MkoreaMwafrika comments

From Kenya to Japan, I say please keep on doing the great job Japan, the land of the great inventors of Asia.

I note that on a per capita basis your country has a lower rate of this virulent virus SARS-CoV-2 relative to your neighbors across the Sea of Japan! As it were, one of those countries in the region can't even tell us the real numbers that succumbed to this pathogen.

Please keep on seeking the cooperation of your citizens, and educate your Japanese people of the imperative of making informed choices, and there's no doubt whatsoever that you will not overburden your health system and hospitals.

Just don't resort to the high-handed undemocratic measures - tracking citizens en masse, infringing on civil liberties, etc, adopted by your neighbors, South Korea and China!

Japan is doing a good job without necessarily resorting to the draconian authoritarian measures of China or the China-lite measures practiced by South Korea's Moon Jae-in.

In S Korea, in the name of contact tracing, they're violating the privacy of their pliant citizens, including tracking cell phone info and credit card information!

Is that Chinese or Korean model feasible in a democratic society? Heck, NO!

Japan is doing a much more commendable job. And, Taiwan - is the best model, bar none.

This article is fluff - uninformative and shallow - typical of Kyodo yellow journalism.

In Shakespearean terms: Much Ado About Nothing.

@Peeping_Tom - I totally subscribe to your insightful points - very well stated!

It seems to me that some folks from a certain country across the Sea of Japan with a constant need for validation are trying to make this SARS-CoV-2 into some sort of nationalist race - as if their country ought to receive some sort of plaudits from every other country! Alas, my model is Taiwan, which in my view has done the best job in the world in tackling this virulent pathogen.

Perhaps this Swahili proverb from my native Kenya is apropos for these low-esteem folks: *Chema chajiuza, Kibaya chajitembeza [translated:* One does not need to shout and rave about a good thing - it will sell itself because people recognize how good it is].

Keep on the great work Japan!

@Cognac - It is laudable that you're the voice of reason on this thread.

Like you I don't buy these doom and gloom prognosis whatsoever. I don't see the numbers in Japan being any different from those in S Korea, for example, despite the latter employing draconian policies to achieve their relatively low numbers.

Keep up the great work, Japan!

@William77 -

Japan is the leading country in Asia in all realms of science, technology and medicine.

It is also the only Asian country that perennially wins Nobel Prizes in those fields. Hopefully, the rest of Asia and even us in Africa will start emulating the very advanced Japanese!

In Africa where I hail from, Japan is the most respected Asian country. Japan and her highly civilized ways too, are extremely highly regarded in Europe, India, and here in the US, my second home!

There's nothing exceptional about the data as it relates to the worsening Japanese economic outlook.

Frankly, I'm surprised that the Japanese numbers are not worse, particularly amidst what will likely turn out to be a deep global recession.

Q2 data won't be any fun to look at; no country or region will be spared.

As a person who hails from the erstwhile Third World, and a student of East Asian economics and institutions, I definitely subscribe to the role that Japanese customs plays in their better response to this contagious Corona virus.

As Veblen succinctly pointed out thus: ...[ ] Norms specify many of the socially acceptable goals of action...[ ] it is, however, often a a slow process, one that takes place with resistance, and usually only as the surrounding economic environment changes in ways that makes the old ways of life and ways of thinking obsolete or no longer appropriate.

Indeed, my view is that Japanese customs evolved along the way to a point that cleanliness and good hygiene became widely accepted in society.

It is this high degree of personal and societal hygiene that makes Japan and, probably, Taiwan exceptional in tackling SARS-CoV-2 among the East Asian countries.

This article gets it right! The superior personal hygiene habits of the Japanese is what has led to the low corona virus numbers -- so far.

Keep up the good hygiene habits Japan!

@SmithinJapan - My observation having visited China, South Korea and Japan is that the latter have better personal hygiene than the other two countries.

And Japan, in my view, as always been the leader in Asia - in science, in medicine, technology, etc- in so many realms in that part of the world. I think they'll come with some novel solutions to fight and defeat this pathogen!

Anyway, I don't buy into the doom and gloom about all this hullabaloo. I intend to visit Japan again ASAP! I have no reason to doubt that the indomitable and always resilient Japanese will get a way to contain this virulent SARS-CoV-2.

@Cognac - Excellent observations!

