Vienna1sausage comments

Great PR for Japan. The one thing Japan has going for it in the west is that considered (Somehow) a likeable country....This mixed with its efforts at revisionism is doing nothing for its image. Perhaps the most discouraging fact about all of these issues is the mind numbing indifference to these social and political issues. Japanese people simply do not care about issues that do not affect them personally...Which, of course, is fine...but don"t expect the world to consider you an equal player in the world stage....

The only ones who know and use this slogan "cool Japan" are Japanese people. Japan may be safe and cute but I don't think too many visitors to Japan would describe it as "cool"...

Lol

"The shark seemed to be doing well" ...except for the fact that it hadn't eaten for three days!

Censorship of the male genitalia is a vain attempt of the Japanese government to prevent Japanese women from seeing what's beyond their borders..

If it weren't for foreign, prying eyes, the Japanese media, politicians, and general public would not consider this an issue. Japanese culture is a bullying culture...It's an intrinsic part of their culture (friends, housewives, work, sports, etc,. Japan can never truly change unless it wants to change what the country's very soul is.

The tearful apologies in Japan are so disingenuous. What is with the crying in this culture? So childish and manipulative.

The reason these girls and talents in general make little money is because they don't have any discernible talent...At least nothing more than the average person on the street. In fact , many of them are hired because they they are, in fact, very average.

Shirokuma Aisu It is exactly this reason that Japan finds itself the most despised country in Asia. Let me ask you this...Why is that Germany is now not only a respected member of Europe but the defacto head of its federation, barely 65 years after World War 2? The country and its citizens owned up to its aggressive past and learned from its mistakes.

The same Japanese right wingers and historical deniers who decry the facts and significance of World War 2 are the same ones making paper cranes and playing the victim card every August on the anniversary dates of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The truth is Japan (ie. its citizens) is not sophisticated enough to address its past and will have to be taught another lesson by the same countries it abused so terribly in World War 2.

The Japanese population on the whole are too docile and vapid to care one way or the other and are not only completely oblivious of their own modern history, but of the current internation situation Japan finds itself in. This of course leaves the only ones who care, The Rightwingers, to take the reigns..

Canadianbento Learning from history is how we as humans evolve. The Japanese people refuse to come to terms with their own history and even distort it. Even a child knows that the knowledge of history helps prevent the mistakes of our past to be repeated again. It looks like the Japanese are going to have to learn the lessons of WW 2 all over again. Something the rest of Asia has been warning the rest of the world now since 1945. Gambatte Nihon

This is merely a reflection of how unsophisticated and backward this culture really is.

There is nothing more comical or sad than to see the Japanese Rightwing posters trying to defend this insanity. The reason why Europe has moved on from World War 2 is because Germany genuinely repented and educated its population of the atrocities that it committed in World War 2. The majority of the the Japanese population have no knowledge nor understanding of what transpired in World War 2, nor do they care. However, they sit and wonder why other Asian countries remain so angry and spiteful toward them. Well I'm sure Abe will settle things down! Pacifist country? Ha! Just a country of zombies that suffer from low self esteem and defer to authority (from the US to their own politicians). Everything China and Korea warned would happen is now happening. A country gets the politicians it deserves.

Well, what do you expect ladies and gentlemen? Looks like Japan is going to have to learn things the hard way (again). As the saying goes, those that do not learn from history,...

The only reason this Psy has a popular hit is because it is a novelty act. I don't even think he would deny this. Boy bands the world over are more about whether the female audience finds them attractive. My question is, how many American young are going to find cheesy Asian men attractive? I know it's not politically correct to say so, but it's the truth.

Democracy Japan sty

Great story!

It is Japanese culture!

Awesome post Gokai_wo_maneku Well, the Japanese must be awful students considering if you ask them any specifics about ww2, they don't have a clue.

Sentiments Keep that rhetoric coming! Don't you dare try to group The Japanese with the Germans. There is no other country more well versed in their own modern history than the Germans. They have shown true (genuine) remorse of their horrendous actions in World War 2, instituting laws and educational policies so such a thing could never happen again. They are now an integral part of the European community. In fact, they could even be described as the de facto leader of the group. Then there is Japan Japan has basically done nothing to show remorse or to prevent (through educational policies/laws) such a thing from happening again. I'm sure you right wingers will bring up their "peace" constitution. Well this was handled to them by the US. Japan dragged its feet for decades before they actually made apologies, and these apologies have never been truly sincere. As said before, like a child reluctantly apologizing after he has been caught doing something naughty Well, you reap what you sow... Japan is now completely surrounded by countries that basically despise them (at the very least don't trust them), and its golden days are widely regarded as behind it. The only thing Japan has going for it is its relationship with the US. There are a lot of good people in Japan, but unfortunately they are unable to truly change.... So to summarize Japanese right wingers...Don't compare yourself to the Germans. It's insulting.

