of the cops breaking off after the single altercation, which is perhaps indicative of arrests being made.

If you wish to continue insinuating that these people were not arrested, call up the station and make an inquiry as to if individuals were arrested.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

It'S ME

I think some of those posters were disappointed with the video because it's clearly evident that it's in no way shape or form described in the article.

Next step, of couse, is to knit pick.

2 ( +10 / -7 )

I watched the first half of the video and like mrkobayashi says, the police seemed to be protecting the man from the mob. My impression - one fool being protected from a bunch of fools. I wondered why the police had to escort the man so far - was there no police car close by that he could be put into? and if not, why not?

2 ( +7 / -5 )

Those mentally deranged, angry nationalists are uttering all these ugly gutteral sounds. Sounds so nasty. Like wild animals.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

I have two questions:

Why is he being arrested? Isn't Japan a democracy?

Why did they have to hit him? Isn't Japan a civilized society?

Curious to read the answers.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Also, if they are going to arrest him, why not put him in a police car and drive him to the police station? Why did they have to parade him around like that while he got physically and verbally abused?

Strange.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

cleoAug. 19, 2012 - 03:48PM JST

I watched the first half of the video and like mrkobayashi says, the police seemed to be protecting the man from the mob. My impression - one fool being protected from a bunch of fools. I wondered why the police had to escort the man so far - was there no police car close by that he could be put into? and if not, why not?

I actually wondered about the car as well, and noticed two things after watching the video with google maps open.

1) They seemed to have gone south to avoid the elementary school north of the shrine, where they should have had a car waiting, but the car seems to have been delayed as witnessed around 3:10 into the video. The cops had been trying to get him into a car as soon as possible.

2) They didn't "parade" him as some ignorant people would think, rather they did a common tactic used to prevent crowds from surrounding him. As long as he was moving, the crowds were also moving behind him (or parallel in some cases), and therefore always had an escape route. They actually went in circles basically, never venturing more than a about 200 meters from the shrine. Brilliant tactic actually, meant to disorient crowds and disperse them without the use of force or adding danger to the person they were protecting; these guys have surprisingly good training and coordination to use tactics like that without delay.

2 ( +8 / -6 )

I am certainly not condoining the racist attack on him, but I get a terrible feeling that he held his protest in the hope that he would create this kind of incident =).

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Not an easy situation for the police in general. But I am going to cite them for poor crowd control. There is a time when the sticks they hold should actually be swung. At the very least, they should have been able to keep the crowd a further distance away during that long walk. There were plenty of cops. And they should have gotten him into a vehicle a hell of lot faster.

But still, I did not see any blood and nobody got killed. That is a plus. But I think one or two of the rightists who attacked him should have either got smacked, arrested or both. Police should not allow such interference IMHO. But, I guess they don't want to escalate the situation?

That said, was he actually arrested? Why? Also, why did they treat him so roughly? I saw him getting pushed around harder than the rightists who were or attempting, to hit him. Is that how the police protect you here? I mean they did protect him from the rightists for the most part. They were not just standing there as reported. But their treatment of the protester was uncalled for.

And yeah, despite all the cameras rolling, the Japanese news was in no hurry to report about it.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Not sure if anyone noticed but it is nearly the 20th now. Time to move onto more current news, unless you got an agenda to keep this thread going.

JT truly got boring with the rehashes whalers vs ss, democrats vs republicans, etc those discussions never seem to end and it is always the same arguments from all sides and the same posters..

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Yasukuni-

Lowly and Jeff Lee, you both are missing an understanding that Japanese don't go to Yasukuni on Aug 15 to glorify people for killing millions.

They go to remember/pray for those who died and many pray for world peace. Ordinary citizens have all kinds of feelings when they choose Aug 15 to go to Yasukuni. It's not the right place and day for foreigners to protest. There is a time and place for everything.

btw, Many would say that more than 10 million died at the hands of Japanese military. August 15 at Yasukuni is not the place to bring up other nations grievances.

And apart from being insensitive, it's not effective at all - rather it has the opposite effect. Do you really think that Koreans (or Australians, Chinese or whatever) protesting at Yasukuni on that day will do anything positive?

Even if the footage of the Korean were on the news, it would make the average Japanese even less inclined to listen to the Korean point of view. No Japanese I have spoken to this August is more reflective of Japan's actions in WW2 at all - rather there is even more ill-feeling towards Koreans and Chinese. zannen.

I do not know what you are talking about.

I said in my first 2-3 posts, cops should be protecting anyone in their custody, it is routine for them to protect suspected murderers from mobs in their job. Also, anyone assaulting someone in their custody should be arrested. In this article/ video, no assaulter was arrested.

In my last post I compared this Korean to a Fictitious Vietnamese protester in my home country. I could not imagine ANY of what happened in this article/ the vid happening in my country w/o the arrests, media coverage, some number of citizens of my country joining the foreign protester.

That is all I said and all I think about this story. It doesn't matter to me whether it is Yasukuni on Aug 15 or Jan 15 or if it is a pachinko parlor or a mosque or a starbucks.

Since you bring up the particularities of Yasukuni and the particularities of Aug 15, I will say, there are protests there EVERY YEAR, there have been protests BY JAPANESE OF JAPANESE, BY JAPANESE OF FOREIGNERS, BY FOREIGNERS OF JPNS and probably even BY FOREIGNERS OF OTHER FOREIGNERS. On that day and many others. It is a messed up place and I doubt that any one person who goes there is praying for the same thing as any other particular person who goes there. It in itself is not a problem. But it is a physical representation of all sorts of problems that exist in this country/ corner of the world. As such it draws all sorts of publicity -seeking types, and ppl who want other ppl to realize something. That's the way it is there, and I for one am not going to say no-one can protest here or there on this or that day. It's really none of my business.

I will observe however that Japan wants to be seen as a grown-up nation with maturity, etc, but it can not get it's public servants to behave well. It cannot guarantee safety and protection to everyone. It cannot open its doors to being a member of the human race. Do these things/ ppl exist on an individual level in America, or former Nazi Germany? Sure. Everywhoere there are these ppl. But how does the state, the ppl as a whole, the media behave in America/ Germany? Not the same. When mistakes are made there is reflection, apology, re-structuring, complaints from the populace/ media. Etc. etc. etc.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Since you bring up the particularities of Yasukuni and the particularities of Aug 15, I will say, there are protests there EVERY YEAR

Yes Lowly. Every year in August 15, the left and the rights go at it with their march demonstration heading towards Kudanshita. But at least both of parties have the respect to not bring their stupid banners inside the confines of Yasukuni which strictly prohibits such action. Why? Because on this day, thousands and thousands of ordinary people which includes the surviving family members and friends of the war deceased travel all the way from all over Japan to pay their respects.

In any case, the Korean guy was not arrested. He was escorted by the MPD police department to a location where a unmarked NPA(National Police Agency) vehicle was scheduled to pick him up. From there, he was promptly transferred to NPA where he contacted the Korean Embassy but nobody picked up the phone because they were taking a holiday.

To a poster that suggested that he should of been taken to the nearest Koban needs to get clue. What does that accomplish? What you end up is having ten's of rightwingers waiting there in front of the koban to literally hundreds where crowd control would be compromised.

In any case, from the looks of the video, the Korean got a VIP treament from the police officers as at least 15 or so were surrounding him so he would not be harmed.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

@lowly

For many Japanese August 15th is an extremely sad day, and many going to Yasukuni go to remember their family members who died.

