Bloomberg columnist William Pesek, criticizing the government of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe
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quote of the day
Time that should be allotted to sorting out Tohoku is squandered debating World War II atrocities, teaching patriotism to school kids, staffing national broadcaster NHK with like-minded conservatives
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sensei258
So desu ne!!!
Utrack
The Upper House Steering Committee member Taro Yamamoto has been saying and seeing the same issues. He handed the Emperor a letter.
http://kalw.org/post/emperors-code-breach-protocol-spurs-debate-japan
Official: Japan will be ruined if public doesn’t realize they’re being exposed to Fukushima radiation, “99.99% of the people are being sacrificed”
http://enenews.com/lawmaker-if-japanese-cant-face-truth-thattheir-exposure-could-be-ruined-by-fukushima-radiation-will-take-rest-of-world-down-with-it-99-99-of-the-people-are-being-sacrificed-audio
samwatters
@HongoTAFEinmate. You're right so maybe we in the expat community can bring this article up in our classes, companies, etc. and try to bring the discussion more out into the mainstream.
Jimizo
Just read the article. I liked the protesters he mentioned carrying 'Nationalism doesn't create jobs' and 'My children still can't play outside' signs. The memories of the 'under control' speech along with the syrupy newscaster with 'omotenashi' came flooding back.
tmarie
Common sense but sadly we all know common sense is not common - more so in the Diet.
jerseyboy
senseiman -- thanks, sorry, my bad.
shinhiyata
As a resident of south Iwate, I agree wholeheartedly. There is still so much work to be done. I am surprised that this journalist didn't mention Abe's connections to ultra-nationalist Sugahara Tsusai, the Kurihara brothers who sold the Senkakku islands to Abe, and the bizarre anti-China doomsday religious cult Fuji Taisekiji Kenshokai. Nobody in Japan seems to be interested in discussing the prime ministers affiliation with these controversial characters. Truth is stranger than fiction here in this country.
HongoTAFEinmate
@samwatters
It is an excellent article and should be read by all who live in Japan.
Very nice sentiment, but one major problem. The article is in a foreign language (English) is a niche publication that caters in the most part to the expat community and locals looking to improve/retain their English skills.
The reality of the current situation is that until one of the major Japanese dailies lines Abe up for a similar spray nothing will change. Indeed, standing beyond the mainstream of Japanese society and bleating about such matters is the equivalent of pxssing in the wind (even if the arguments themselves are valid). Confronting Abe (or instituting change9 will only occur from inside the system, not because some expat hack gets an article in a minor publication.
senseiman
LDP, not DPJ.
jerseyboy
Read the quote and hoped it was from a prominent Japanese commentator. Unfortunately, even though it is 100% correct, it will have zero impact since no one in the inner-circle of the DPJ cares a bit about what gaijins think.
LFRAgain
Ding! Ding! Ding! Give this man a cigar. He hit the nail squarely on the head. But will Shinzo "I've Got a Chip" Abe pay any attention to it? Experience has shown not likely.
senseiman
Very well put.
samwatters
This article is in the March 13th edition of the Japan Times. It is an excellent article and should be read by all who live in Japan.
sidesmile
An awful lot of smokescreens thrown up, in the hope that the continuing plight of the folks up in the areas hit hardest will be forgotten. Disgusting, really. By and large I don't think that they have been forgotten but they've certainly become a secondary thought and maybe almost a taboo topic outside of ones own four walls..I don't hear many voices telling the govt to get it's act straight.
boweevil
Absolutely.