Samurai blue Awesome...Keep dipping into that Right winger handbook for those golden Soundbites.!

This topic is a right wingers dream. They're all out in full force. Go get 'me tigers! All that rhetoric is starting to make sense now!

Ok Nigel I see the light. The youth of Japan are just as politically astute as their counterparts in western countries. This (of course) includes social and modern historical polices/events as well.

Nigelboy Since you mention "past posts". I took the time to read your post history and was not at all surprised to that they display a very narrow minded right wing leaning, and all the silliness that goes along with them. And...where did I claim to be an "expert"? I am just sharing my personal experience . Perhaps it would be a good idea to counter my post with a rational argument with substance rather than visceral responses. Seems like hid a nerve Nigel.

Nigelboy This statistics you provide may be true but all one needs to do is talk to the typical Canadian/American college student to find that their is an enormous disparity in the knowledge of their respective political systems, policies, and issues. I work at a respectable university in Tokyo and when I ask these students to get together and list the differences between the various political parties in Japan, they are incapable. Perhaps one or two students out of 30 could do a passable job. I then have to spend the next 30 minutes explaining the differences and have then a mock election. I have done this exercise perhaps 30 times over the last ten years. At the end the students always seem very giddy because they finally have learned something they knew existed in an abstract way but never bothered to learn themselves.

And when there are political rallies (the ones I have seen) in Japan, very rarely have I ever seen a young person participating in anyway. This is simply not the case in the US or Canada. Most educated young people are aware of the political parties and issues at hand. The popularity of politics in North America is also reflective in the very fact that there are entire (24 hr channels) dedicated to politics. The content and contributors on these channels span all age demographics.

Most Japanese young people's knowledge of politics consists of soundbites and sensational stories. They seem content with the stays quo as long as they are able rent their CDS, hang out with their friends, and be part of a group. I know this sounds like Japan bashing but unfortunately it's the truth

If one ever wonders how Ignorant Japanese are of important political events in Japan, all one has to do is ask him/her in what year World War 2 ended. It is perhaps the seminal event year/event of the Japanese modern era. In my experience when I ask Japanese college age students this extremely basic question, more often than not the students get it wrong (sometimes as much as 30 years off). And if I were ever to ask these Japanese students the short and long term significance of the war (something I would do with American students), these students would have absolutely no clue. Absolutely none. In fact I would get much better answers from American elementary school students.This is not an exaggeration but rather a sad illustration of how immature and unsophisticated this country actually is. Such astounding political apathy has a direct relationship on the sterile and impotent functionality of the government of Japan.

A democratic society gets the government they deserve. Japanese "young people" are only interested in their own inner sphere. They have absolutely no interest in anything that extends beyond them. They are extremely ignorant of not only international affairs but domestic affairs as well. Trying to have a conversation with a university aged student about politics is an exercise in futility. This country is going down the tubes.

Bullying is just part of how the Japanese "harmonize" with each other. Look at every facet of this soiety : schools, work places, housewife groups, variety TV, ..it's all based on some sort of hierarchy where bullying is a prime ingredient. Back in my home country office bullying is rarely an issue...Here it is often "the" issue.... Bullying happens in every society. The difference is that the prevelance usually declines the more mature people become. In Japan however, it seems that the people are in a terminal state of stated growth. Overt bullying simply becomes more passive aggressive. I don't have hope things will change much here. The people just don't have the ability to change..

Zilchi I completely agree that women are just as strong (or even stronger) than men, but I am guessing we just travel in completely different circles.

Anyway, I usually agree with your opinions (and enjoy them) but now with this particular one.

I do hope that you are right because I believe that utilizing the female workforce would be an integral part of getting Japan out of this declining birthdate mess.

Zichi I am not sure if you live in a bubble or not but I teach Speech presentations at a very reputable university in Tokyo. I teach five different classes each semester, coming to a total of 150 different students. Roughly half of these students are women. The final presentation of the session is always "my future goal and dreams". I would say less than ten percent (and that is being generous) of female students even mention wanting to work. And if they do it is something like "flight attendant" or "international business women". When I do follow-up questions at the end of presentations if they would want some kind of career, such as working at a company, they would look at me with an embarrassed "you've got to be kidding" look. I have have had contact with thousands of young female students over the past several years and very few of them have shown any interest in having a serious career after marriage. I have always been perplexed by this. This doesn't include my friends who are married to Japanese women who show no interest in working either. This is not "narrow thinking" as you have so narrowly categorized this opinion, rather it is my experience. Obviously you have more knowledge about this particular subject .... Enlighten me with your sources.

The sad truth is Japanese women are not interested in working. Most of the very content with being a housewives, having the token one or two children, getting together with friends at family restaurants during the day, and taking care of the household. This is the Japanese woman's idea of living "the dream".