If someone protested bringing up the nation's crimes etc at a Pearl Harbor memorial or a war memorial in another country, they have the right to police protection, but it wouldn't be unthinkable that someone might get upset or shout or swing a punch.

And I'm saying that if his aim is for Japanese to understand his point, he has completely failed. You could show that video on the wide shows today, and nobody would criticize the police, the people yelling at him, or start to think about the Yasukuni, war crimes issues. They'd just be angry about "those Koreans". So what has he achieved? Nothing good.

btw, I've been to Yasukuni several times, including on Aug 15th, know different people who go there for different reasons, and yes, I've read all the history in the museum, and I still think that guy was a goose for going there. Cops have a hard enough job as it is without having to deal with situations like that with cameras all over.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

"But anyway, what you are saying, is that all Japanese are the same and you can read their minds. Sure."

No, I am not saying that all Japanese are the same. I'm saying that the majority of people who go there are not going there with the purpose of glorifying people who killed millions.

No, I can't read minds. I'm basing what I'm saying on my conversations and observations of Japanese people. The ignorance of those in right-wing organizations who parade around in trucks and like to sing old war songs is without question.

Go to Yasukuni one day and ask Japanese in Japanese what yasukuni is for and why they are there. But do it politely and with respect.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

AlternateUniverse,

I don't care if a guy had a banner that stated, "I'm gay and I'm proud" . You don't do this INSIDE the confines during such day.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

The sheer number of right wingers that were there on the day should have told him it wasnt a good idea to be doing that. I felt uncomfortable just going for my lunchtime stroll around the area; let alone carry a protest banner.

Not that i agree with it. but Yasukuni is filled with right-wingers on that day. The surrounding streets are full of the Uyoku Dantai vans, and lots of 'less than upstanding' looking people walking around.

Seeing that, it wouldnt be far fetched to believe he was counting on getting a beat-down, just so he could claim to be a martyr

2 ( +2 / -0 )

It was dumb on both sides, but this isn't going to be the last time we're going to read about something like this. Trust me someone in either China or Korea is going to end up assaulting someone because they think that person is a right wing Japanese national. More people are going to get hurt before this thing is through.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

@Lowly, I probably agree with you about most things. The fact that Japanese don't know about ww2 history, rightwingers drive around in huge trucks playing war songs everyday of the week is something normal Japanese should be embarrassed about and need to change. The fact that dozens of rightwing trucks can make a convoy and play deafening music and it doesn't make the news, but any anti-Japan demo of any size seems to get TV coverage is absurd - and Japanese need to ask themselves why.

My point is that I know old folk who simply go to Yasukuni to honor promises made to fallen friends and family members. And I know that the average Japanese who is unaware of the issues, just gets more stubborn when they see anti-japan demos, and especially foreigners doing it in Japan.

My fear is that the extreme right wing groups are only going to get more popular and more support the more Koreans and Chinese complain.

(I'm basing my thoughts on the dozens of conversations I've heard from normal Japanese from those in their 20s to their 60s in this last week).

This is all getting crazy.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Why things happened is skimmed over, a few events are mentioned briefly and then it is on to American Civil Rights riots

On Japan's textbooks?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Lowly,

With all due respect, the debate of this Yasukuni issue is covered in depth more than foreigners for their knowledge starts off with "glorifying war criminals" and doesn't have a clue as to how it became that way in starting in 1985,

2 ( +4 / -2 )

There’s no mistaking that. (in the article)

Screams subjectivity, calling the veracity of the whole piece into question. In the links provided, we haven't seen blows rained down as the police stand idly by, as was the allegation.

We do know that an ultra-nationalist has been capably protected from his peers, which we can only applaud.

And we can guess that Korea's (still illegal) tattoo industry's stock has risen somewhat. Let's hope that Koreans will soon benefit from properly regulated, and thus safer, tattoo parlours.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Sir Edgar:

" In the mean time, Seoul is very safe for Japanese tourists and there have been no threats to Japanese. "

Really now. So what do you think would happen if a Japanese activist went to a Shrine in Seoul and started shouting slogans about Takeshima?

2 ( +2 / -0 )

News of the incident was also reported on the Japanese version of the Korea Joongang Daily website, which allows readers to rate what they thought of the article from a few simple selections. For this particular article, 317 Japanese readers found the article “interesting” and 314 said it “made them feel better,” while only 35 readers found it “sad” and 39 reported it “made them feel angry.”

I bet that if they followed their journalistic duties they would find that 314 (well, probably closer to 280) were from Korean IP addresses and not Japanese ones.

1 ( +13 / -11 )

^I mean him, lol.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Jimizu - I have been to both china and Korea and many other countries throughout Asia, but Japan is still the standout country for racial prejudices.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Thomas Anderson

although you could probably say the same about any ultra-nationalists.

I'm not to sure about the other ultr nationalists because the 14 Chinese protestors did no seem violent or irrational when they were arrested. I have not read any articles that said Koreans were violent either.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

basroil: "However, to attack the character of the police without proper justification is equally inexcusable,"

Not really. I mean, even if they weren't taken the man away from the scene when the wingers hit, as is reported, they still didn't arrest the wingers, did they? Thus, they did not do their jobs. In other nations, this would not have happened as such.

1 ( +8 / -7 )

basroil: In any case, I'm still waiting to hear your reasoning on why the police didn't arrest the assaulters.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

basroil: "Actually it happens the same everywhere. And in fact, in many countries the cops simply wouldn't show up until a real beating was already done and everyone gone."

Proof? If you want I can give you plenty of proof of police arresting criminals instead of letting them go about their business and do nothing.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3NXMcdq6rs&feature=youtube_gdata_player

No use babbling about what happend based on the article and a few pictures.

Above is the link to the video . You can basically conclude that the police were trying very hard to escort this man safely.

As for an arrest, pleeze.

1 ( +11 / -10 )

basroil

Free speech is a fictitious creation misconstrued from the poor simplifications of the US constitution. This is Japan, so you should base it on the Japanese constitution instead.

basroil, didn't you know that the Japanese constitution also guarantees free speech?

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Thomas AndersonAug. 19, 2012 - 02:38PM JST

didn't you know that the Japanese constitution also guarantees free speech?

He clearly stated that he was not from Japan. From the tone of the post and contents, we can safely assume that he was referring to the American type rather than Japanese.

smithinjapanAug. 19, 2012 - 02:40PM JST

I don't think he does, although he DOES like to speak freely. :)

Technically Article 21 applies to "国民" (citizens) though it has generally been granted throughout. However, this speech could be construed as not applicable under Article 13, as his actions are in violation of public welfare. Additionally, this speech was conducted on what is technically private property, and thus Article 21 is not applicable.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Farmboy: "As to your posts, however, I haven't seen anything, at least not in recent memory, critical of South Korea, nor supportive of Japan. It's all one way."

Because of the posts you are choosing. How should I be critical of South Korea on this post? Go check the posts about Lee's comments on the Emperor of Japan and you'll find me being critical about what was said. Like I said, I am critical of the nation in question when it deserves criticism. Dig a little bit further before you judge on what you choose to see.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

This is not a game.

My experiences are real, still got nightmares. Anyone that served or had a similar experience would understand.

