Japan's new ambassador to China to be quarantined for 2 weeks

As he should be. He is no different to anybody else.

Good idea. But was Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi also put into a 14 day quarantine when he arrived in Japan to meet Suga?

Still not sure of the difference between quarantine and self quarantine. And entering via private jet?

Let's hope that he is.

This is ironic.

In those circles an fortnight’s isolation is the best thing that can ever happen. No work, no meetings, no stupid phone calls, and 24h daily fully served and pampered in luxury while staying in the consulate or best hotel in the city...What else can someone want in the current situation? lol

Hideo Tarumi's willingness to be quarantined for two weeks in his residence in Beijing means he is really a good ambassador!

In those circles an fortnight’s isolation is the best thing that can ever happen. No work, no meetings, no stupid phone calls

What gives you the idea that they wouldn't work, do meetings online, and take phone calls?! You're posting this on the internet, so it's not clear how you can not be understanding of how it works.

Were it me I'd be boarding the next jet back to Japan while giving a big middle finger to the former Middle Kingdom while using a particular Beijing slang expletive that sounds a lot like "grass mud horse" in Mandarin.

Tarumi is a "China School" diplomat who underwent Chinese language training with a specific focus on advancing ties with China. The senior Foreign Ministry official, however, is regarded as a "hard-liner" against the mainland.

how does THAT work??

Were it me I'd be boarding the next jet back to Japan while giving a big middle finger to the former Middle Kingdom

Absolutely!

while using a particular Beijing slang expletive that sounds a lot like "grass mud horse" in Mandarin.

I'm confused

Did he have to pay ~50,000 yen for his pre-departure covid test or did we (taxpayers) cover that?

As he should. My own country also required foreign diplomats to quarantine upon arrival, although unlike regular people they were allowed to quarantine in their own residence. It seems some people commenting here think diplomats are immune to the virus due to protection under the Geneva convention?

I'm confused

I don't think the mods would appreciate me using the actual Mandarin obscenity but it rhymes with grass mud horse in Mandarin.

It seems some people commenting here think diplomats are immune to the virus due to protection under the Geneva convention?

The Chinese Foreign Minister didn't quarantine for two weeks in Japan? What's good for the goose is good for the gander.

how does THAT work??

We had people in the US Navy when I served who spent working their lives learning Russian language, culture and history so they could get inside their heads and think like the Russians. Some even served as attaches in Warsaw Pact embassies so they could get a first hand look at the enemy. We acknowledged Soviet and Russian major holidays in our squadron spaces. We referred to WWII in the Russian context as the Great Patriotic War as they do. We even had copies of their naval professional journal Morskoy Sbornik, their rough equivalent to Naval Institute Proceedings, in our wardrooms to read. The similarities and differences in our navies and the day to day lives of sailors and officers was highly interesting! There was an annual classified brief on Soviet Naval Power that put the audience sort of inside the Soviet Navy and showed us their view of us while bragging about their hardware and how they would use it. None of that implied any affinity to the old USSR or to Russia today. It was all about getting into their heads and out-thinking them. When you are in combat you want to be able to anticipate how your enemy thinks and get ahead of them. I'm sure there are people in the military and foreign office of Japan today who are equally dedicated to understand all things Chinese so their diplomats and military have an edge over the Chinese. Just from my own experience I see far too many Americans who do not understand how China operates and how the Chinese see the world around them. For the average Chinese the world is a completely different place than what the free world knows and that has implications for many aspects of foreign policy, trade and military affairs. You cannot go into a meeting with the Chinese thinking they are like westerners. They aren't. They don't know our world unless they have lived outside of China in a free nation for a long time. Most never will but many of these people will occupy high positions in the CCP, government and military.

Thanks for that. I'm still a bit confused on the particular Beijing slang expletive that sounds a lot like "grass mud horse" in Mandarin....

Thanks for that. I'm still a bit confused on the particular Beijing slang expletive that sounds a lot like "grass mud horse" in Mandarin....

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grass_Mud_Horse