DreuxRichard comments

@Tom San - Courtesy of KuroTokage.

In the case of that particular information, I wouldn't believe everything you read. It's not accurate, and it was released/disseminated specifically in the course of an attempt to protect the government from legal liability in relation to Mr. Okafor's death.

If the media had looked into this further, the information you're quoting would have been revealed as misleading and defamatory.

@Kurotokage

That person was not just interested in tanning leather. So please stop trying to turn criminals into victims.

I've read the court documents from the cases in question. The description of his crimes you posted--which is in fact government propaganda--is highly misleading.

I realize Mr. Kipling's comment probably isn't meant in good faith, but the questions are fine ones, and why not use the comments section to answer them?

Why was he in detention?

He lacked a valid visa to continue residing in Japan.

Why did he refuse deportation?

Ultimately he didn't. He asked to be deported. The Ministry of Justice failed to act on this request.

Why did he choose suicide?

Dying during the course of a hunger strike isn't the same as suicide. He chose to embark on a hunger strike because he hoped it would lead to his prompt deportation or release.

I've actually been telling my friends for a couple of years that Mo Yan should have won years ago, but never would because of his politically problematic background (essentially: he learned to write at the Peoples Army School of Creative Writing). My first draft of this piece included a sentence advocating for Mo Yan to win.

Since he won I've been getting a lot of emails from friends: "You're a genius! You called it!" etc. I have to remind them that, in fact, I did the opposite of call it: I predicted he would never win. So apparently I'm unperceptive, and unfairly cynical about how the winner gets selected. I'm glad to have been proven wrong, and I do agree (though I also lament) that Murakami will win it eventually.

I'm skeptical that the number or frequency of raids has been increasing of late, as John claims. These laws, and the raids they permit, have always been a part of life in the red light districts. How often they're applied fluctuates based on all the vicissitudes that affect the police force's attitude on any given month. If there's more of them now than a few months ago, it's probably related to the beating death that occurred at Flower, the immigration bust that occurred shortly thereafter, etc. The no dancing laws are like highway speed limits -- they merely permit police to enforce at their discretion.

Tony McNicol's (good, important) portraits can be found here: http://www.facebook.com/JapanProtestPower