So keep down-voting, won't make my nightmares go away. But tells a LOT about you and your views, i.e. not been there.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Sir_EdgarAug. 19, 2012 - 04:10PM JST

verbally abused?

What verbal abuse? There were only two things said:

1) "Leave you bastard" (best translation I can come up with for it)

2) "arrest him" (repeated over and over as he struggled to escape police custody)

Neither of these two are verbal abuse of any type, and calling those statements racist remarks is the showing of downright lying to the press.

1 ( +7 / -6 )

@basroil

"...you bastard." isn't abuse??

1 ( +4 / -3 )

For the ppl who keep saying what would happen if someone went to the US WWII memorial or Arlington cemetery, how bad it would be.

Really?

Really???

OK, so the closest thing I could picture, I just pictured a Vietnamese guy going to the Vietnam vets memorial with some slogans. You can imagine your own, here use Nigelboys translation of this Korean guys banner for your inspiration;

I LOVE KOREA" "Stop Ministers Yasukuni Visit", "Do not Enshrine Koreans", "Apologize to Comfort Women". "Stop the Invsasion of Dokdo

OK, so the vietnam vet's memorial doesn't have any Vietnamese remains enshrined, but if Vietnamese soldiers had been captured and their remains brought to the US for some reason, you can imagine if it did happen it would be a reasonable request, wouldn't it? The rest, some nationalistic sentiment, but is it really insulting and riling to you? OK, I just cannot CAN NOT imagine an angry mob of Americans trying to beat this imaginary Vietnamese guy up over it like int the vid of the Korean guy, I CAN NOT imagine a crowd of ppl following him away shouting for 15(!) minutes while the cops escort him away, and I CAN NOT imagine the cops escorting him away or arresting him AT ALL. OK, if there are rules about protesting at the Vets memorial, I can imagine them saying "you can't stand there, come over here" to wherever the border is, but really, he's one (1!) guy. With a little sign.

More importantly, IF he WERE for some inexplicable reason arrested by the cops and ppl were following and attacking him I can imagine it being nationally broadcast, the cops getting criticized and fired, and the attackers searched out with the video camera footage, and arrested after the fact at least. Further I can imagine there being a lot of supporters/ sympathizers FROM AMERICA jointing the giuy or protecting him.

(Before someone mentions Afghanis or Iraq, let me say I chose Vietnam on purpose as it was also 1) along time ago 2) pretty much agreed by most ppl to be an unjust criminal war (like ;the occupation of Korea). W/ a recent war 1) we had the terrorist attacks in NYC and other plots to call us into the war 2) obviously a recent war you'll have tons of young strung out emotionally unhinged recent vets hanging around and zero time for national reflection moving on about the war and so much more possibility (but not certainty) for craziness.)

The cops in the vid did seem to be protecting him, but they seemed somewhat half hearted, were talking down to him a little in my opinion. I don't know why they wouldn't let him show his banner. I also don't know why they wouldn't let him stand there or near there as a one man protester. I don't know why they "showed up to arrest him" I don't know why they didn't arrest any of the attackers.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

@basroil

"...you bastard." isn't abuse??

As I said, it was the best TRANSLATION I CAN COME UP WITH.

Well, I'd suggest that you work on your translation skills. If you can't come up with a non-abusive translation of non-abusive Japanese, then you're, quite simply, a failure as far as your profession's concerned.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

shameful

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@smith

to a certain degree of course you are right about the police having an obligation to detain anyone commiting physical assault, but from the looks of the situation in the video, i'm not sure that such a response on the part of the police in this instance would have resulted in anything but a melee, with mounting casualties.

note that i am all for the plan to make a new site for paying respects to the war dead and having the koreans and taiwanese whose spirits are enshrined at yasukuni removed from the list if that's what their families want, etc.

in no way shape or form do i support militant nationalism combined with emperor worship, alla WWII State Shinto Japan.

on the other hand, yasukuni is a shrine, and as a religious institution, the worshipers are entitled to the exercise of their constitutional right to freedom of religion, even if there are questions as to the status of the shrine and its relation to the state.

i don't know the motivations of the protester, but unless he is simply mentally deficient, there would seem to be some ulterior motive involved, and those tattoos make me question whether he is affiliated with some korean organized crime group. a sort of agent provocateur, if you will.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

While I am generally a pile-on type when it comes to J-cop slip-ups etc. this headline is just not right. Thanks for the youtube link, as it gives me a chance to understand the intentions writer/translater of the article. Really irresponsible journalism.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

"But it is a physical representation of all sorts of problems that exist in this country/ corner of the world. As such it draws all sorts of publicity -seeking types, and ppl who want other ppl to realize something. That's the way it is there, and I for one am not going to say no-one can protest here or there on this or that day. It's really none of my business."

People from other countries shouldn't protest there - not on Aug 15th. Maybe that's none of my business either, but it is in the sense that I live here, have children here and hope that China, Korea and Japan can get on better. That Korean didn't help anything.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

"They sure as hell could find a more suitable place for that than Yasukuni with its revisionist propaganda and enshrined war criminals. Especially for the "world peace" part."

Not everyone is aware of the revisionist propaganda there, and most Japanese even if they read it, aren't aware of the other side anyway. You can talk about a more suitable place, but many people go there to keep promises to family members and friends who they haven't seen for more than 67 years.

Japanese need to be educated about ww2, and understand the feelings of other countries. But bashing them for going to Yasukuni and talking about "inherent Japanese savagery. What do you expect from an unrepentant nation descended from barbaric war criminals".

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Thanks Alphaape.

I really don't like to use a unlikely hypothetical scenario in the argument but the very reason such incidents(protesting inside the confines of the cemetary on Memorial/Veterans day) doesn't happen (as far as I know) is that to a certain degree, civilians have common decency to not cross the line as well as the fact that such display, no matter in what parts of the world you practice, will most definitely reflect on the nationality of the person who commits such acts.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Of course the police didn't do anything. The Police in this country are so corrupt with the Yakuza and the Right Wing Extremists. You will see on TV the Police supposedly doing something but how many times have you seen them on the street letting the Yakuza do what they want, the same thing that if you were to do, you would be in jail in a second. How about the games they play with the Right Wing Extremists? They run around Tokyo with their loud speakers (which if you remember was made illegal years ago) and the police and them yell back and forth. Northing more. It is a show for civilians. You will never see the police take action because their superiors pocket money from these people and get protection from other actions.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Japanese facists are doing a good job in proving that the Chinese and Korean points of view are the correct ones. There is no dignity in Yasukuni, only brutality.

War crimes must be remembered.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Koreans are the source of the largest illegal immigrants in Japan consisting over 25% of the total.

How can anybody claim to know where illegal, therefore unregistered immigrants come from?

1 ( +3 / -2 )

How can anybody claim to know where illegal, therefore unregistered immigrants come from?

Well. When you enter Japan, remember filling out the entry form? What do you do when you leave Japan?

1 ( +4 / -3 )

>As a South Korean national, I wanted to raise awareness of the false perception of historical events. I didnt think the mood in Japan was this bad.

He is a Korean national who just wanted to start trouble and he got what he wanted.

Why do Koreans always play games in other nations?