I'm sanguine about the Japanese numbers, btw. No amount of doom and gloom from the usual naysayers will make the low numbers in Japan go up.

From my experience having visited the big three East Asian countries - Japan, China, South Korea -: the Japanese tend to have better hygiene practices, so I don't envisage their numbers going as high as those I see here in the US, for example.

@Hung Nguyen - Thank you for your acute insights.

As a person who hails from Kenya- neighbor to Gebhreyesus's Ethiopia - I feel totally let down that we Africans fronted such an incompetent lackey to head such an important global post.

Tedros Adhamon Gebhreyesus, please resign. You lack the gravitas, intellect, judgement, and leadership, to head the WHO.

I just don't see what the hullabaloo is all about with regards to Japan. The numbers are low for obvious reasons: better hygiene relative to the neighboring countries. In my view, Taiwan is more like Japan - hence their low numbers too!

For those who contract this pathogen at the incipient stages there is Avigan.

Why are some ill-informed folks here behaving as though this is a 100m sprint dash.

As we laud this or that country for "exemplary" performance as if we're cheering at a track and field meet, be forewarned that this virulent pathogen SARS-CoV-2 is now making its way to the poor countries of Africa, South Asia, Latin America, etc. who knows when it'll make its way back to Korea, Europe, etc for yet another round a la Freddy Kruger.

Frankly, as a person who visits Japan at least once a year, I have the utmost confidence in Japan relative to the neighboring countries - across the Sea of Japan and East China Sea, for example.

But, yeah, Japan needs to pick up its pace of testing and tracing.

It seems Taiwan has done the best job in the world in "arresting" this virulent disease!

For those who come from countries that Japan saved from European colonialism - consider that my country and many others in Africa succumbed to even more brutal European colonialism and imperialism unlike the modernization Korea, China, Taiwan experienced under the Japanese.

If China is proud of the Communist party CCP or Koreans their rich and admirable porcelains, why shouldn't Japan - the vanguard country in East Asia!

I'm not sure why revisionists here want to wipe the reality of history.

Japan is the only Asian country that was able to modernize and industrialize at the pace of the advanced European powers of the time.

Via England, Britain was the first country to industrialize during the period of the first Industrial Revolution in the late 18th Century. Thereafter, the countries of continental Europe followed: France, Germany, Scandinavia, Italy , et al.

What did these European countries do with the wealth and power they amassed: conquer others and engage in Imperialism and Colonialism.

The only Asian country that emulated the Europeans by modernizing and industrializing was Japan .

And that's why they used their wealth, technological prowess and more advanced military to colonize their weaker less advanced Asian neighbors.

Had the other Asian countries been in Japan's position of superiority chances are that they too would have pursued the imperialist colonial experiment!

Nothing sentimental about all this.

It's History 101.

As a Kenyan-American, I hold Japan in the highest regard for the great role it played in modernizing and developing Korea, Taiwan, China and, also later providing the model for the industrialization of the so-called Asian Tigers of S East Asia: Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia.

Great job, Japan!

Alex80, I totally agree with your sentiments. Very well said!

I don't see anything worth writing home about this S. Korean model. Why not the more superior Taiwanese or Singaporean models?

This so-called South Korean "model" is simply a variant - simply a kinder, gentler approach - of the draconian model practiced by their Chinese cousins!

Yet, in my native Kenya, it is the police rungu - batons - that is the model.

For some low self-esteem folks, especially those with an a priori anti-Japanese bias this seeming mishap by Abe and his cabal on their response to SARS Cov-2 is a godsend - an apt opportunity to display their prejudices unimpeded.

It's patently clear that many more people will die in Japan, no doubt. But let's all remember where this thing all originated from - in Wuhan Hubei Province.

And in South Korea, let's not forget that it was the actions of ignorant, selfish and arrogant troupe of religious zealots in Daegu, that spread this disease willy-nilly as would a Savannah wildfire in my native Kenya.

Well, Japan under Shinzo Abe is now on course to joining the incompetent CCP regime of Xi and the hapless and inept South Korean Moon Jae-in, who fiddled while Daegu's SARS COV-2 numbers exploded!

Great job China and the religious zealots in Daegu for spreading this virus and destroying the global economy.

Misery loves company.