1 ( +6 / -5 )

War is war! Sadly, during war people do a lot of crazy things, i.e. criminal intent, disobedience, nationalism, rape, pillage, patriotism, pride, and the list goes on. It's not right! This is why dialogue should be used to stop bullets. I have seen military men from all ranks and nations showing love and respect at "war commemoration reunions" as they pointed out where they hid or shot at each other during engagements in the Pacific. War makes no darn sense so after the fact, those who feel they need to take action should tweet, blog, Facebook, write an article, or use any of the current media. The grandstanding on islands, shrine grounds, provocations, etc. should stop. Everyone wants to be a martyr or "hero" these days, even the ignorant. Get on a computer (home, library, or cafe) and write and submit something intelligent and hopefully well researched to the debate.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@Disillusioned I recommend a trip to Korea or China. As with Japan, they have fantasies of racial purity and the 'uniqueness' of their race and culture and back this up with pseudo-science. These very nasty racist views are not confined to Japan, and if anything are less tolerated here in society as a whole.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Lowly

My opinion still stands, the cops should arrest any right-wingers, not just protect the guy getting assaulted. That's the only way to shut down a situation like that (and prevent it from happening in the future) is just take everyone in. Much less again on that day, bunch of riled up ppl esp kids may go out looking for more violence. Just dangerous.

Exactly.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

basroil: "This person also ignored that fact, and was likely attacked for sullying the memory of their loved ones rather than for political reasons. There is of course the chance it was entirely political, but the Korean media would rather just assume it's political regardless of the actual reason."

How is there any doubt it was political? Only someone in denial would claim it was anything but, especially given it was wingers that attacked him. Or wait... was it pacifists?

"How do you know that? What if their brothers and fathers were killed during the war? Will you deny the millions honored there for the few that are also honored there?"

Quite frankly I'd be extremely insulted if the names of war criminals were put together with the names of my family members killed in war. They could easily remove the names of the war criminals, but they choose not to, and have a museum that mentions nothing of the atrocities Japan committed.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

Observing from another angle : the freedom of expression in democratic Japan, with the presence of right-wing extremists, can only be selectively guaranteed by the uniformed force. Are there two forces -- the uniformed police & the un-uniformed " right- wingers" contributing the 'clean- up' service using their mafia method ?

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Let's check the title of the article based on the video.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

basroil: "No more discussions about police not doing the right thing, they were actually very good at their jobs, if a bit slow at getting a car there."

And did they arrest the people who committed the assault? NO! So why no talk about police doing the 'right thing'? You guys seem to want to justify their presence without acknowledging they failed to do their jobs. I'm sorry, but to my knowledge if the police witness an attack on a person, innocent or guilty, the take the assaulters into custody BY LAW. So why haven't the people who committed the assault been arrested? I'm quite sure you're right they patted the beaten man on the head and gave a "yosh yosh, daijyobu", but what is the use of their presence if they defend the assaulters?

0 ( +6 / -6 )

Pukey: " This is the most frightening thing - the fact that Japanese police are useless, racist, as well as incompetent and corrupt. I'm sure you're proud of them - I'd be embarrassed as hell if they were from my country."

Exactly. And Japan has reason to be embarrassed when it comes to these men and women who are supposed to protect things but let the criminals do as they will.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

Thomas: "basroil, didn't you know that the Japanese constitution also guarantees free speech?"

I don't think he does, although he DOES like to speak freely. :)

0 ( +2 / -2 )

It just looks like the police were dragging him along as the mob kept beating him. They didn't do anything to really protect him.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

It"s ME: "What job"

Their job. To take in people committing assault. They chose not to on this occasion, meaning they did not do their jobs. Get it?

"How many murders, crimes have cops prevented overseas? Answer: NIL."

I doubt that very much. Unlike in Japan, where some dozens of calls about a dangerous stalker send them off to play golf in Hokkaido, other nations take the threat seriously.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Thomas, watch the 2:30 mark of the video. The Korean dude lashes out with a kick of his own. At the 10:30 mark the police practically ambush a Japanese salaryman that tries to get too close. The special forces have joined by this point

0 ( +6 / -6 )

The only thing the police could have done worse was to beat him, too.

I can say that if this happened in any other democracy, including Korea, the police would have protected the man while he protested and kept the mob at bay. This happens often here in Seoul where two groups of protesters are fighting against each other. The police keeps them apart and lets them protest.

Instead, the police kept him from protesting and dragged him away while the let the mob beat him. Wow... Way to go, Japan! Next time just beat him along with the mob instead of making any pretenses!

0 ( +5 / -5 )

@Thomas Anderson

"True, saying that Koreans have short temper is one of the Japanese racists' stereotypical derogatory remarks against Koreans. However it appears that it is the opposite, it's the Japanese ultra-nationalists who turned violent and irrational."

Maybe those nationalists have some Korean blood in their family trees. (Just kidding, but for some reason the idea makes me smile.)

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Pretty stupid however you look at it. It would be like someone protesting in front of the WWII memorial in Washington. If he got the crap beat out of him he would be lucky. More likely disappear never to be found again. Not saying it makes it right the police not acting responsibly and removing the threat before it got out of hand. I just hope a similar incident doesn't happen targeting Japanese which had nothing to do with this.

0 ( +7 / -6 )

Sir_EdgarAug. 19, 2012 - 04:06PM JST

Why is he being arrested?

From the looks of it, likely trespassing, resisting arrest, and disorderly conduct.

Why did they have to hit him?

Who hit him? From the video, TAKEN BY A KOREAN, you never see him be hit, rather one time he either tripped or was pushed, and a police officer was hit from behind protecting him. You should refrain from such questions until you see the video.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

@Ayler

Yes. Finnish. Spoken by anyone at all, in any situation, at any time.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

basroil

From the video, TAKEN BY A KOREAN,

Wow, according to basroil, if the video was taken by a Korean, then apparently it can distort reality.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

lucabrasiAug. 19, 2012 - 05:38PM JST

"...you bastard." isn't abuse??

As I said, it was the best TRANSLATION I CAN COME UP WITH. They used two words which are informal (lacking any respect) ways to address someone, which is actually very hard to translate into english, as english words have slightly different connotations. They weren't calling him a bastard as we would normally associate in english, rather impolitely addressing him. I haven't done anime translations in years now though, and you never use it in other places, so it is quite hard to translate.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

Okay, just watched 6 minutes of the video, which I'll probably regret when I'm lying on a bed dying one day .... but I just ended up feeling sorry for the cops. Imagine being on duty on Aug 15 at Yasukuni and seeing a Korean protester with a flag. Fun job! Maybe the cops who get caught for chikan on the trains get to do the Yasukuni beat?

0 ( +3 / -3 )

basroil - Are you saying that JapanToday would post something that wasn't true?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

AlternateUniverseAug. 19, 2012 - 08:46PM JST

That said, was he actually arrested? Why? Also, why did they treat him so roughly? I saw him getting pushed around harder than the rightists who were or attempting, to hit him.

I would hardly say he was treated roughly by the cops. If anything, they gave him a 5 star treatment as far as treating a guy who ignores police orders, resisted the cops for at least 8 min, and then refused to walk to a safer area. The cops could have easily told the guy he was on his own, but instead they shielded him with their bodies.

And yeah, despite all the cameras rolling, the Japanese news was in no hurry to report about it.

From the look of it they were probably Korean groups or simply bystanders. This is not really news, it happens all the time as a disturbance of the peace, basically the same level of incident as a drunkard on a train harassing the wrong group.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

Wow that video was beyond pathetic! I wonder if the keystones arent still parading this guy around tokyo now WTF!

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Try this type of stunt in Arlington Cemetary on Memorial Day and see how the public reacts?(Both the witness and the mass public)

The public in the USA would react very much to a blatant display of disrespect. That is why such groups as those clowns who protest at the funerals of military members are not well liked and they have to be protected from the people who oppose them for doing that. It would get big press play in the US and I think even the liberal media would have something to say about this.

But it was still pretty silly for this guy to go there and protest, and to be alone. I am sure he has his point, but that date and time was probably not the smartes time to do so.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Nigelboy, well we agree to disagree, then, agreed. We must also agree to disagree on the education however. I work in schools And I see what is in the textbooks. Why things happened is skimmed over, a few events are mentioned briefly and then it is on to American Civil Rights riots. If it's leftist teachers responsible for this, I'd hate to see the rightists version! Things are always skirted around on TV when they come up usually (except for occasional late-night nhk reprotages.) But when some crotchety old man comes on prime time talk shows and says things that kind of make ppl uncomfortable but yet seems to be defending jpn, he is allowed to shout down anyone apposing him, and mildly affectionately chided. That is public debate in Japan.

Yasukuni- on an individual relationship basis, not talking about certain things is a good strategy for easy living, I recommend it. But demonstrators making unaware jpns more stubborn-- I kind of know what you mean, but I really think it is already there. A large portion of jpns have a very short-sighted very stubborn and childish knee-jerk nationalist hidden inside them waiting for its chance to come out imo. imo, it is already there, and will come out at the slightest provocation, like not foreigners protesting, like a simple dinner conversation (hence I recommend the avoidance strategy in personal relations). But they need more exposure to and debate w/ foreigners to get over it. If Koreans feel the need to protest about s/t, fine for them I say. (Honestly its a two way st and the Ks overdo quyite a bit too.) Chinese stuff- I never know what is orchestrated by the C gov, so, who knows.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I apologize to all readers for being an ill-mannered jerk.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Nigelboy,

I was kind of glossing a couple of yrs of hs history topics into one sentence. Any case, jpns history texts are not in depth, and not presenting different views.

My main thing is about how J society has like a switch where they shut dn when it comes to certain protests, foreigners who get too close to something, and it can be very frustrating and sad really.

Sure the US would all be war criminals if they lost maybe, but wwII, esp the pacific where we were attacked first, and where jpn had a very cruel colony system in place w/ regard to Korea, it is harder to criticize the US. But when it comes to Vietnam, current fighting, and countless other wars, it is easier to criticize the US, and in fact as a nation we are very reflective, and tend to admit wrongs. (sure depending on the person). And welcome debate and other viewpoints, w/in our country and from outsiders.

jpns running and hiding and don't touch it! it is taboo! attitude just holds them back and creates problems for foreigners who live here. I saw enough of that in this Korean protester story to want to comment.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Lowly, you make good points. What I think Japanese need to learn is that you can learn about the bad parts of your nations history and still be patriotic.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Back on topic please.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

That's a NO NO

He will be deported swiftly.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The guy was an imbecile in the first place, he got what he wanted.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

"Japanese police arrived to arrest the man about 10 minutes later. However, as the police were escorting him away from the Tokyo shrine, a group of 5-6 Japanese men, said to be right-wing extremists, approached him and began punching him in the face and kicking his legs while yelling racist remarks"

The guy should have done the protest outside of the shrine property, but the police allowing this violence and not arresting those right wingers is far bigger problem.

By the way, it probably was one of those moments when the nature of the subject of worship being proven by its worshippers... that must have been how the Empire was.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

The enshrinement of 1,068 Class-B and -C World War II war criminals with the 14 Class-A war criminals in Yasukuni shrine was a big mistake for the Japanese gov't..

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Well done with the video Nigelboy. The truth is out there. What we have here is an upstart. If an Australian had travelled to Japan and put on such a demonstration I would be embarrassed and I would say he gets what he deserves. Unfortunately, this upstart didn't. As for all the usual lefty 'cop bashing' I can't see what they did wrong (yeah I'm aware the vehicle took an interminably long time to arrive). I watched the entire 15 minutes and can't say I saw any assault. Perhaps the author of the article Steven Simonitch was there before everyone else.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

That's. J. Police. For. You.

-1 ( +15 / -16 )

In an interview with Yonhap News Agency after the incident, the man claims that the police made only a passive effort to stop the violence.

This would not surprise me one bit because the cops usually side with the right-wingers.

-1 ( +12 / -13 )

basroil: "Japanese police arrived to arrest the man about 10 minutes later. However, as the police were escorting him away from the Tokyo shrine, a group of 5-6 Japanese men, said to be right-wing extremists, approached him and began punching him in the face and kicking his legs while yelling racist remarks."

Did you perhaps miss that part of the article? It doesn't say the Korean man said that, it states it as fact, save for whether or not the men were wingers. Why do you defend these people? Do you think the Korean guy beat himSELF up?

Lowly: "My opinion still stands, the cops should arrest any right-wingers, not just protect the guy getting assaulted."

Absolutely, but in the past they have been well known to 'protect' the wingers and instead ask people not to protest as a warning.

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

You know, just thinking about all the Japanese in Korea and all the Koreans in Japan. I think the later will have a harder time than the former. I've previously read some posters saying that the Korean people have short tempers but I don't think this is true at all. If it were the case the protestor would have become violent. He did not though. So I think the posters who stated such things are not correct because it was the Japanese who became violent and irrational.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

Another attention seeking idiot. Perhaps he should be protesting about something that he can change, like the state of North Korea. You know, like somehting current and relevant.

-1 ( +8 / -9 )

basroil: I can also give you proof of the police LETTING people murder someone who asked for their help. Dude, if you type in 'police murder' in the search window of this thread do you know how many cases turn up of police letting murderers out of their grasp? And that's MURDERERS, not simple assault. But hey, let's take a look at some of the evidence that questioning the police here is NOT inexcusable, shall we?

http://www.japantoday.com/category/crime/view/chiba-police-ignored-stalker-report-and-went-on-trip-to-hokkaido/comments/popular/id/2194490

http://www.japantoday.com/category/crime/view/suspect-in-molestation-case-escapes-from-police-koban-by-back-door

That's but two, and I'm not even mentioning the infamous cases. I can give you more, if you like. Fact is, once again, the cops did not do their job and are completely incompetent.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

nigelboy: "And please. I've seen much more violent conflicts/brawls where police just broke up the fight with no arrest."

So you've seen other incidents of J-cops not doing their jobs. Sounds like more proof to me they cannot rather than proof they can.

-1 ( +6 / -7 )

mrkobayashi: "The Korean dude lashes out with a kick of his own."

Wow, imagine that! Someone trying to defend their own life after the police refuse to and a gang of idiots foes on a riot!

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

War criminal descendents carrying on the tradition...

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

When the Japanese riot, it's like watching beasts fight. None of the grace and flair of we Europeans ; )

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@Sir Edgar

I was having a tongue-in-cheek poke at Mr Ishihara's silly comments about foreigners and judo : )

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Sir_EdgarAug. 19, 2012 - 03:59PM JST

Those mentally deranged, angry nationalists are uttering all these ugly gutteral sounds. Sounds so nasty. Like wild animals.