Why do all these assorted Koreans and Chinese posting here want to force their opinions as fact? So that you guys and Japan can share your woeful state? Will that line of deluded thinking then reduce COVID-19?

Imagine if I a native born Kenyan started comparing the numbers of coranivirus in Kenya with Somalia, Rwanda, Uganda, etc.

Your statements are indicative of both your countries low self confidence and self-doubt viz a viz Japan.

Please stick to scientific facts and not Brother Grimm type of tales!

Sorry Korea, this is not time for your usual reflexive and irrational Hwa-byung.

Poor hygiene in South Korea probably contributed towards the rapid spread of this virus -- same as among your Chinese cousins. I dread for what would happen in Africa, my native continent.

Hanguk, please stop your hyper-sensitivity and irrationality and let's all work together towards a common solution.

Just another day of love, peace, and unity on the Korean Peninsula.

Korea's inferiority complex viz a viz Japan is mind boggling.

Just stay home in Korea, please. This COVID-19 will not be defeated by your tiresome petulance, histrionics and throwing your usual temper tantrums aka Hwabyeong!

My neighboring country, Tanzania, and the island of Zanzibar has stopped ALL Italian tourists from visiting to protect their population from COVID-19.

It's befuddling why Koreans insist, nay, demand that they MUST be allowed into Japan.

Indeed, Koreans are a unique lot.

There are plenty of things for you to do beautiful Chosen! Watch K-pop!

Please stay home; tafadhali.

In Kenya we have a saying that: Every market has a madman!

Well, it seems to me that South Korea under the inept regime of Moon Jae-in is the madman of East Asia!

What gall. Stay home.

@SJ -

I don't see how one can reasonably draw an inference between "my long post..." and the presence or abscence of democracy in South Korea.

As for the rest of what you wrote, of course, indeed you and your countrymen have a right to exercise your democratic rights. Having a free exchange of ideas, freedom of speech and assembly, without the fear of retribution from so-called authorities; those are hallmarks of what it means to be a democracy. Kudos to you and the broader RoK populace!

However, it's about time Koreans started working on the next phase of their collective national enlightenment by letting go of their irrational hatred and bitterness of Japan and the Japanese.

To partly paraphrase Bob Marley: [Koreans] Emancipate yourself from mental slavery....

@SJ -

You are right - to an extent, that I may not know everything about the deranged Korean president Moon Jae-in.

What I do know is that he is patently inept and grossly incompetent. Look, I visit Seoul, on business on average four to six times a year. Over the last three years I've been to S.Korea I talk to many young people - guys and gals - and many of them tell me they simply want to get the heck out of a country that offers them very prospects for their future aspirations. They want to immigrate or work in the US, Japan, Canada, Australia, Etc.

Moon Jae-in got clobberred in this instance. He knows it and so to do the other 50 million plus Hanguk.Moon got his derrière handed to him!

Korea is pretty much a borderline developing country, is too dependent on Japan for the real hi-tech cutting edge machines, products and materials. Period.

Until Korea gets to, say, thirty or forty percent of the level of Japanese scientific, research and technological prowess - they will continue being the poorer and lesser cousin!

Look as Moon and Korea continues to grovel for: Flourinated Polymide, Resist, and Hydrogen Flouride.

In my native Swahili we have a saying: Debe tupu haliachi kuvuma -- translation; an empty container makes the loudest noise.

Korea, please learn to be calm and less reflexive - it makes one have the ability to think clearly and reflectively, okay. And, Kim withdrawing the case at the WTO - that you were bound to lose in the first place! Don't you have any well trained trade negotiators in the RoK?

Any sane, intelligent and rational person could have predicted this outcome today.

Korea capitulated! As usual!

No loud, wailing and gnashing of the teeth will change the facts!

Sorry, Lee Ok-seen, the Japanese do NOT need to repent to you or other so-called comfort women. Not at all.

You and others of your ilk were paid $billions way back in 1965, in the form of cash reparations to each "victim" of Japanese colonialism, subsequently your country received massive Japanese grants, loans, industrial machinery, technical expertise from the Japanese that pretty much lifted your country from the backwaters that it had been and catapulted you into the success that you are today, the so-called Miracle on Han River!

Do ask the successive South Korean governments from the Park Chung-hee administration onwards until the current regime of megalomaniac Moon Jae-in, to pay you back the huge reparations payments the RoK absconded with back in 1965!