Yes, that man's Korean comebacks did sound like some pigs grunting. But then again I don't pretend to know enough Korean to even pretend I understood what he said, nor would I stoop so low as to attack the man's character based on language alone.

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

Well, if the story is true, it would of course be reprehensible.

But this was reported in a Korean newspaper, and is only based on the claims of the activist. So, until there is independent witness, I would take with a big spoon of salt.

-1 ( +5 / -6 )

Actually, if he was going to protest anyway he could've done better. Next time, to make a bolder statement he could at least try eating the Japanese flag like his fellow Koreans are wont to do during protests:

http://www.who-sucks.com/people/the-exciting-world-of-south-korean-protests

-1 ( +4 / -4 )

"a group of 5-6 Japanese men... began punching him in the face"

Oh, how brave these men are!

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

SerranoAug. 19, 2012 - 08:42PM JST

"a group of 5-6 Japanese men... began punching him in the face"

Oh, how brave these men are!

This is entirely false, as there was no such group. There was exactly one time when he may have received some sort of blow, but by a single assailant at most, if any. The man in this article is a coward who hides behind yellow journalism to rile up people for a cause that he has no real interest in.

-1 ( +8 / -9 )

Even well known news agencies twist the truth, usually by lack of information or ignorance on the part of the writer. The fact the video of the event is entirely different than the story provided should have raised flags, especially since it is now half a week since the incident and the video was out two days ago.

-1 ( +7 / -8 )

An outrage. The Japanese police + right-wing thugs continuing Japan's war crime tradition.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Well, I saw the video, and I did not see that the police "stood by while he was assaulted". That is patently false claim.

They protected him from the uyoku and took him away, which is probably the best they could do under the circumstances.

I would like to see how the Korean police fares in comparison if some Japanese nationalist goes to a site in Korea, claiming that Dokdo is Japanese.

Safe bet it would be the same picture imho.

-1 ( +3 / -5 )

Nothing new to see here. Just more evidence of inherent Japanese savagery. What do you expect from an unrepentant nation descended from barbaric war criminals? The apple doesn't fall far from the tree.

-1 ( +4 / -6 )

@smith dude, he asks for it and he got it simple as that.

stop being apologetic.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Folks that are set to believe the guy wasnt attacked need to remember we are seeing what happened BEFORE or AFTER the video was taken, just saying, we dont know

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

"

"while yelling racist remarks" are not the Koreans and Japanese the same race...hmmm "Racist" is wildly over / mis-used these days.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

AlphaapeAug. 20, 2012 - 08:35AM JST

The public in the USA would react very much to a blatant display of disrespect. That is why such groups as those clowns who protest at the funerals of military members are not well liked and they have to be protected from the people who oppose them for doing that. It would get big press play in the US and I think even the liberal media would have something to say about this.

The big difference here is that this idiot decided to go into the religious center to do his protesting, Westboro at least knows their legal bounds and does it outside.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Nigelboy, yasukuni, others

Yes, I know it is a risky date to pick, yes I know other ppl want to use the place for other purposes than a protest. Yes, I know the kinds of pppl hovering around there. However, no this is not at all the same as anybody protesting at a funeral by a long shot.

I really don't want to comment on what he was saying specifically and whether I agree, more on the Japanese reaction to him and in general to all "minorities" or minority opinions. Why did they escort him away? It looked like he was just outside the gate. If inside, they could have moved him outside. You say he wasn't arrested, article says he was. Why weren't the guys shouting and hitting arrested?

And more than that, Why is there so little sympathy for anything viewed as "anti-Japanese" here? They have had more than half a century to reflect on that war and occupation of Korea. I know many individual jpns who would not be a fan of that war and wouldn't do it again. But why after so long is it so publicly taboo to even talk about, history is repressed and skimmed over in schools, teachers are fired for teaching anything approaching the truth and the idiots in the uyoku trucks have so much power to instill fear, and some sort of fake cheap-a%$ pride in ppl and suppress truth?

I don't know what the Korean guy really wants, if he's a K yak, a wannabe martyr, crazy or what. I'm commenting on the J reaction and society here.

As I said in my other post, yeah a recent war, or a funeral and I can imagine a fight, but at the VIetnam memorial for example. We have all sorts of opposing views about that war. They are all talked about openly. Even with opposing views ppl can point to certain events and say, that wasn't so good. Let's not do it again. Etc etc. That's what I'm comparing it to.

And if there are Koreans interred there that shouldn't be, that's a reasonable claim. And the whole war criminals thing with regular grunts, not appetizing for a regular grunt necessarily.

imho

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

what a shame....

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Perhaps Japan is not as safe for Koreans as previously thought.

It's reported in the Korean media that the Korea Tourism Organization in Tokyo received death threats:

http://view.koreaherald.com/kh/view.php?ud=20120820000922&cpv=0

Korea is the most important source of foreign tourists for Japan accounting for about 2.5 million tourists (28% of total). Also, Japan is the #1 tourist destination for Koreans.

If Koreans think Japan is no longer safe, this will hurt the Japanese tourism industry big.

In the mean time, Seoul is very safe for Japanese tourists and there have been no threats to Japanese.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

@Sir_Edgar: Korea is the most important source of foreign tourists for Japan accounting for about 2.5 million tourists (28% of total). Also, Japan is the #1 tourist destination for Koreans. If Koreans think Japan is no longer safe, this will hurt the Japanese tourism industry big. In the mean time, Seoul is very safe for Japanese tourists and there have been no threats to Japanese.

Only that this guy was not a tourist. And only that he chose the day of Jappan's surrender when people commemorate their ancestors (and not the fewer than 20 war criminals despite what you might quickly try to state). His was a premeditated provocation at its best.

I wonder why you did not say that Japanese tourists in Seoul do not wave placards which rub the local people the wrong way. There have been no other incidents with Koreans in Japan, be it with tourists or permanent residents of Korean origin.

Sadly, it is statements like yours above that eventually might blow a small problem out of proportion.

Just for your information: 2,439,816 Koreans visited Japan in 2010 and the number in 2011 was 1,658,067. 3,023,009 Japanese visited Korea in 2010 and 3,289,051 in 2011.

If Japanese think that they are not welcome to or safe in Korea this will hurt the Korean tourism industry big (you can start by comparing the amount of money a Japanese tourist and a Korean tourist spend on spot when they travel.)

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

And I'm sure this man will not be simply deported like the Chinese the other day. The Japanese will keep him for a while longer because Korea is weaker than China. That's international politics for you!

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

nigelboy: "As for an arrest, pleeze."

No kidding. Heaven forbid they do their jobs.

-2 ( +7 / -9 )

Pukey,

Are you watching the same video? Popcorn??

-2 ( +7 / -9 )

"Police did nothing"

What I saw was a dozen or more so policemen escort this lunatic out of the premise to avoid an inherent violence from the right wingers. That's called crime prevention, IMO.

And please. I've seen much more violent conflicts/brawls where police just broke up the fight with no arrest.

-2 ( +7 / -8 )

Farmboy: "So why is the direct source a Korean paper and news agency? It's not a bad article, but that seems odd for an event that took place in Japan."

You think Japan would report it? They only report things when they are the victim, not the aggressor.

-2 ( +7 / -9 )

Well. If you honestly believe that the video link I provided matches the title of this article, then let's just agree to disagree.

-2 ( +8 / -10 )

Farmboy: "I think in your eyes, everything Japan does or might do is bad, and everything South Korea does or might do is good."

Well, your thinking is about as far as those that think the J-cops did their jobs by not arresting people who were assaulting another. I can be more than adamant about South Korea doing something wrong when it is wrong, and more than adamant about China as well. Just because I don't kneel down and say everything Japan does is correct does not make what you said true at all. Japan is wrong on this issue, bottom line -- or do you think the cops should not have arrested the people who carried out the assault?

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

It"s Me: "Police handled it well."

Except they failed to do their jobs, yeah.

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

Farmboy

I think they do, but you may not recognize it as such, as it tends to be a juxtaposition of facts that imply criticism, rather than a statement with should or shouldn't.

No they don't, just as they would NEVER report any forms of protests, for whatever the reason. Even the Japanese are in agreement with this.

nigelboy

I think some of those posters were disappointed with the video because it's clearly evident that it's in no way shape or form described in the article. Next step, of couse, is to knit pick.

The Korean man was assaulted, just as the article has described, and the police also did nothing and failed to do their job, just as the article has described.

-2 ( +7 / -9 )

Smith

Please read my comments.

And please. I've seen much more violent conflicts/brawls where police just broke up the fight with no arrest

There are no links because I witnessed it personally. There will be no links because the media wouldn't even bother reporting it for the very reason that there were no arrests.

-2 ( +8 / -10 )

These nationalists were yelling, in a very angry and hostile manner (I would say they were clearly overreacting, disgusting):

"Arrest him!"

"Why don't you get the hell out of here??"

Chanting: "Get out! Get out! Get out!"

I hear so much different things than what basroil is describing, even at the first 30 seconds of the video... I'm already getting sick of listening to it anymore because they sound too hostile and it sounds very disgusting to my years.

-2 ( +6 / -8 )

LOL What an idiot, this Korean protesting at a Japanese war shrine where there's likely to be right wing extremists who won't take kindly to his views. What was he expecting, the VIP treatment? He's lucky the J-cops (as inept as they may be) came and saved his ass. Verbal abuse? Racist? Screw those. He should thank his lucky stars he's alive. What a moron.

-2 ( +3 / -4 )

The police and mob response was very "bad Japanese". I can say for sure the same would never happen in the U.S.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

i have to agree with nigelboy after watching the video that the title of this article seems a little biased.

i saw a police officer get knocked to the ground while trying to protect this guy from the enraged right wingers, and basically simply try to avert a murder by escorting him away and trying to prevent him from unfurling his protest banner.

there must be 30 cops, some in riot gear, some with batons drawn trying to get this lunatic out of there. incidentally, the korean guy seems to have a number of tattoos visible on his neck and back, is he a yakuza?

at any rate, though it should be possible for him to protest, given the right of free speech, etc., in light of the recent island crisis and that tool Lee's statement about the emperor, his inane protest is nothing more than a provocation.

maybe he was taking lessons from pussy riot.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

The public in the USA would react very much to a blatant display of disrespect.

What disrespect was shown? You think the dead soldiers approve of lying about history?

That is why such groups as those clowns who protest at the funerals of military members are not well liked

Sorry, but the clowns are the ones who bodily support unnecessary wars of political gain and plunder, and get themselves killed in the process.

But Yasukuni is not a cemetery and there was no funeral. Yasukuni is a shrine and the soldiers enshrined there were not disrespected. The truth of history and war crime is not disrespect. Its just THE TRUTH.

Can you imagine people getting upset if someone went to Ted Bundy's grave with a sign saying "Ted Bundy murdered my sister!" Are you going to tell me its okay, simply because old Ted was not a member of the armed forces?

I think even the liberal media

Is it broken record time again already? Or is it tin foil hat conspiracy time? Both?

But it was still pretty silly for this guy to go there and protest, and to be alone.

Silly is a word. But then its often hard to choose between brave, crazy, and foolish. I don't which. I just know the stunt was ill advised unless he was ready for a beat down. But that does not make it wrong and the rightists right, that is for sure.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

So he gets arrested for protesting but punching and kicking while yelling racist remarks don't get anyone in troubles. J-cops are joke.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Korea is the most important source of foreign tourists for Japan accounting for about 2.5 million tourists (28% of total). Also, Japan is the #1 tourist destination for Koreans

In the meantime, Koreans are the source of the largest illegal immigrants in Japan consisting over 25% of the total.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

@JaneM: Oh, the Japanese tourists don't waive placards. They place stakes on memorials saying comfort women are "prostitutes" to torment and insult these poor old women who have already suffered so much in their lives. Real respectable and doesn't "rub people in the wrong way". And, of course, this wasn't a "premeditated provocation".

"Japanese activist stokes netizen ire with video stunt" http://koreajoongangdaily.joinsmsn.com/news/article/article.aspx?aid=2954952

Here's the video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBVQ3nqV7jE

And Japanese tourists are welcome and safe in Korea. But there have been threats to Korean tourists visiting Japan.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Japanese politicians can come over to Korea and start making funny business by putting "Takeshima is Japan's" signs then make anti Korean youtube videos about it, without getting beaten up, but Koreans can't go over to protest Yasukuni without getting beaten up. That's rich.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

It's not that Japanese cannot accept the truth. Most Japanese believe that Korean version is false. And they keep demanding that Japanese should accept the false "truth" based on their wrong facts. As Osaka Mayor Hashimoto explained a few days ago in his interview, there is no evidence to prove that prostitutes were recruited forcefully by the Japanese military. They were recruited by private operators, often Koreans themselves, and they were "supervised" by the military. Japanese would not deny this truth based on the evidence and fact as we know it.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

What is offensive about the truth?? J Govt is not trying to make amends when it comes to the comfort woman. I don't think he did anything to deserve the abuse he received just for protesting. Thank goodness he is alive, after being attacked like that. One of those abusers could have used a knofe.

Try this type of stunt in Arlington Cemetary on Memorial Day and see how the public reacts?(Both the witness and the mass public)

-3 ( +18 / -20 )

The reason why I have doubts about this lunatic claim is that the photos I linked above were taken from bystandards and none of them show anything remotely close to people/police assaulting him like he's accusing of.

Secondly, the votes on the original article (Korea Joongang Daily ) can be interpreted in two ways. "314 said it “made them feel better,” for instance would garner votes to people who are glad that the lunatic got arrested. On the other hand, one could argue that they voted because they were glad that this man got his message across. 39 reported it “made them feel angry.” for instance would garner votes to people who were outraged by this lunatic's actions. On the other hand, the votes could be that they were outraged by the rightiest/police actions.

Therefore, it's really premature to conclude that "Japan is such a racist country"

-3 ( +10 / -13 )

've previously read some posters saying that the Korean people have short tempers but I don't think this is true at all. If it were the case the protestor would have become violent. He did not though. So I think the posters who stated such things are not correct because it was the Japanese who became violent and irrational.

True, saying that Koreans have short temper is one of the Japanese racists' stereotypical derogatory remarks against Koreans. However it appears that it is the opposite, it's the Japanese ultra-nationalists who turned violent and irrational. Japanese ultra-nationalists ARE violent and irrational as hell, although you could probably say the same about any ultra-nationalists.

-3 ( +7 / -10 )

Thomas,

I never said he was violent. Lunacy doesn't involve violence.

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

Thomas, I never said he was violent. Lunacy doesn't involve violence.

nigelboy, not everything I say is somehow related to you. The man was not violent, so the police force was excessive. And why did they not arrest the people who assaulted him?

-3 ( +4 / -7 )

I don't know about you, but I wouldn't want to live in a country where people could assault a person right in front of the cops and never even get punished/arrested for it.

Incompetent J-cops are incompetent.

-3 ( +8 / -11 )

"My impression - one fool being protected from a bunch of fools. "

Cleo. Voice of reason.

Why so far? For some reason, police officers were asking for 中隊の車??around the 3:00 minute mark of the video.

-3 ( +3 / -6 )

I'm sorry but this Korean brought it upon himself. While I don't agree with violence, he showed stupidity by protesting in a Japanese shrine on the anniversary of Japan's surrender in WW2....

-3 ( +4 / -6 )

Not just stupidity, but lack of decency and respect. But it shows how safe he thought Japan was to think he could do something like that without reppurcussions.

-3 ( +4 / -6 )

Lowly and Jeff Lee, you both are missing an understanding that Japanese don't go to Yasukuni on Aug 15 to glorify people for killing millions.

They go to remember/pray for those who died and many pray for world peace. Ordinary citizens have all kinds of feelings when they choose Aug 15 to go to Yasukuni. It's not the right place and day for foreigners to protest. There is a time and place for everything.

btw, Many would say that more than 10 million died at the hands of Japanese military. August 15 at Yasukuni is not the place to bring up other nations grievances.

And apart from being insensitive, it's not effective at all - rather it has the opposite effect. Do you really think that Koreans (or Australians, Chinese or whatever) protesting at Yasukuni on that day will do anything positive?

Even if the footage of the Korean were on the news, it would make the average Japanese even less inclined to listen to the Korean point of view. No Japanese I have spoken to this August is more reflective of Japan's actions in WW2 at all - rather there is even more ill-feeling towards Koreans and Chinese. zannen.

-3 ( +4 / -7 )

a group of 5-6 Japanese men, said to be right-wing extremists, approached him and began punching him in the face and kicking his legs while yelling racist remarks.

The article doesn't specify what "racists" remarks that the Japanese men made to the Korean man. I doubt the comments were racist - since it's pretty safe to presume that both sides are the same race. I would presume the remarks were nationalistic - as in anti-Korean - not racial.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

And please. I've seen much more violent conflicts/brawls where police just broke up the fight with no arrest.

It just goes to show how incompetent the J-cops are. They can hardly arrest any criminals.

-4 ( +8 / -12 )

cleoAug. 19, 2012 - 03:48PM JST

I watched the first half of the video and like mrkobayashi says, the police seemed to be protecting the man from the mob. My impression - one fool being protected from a bunch of fools. I wondered why the police had to escort the man so far - was there no police car close by that he could be put into? and if not, why not?

Exactly. there's a Koban to the left of the Yasakuni main entrance.

It's almost like they're taking the long route to the Koban for a bit of a ceremonial parade.

-4 ( +6 / -10 )

Brave or foolish, he was asking for it. What did he expect from the criminal worshiping mob?

-5 ( +10 / -14 )

HAHAHA..............I had a good laugh about this!

What an idiot. What did he expect? He shold have hidden behind his computer and insulted Japan from there. Like all the other Korean netizens!

-5 ( +8 / -10 )

Just a note.

On this very day (August 15th), there are demonstrations marches by the rights and the lefts(No Yasukuni, eliminate the Emperor, keep Article 9) which ends in a clash near Kudanshita (where Yaskuni is). But when these protestors disperse, even though there are those of the left who remain near the Shrine, don't actually go into the shrine to voice their opinions. What I'm saying here is that those "left" that oppose Yasukuni still has the common decency to not disrespect the vistiors on that day inside the shrine.

-5 ( +6 / -11 )

mrkobayashi

The Korean dude lashes out with a kick of his own.

He didn't kick anyone in particular.

Anyway it's hilarious really... the Japanese are the ones who are so angry and violent. He was rather calm throughout the whole thing. It really surprises me that the Japanese side with these crazy and angry nationalists who are yelling and screaming at the Korean man and assaulting him.

-5 ( +7 / -12 )

Agree or disagree with how the police has handled the whole situation, but you can't deny that these Japanese nationalists are crazy, angry and violent.

-5 ( +8 / -13 )

Next time Japanese politicians come over to Korea to deliberately cause problems and spreading their slogans, they will be punched up and beaten by the mob, instead of a polite look from the Korean police. What will Japanese say then?

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

I think you are confused Smith. This is a nationalist Korean going overseas acting like a lunatic INSIDE and the day many relatives come from all of Japan to honor their fallen ancestors.

I think it supports Ossan's argument.

-6 ( +13 / -19 )

No, I think the reporting in Japan is pretty good, usually, and I was surprised that this piece of news wasn't covered, as it's interesting.

I don't think that the Japanese media will criticize the authority/police, EVER.

-6 ( +6 / -12 )

Such offensive messages! This guy sure needs to be beaten and kicked by the sensible, mature and rational ultra-nationalists.

That's if you take this lunatic's accusation word for word. Yet another conclusion based on assumption?

-7 ( +8 / -15 )

nigelboy

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T3NXMcdq6rs No use babbling about what happend based on the article and a few pictures. Above is the link to the video . You can basically conclude that the police were trying very hard to escort this man safely.

The Korean man was not violent, and a couple of violent Japanese dudes clearly tried to assault him, yet the police did nothing.

-7 ( +6 / -13 )

basroil

I bet that if they followed their journalistic duties they would find that 314 (well, probably closer to 280) were from Korean IP addresses and not Japanese ones.

basroil, why would the Koreans do this? And how can you prove this? Or is it all just a conspiracy?

-8 ( +5 / -13 )

No doubt a protestor on Memorial Day at Arlington Cemetary no doubt would not be very popular. But they wuld not be assaulted while in the "custody" of police, that is for sure

Are these based on eyewitnesses or this crazy lunatic's one sided testimony. The photos I've seen appears the police were protecting him from right wingers.

http://image.search.yahoo.co.jp/search?rkf=2&ei=UTF-8&p=%E9%9F%93%E5%9B%BD%E4%BA%BA+%E9%9D%96%E5%9B%BD#mode%3Ddetail%26index%3D0%26st%3D175

It appears he is a President of a "Korean tattoo Association" who displayed a Korean Flag with messages

午後2時40分頃、「I LOVE KOREA」などのメッセージが書かれた韓国旗を広げたイ氏は、「閣僚の靖国神社参拝中止」「韓国人の合祀中止」「慰安婦への謝罪」「独島(竹島の韓国名)への侵略を中止」などを主張し、通行人や参拝客の注目を集めた。

"I LOVE KOREA" "Stop Ministers Yasukuni Visit", "Do not Enshrine Koreans", "Apologize to Comfort Women". "Stop the Invsasion of Dokdo".

He then asked the police to contact the Korean Embassy however, it appears no personnel was available for they were on a holiday. (LOL)

http://news.livedoor.com/article/detail/6864824/

Dude's a wacko.

-9 ( +12 / -21 )

Hundred and thousands of the surviving family members travel from all over Japan to pay their respects to their great/grand parents and this guy choose to display a Korean flag with offensive messages inside the premise.

Not smart.

-15 ( +23 / -37 )

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