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[Vallen Chaos Valiant]

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

calling out Japan for trying to whitewash its history or the voters for voting in these right winger isn't hating Japan.

There is a ton of middle ground between hate and annoy.

Why shouldn't Japan vote for right-wingers? They are a democracy are they not?

Plenty of Japanese are not right-wing, and they complain loudly about it. But if they can't win elections in their favour them are the breaks. Being right-wing isn't illegal, unless you want to invade them and turn them into a colony in order to force them to do what you want them to.

[Soliloquy]

Originally Posted by Vallen Chaos Valiant

I just don't get it. If people hate the Japanese so much, why not declare war? Isn't that what you do when you think so low of such people?

Kind of silly declaring war over some self-centered people in the politics involving the innocent people in the mess and it's not something serious but over silly squabbles that could have been rectified but the three countries China, Korea and Japan are all very stubborn and petty in my opinion.

And from my observation of Korea, they do suffer very serious case of inferiority complex because the country has been overshadowed for a long time since it is right beside the countries with much richer and deeper cultural history. As a country with deep-seated grudge and too much nationalistic pride, I don't think it can help itself but picking fights with Japan over small issues. Thus, so long as the countries don't understand each other, this little squabble might as well go forever until the one of them is destroyed.

They have known Korea and China for 1000 years and know their characteristics. The fact they always have at least one politician once a month saying some controversial things is what's frustrating. IF he wanted to make an offhanded opinion about comfort woman issue, he could have done it without the media jumping on it. Somehow those quotes always end up in national newspaper.

Let's face it. Japan isn't exactly coming out as the saints. By now the outsiders are well-informed about Japan being known to sugarcoating their 20th century history. They seem to be highly advanced in the most fields but I feel their politics need a lot of work. It's not just the international matter they seem lacking in but they are very poor in managing the finance. I seem to hear a lot of scandals involving the government taxes and what not.

[risingstar3110]

Whatever Japan doing right now, Israel is still way ahead of them (right-winger government, white wash history, etc...). So obviously it's very difficult for Western countries to question about it.


If you want to address an international issue to win votes, there's always: Middle East, North Korea, Iran, Syria.... then China, Russia followed.... Why the need to pick on Japan? Only Korea and China who don't have as many targets to pick on have to turn to Japan as their "international issues that needed to be address"

[kaito-kid]

Originally Posted by Irenicus

Either way I know for a fact that the individual compensation program for victims of the Holocaust is still ongoing and will continue until the last survivor passes away. Germany committed at least that much, and that funding genuinely supports the care of the now-senior Holocaust survivors scattered across the planet. Human rights and issues of fairness and justice aside, it was just good PR.

I know a 90 year old Dutch Jewish lady who lives in my neighbourhood who still gets compensation money from the German government, and she wasn't even in any of the concentration camps. Her family fled to England during the invasion of Holland, they survived there and came back after the war. She told me that the German government approached her family and wanted to pay for emotional trauma.. They went to that kind of length to apologies for the past.

From what I read here Japan can't be compared to something like this. And having lived In Japan for some time I can kind of understand that. While I know very little about politics in Japan, I did notice this: "well.. what happen, happend. It can't be helped right? ohh well.." that is the kind of mindset they have towards a lot of local issues, I won't be surprised if they approach foreign issues the same way.

[ganbaru]

French police arrest five Chechens suspected of preparing attack
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0KT1IA20150120

Special Report: For Islamic State, wheat season sows seeds of discontent
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0KT0W420150120

Argentine prosecutor who accused Fernandez of Iran plot found dead
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/...0KS0GS20150119

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by Vallen Chaos Valiant

Why shouldn't Japan vote for right-wingers? They are a democracy are they not?

Plenty of Japanese are not right-wing, and they complain loudly about it. But if they can't win elections in their favour them are the breaks. Being right-wing isn't illegal, unless you want to invade them and turn them into a colony in order to force them to do what you want them to.

they can vote for whoever they want but other people can also criticize them for their choices.

[Yu Ominae]

ISIS now making threats to kill Japanese hostages.

[Cosmic Eagle]

Originally Posted by kaito-kid

I know a 90 year old Dutch Jewish lady who lives in my neighbourhood who still gets compensation money from the German government, and she wasn't even in any of the concentration camps. Her family fled to England during the invasion of Holland, they survived there and came back after the war. She told me that the German government approached her family and wanted to pay for emotional trauma.. They went to that kind of length to apologies for the past.

From what I read here Japan can't be compared to something like this. And having lived In Japan for some time I can kind of understand that. While I know very little about politics in Japan, I did notice this: "well.. what happen, happend. It can't be helped right? ohh well.." that is the kind of mindset they have towards a lot of local issues, I won't be surprised if they approach foreign issues the same way.

Japanese money funded a staggering amount of infrastructure not just in PRC but elsewhere throughout the whole region down to SEA....It's just not as high profile as the German compensations even if the amount is much much greater. So....they suck at putting on a show for outside observers I guess..

[maplehurry]

Originally Posted by KiraYamatoFan

That was not easy, but I found the man:

An Byeong-jik (spelling can vary on various websites)

Professor emeritus at Seoul National University and 78 years old, his research focuses on economic history of Korea under Japanese colonial rule, but he also taught social science. OK, he has been criticized for a number of positions on many topics, mainly because of his neoconservative views (to which the current SK president adheres to). Still, his position on the topic reminds everyone that wartime prostitution is always and very unfortunately a very lucrative business.

Having read that, you can see why anything the self-proclaimed victims say should be taken with a huge pinch of salt. There have been just too many cases of extortion already in the real world.

From a US account that I read, there aren't really any mentioning of forceful recruitment. They did, however, mention that many girls were ignorant and tricked into it by false advertisement.

Originally Posted by Xellos-_^

they can vote for whoever they want but other people can also criticize them for their choices.

Certainly some people may deserve some criticisms, but I just want to mention that the priority of Japanese voters were economics and social welfare by far, so...

[Ghiest Cid]

Originally Posted by maplehurry

From a US account that I read, there aren't really any mentioning of forceful recruitment. They did, however, mention that many girls were ignorant and tricked into it by false advertisement.




Certainly some people may deserve some criticisms, but I just want to mention that the priority of Japanese voters were economics and social welfare by far, so...

Yeah considering by 2050 the seniors are more than the young people. Meaning they would need more in healthcare and the young people would be burdened to shoulder the bill through taxes.

[SaintessHeart]

Davos World Economic Forum is up now. Gonna wait awhile more to see what are they going to talk about this year.

Meanwhile......

SNB was right to scrap Swiss franc cap: UBS's Weber

[Irenicus]

Originally Posted by Cosmic Eagle

Japanese money funded a staggering amount of infrastructure not just in PRC but elsewhere throughout the whole region down to SEA....It's just not as high profile as the German compensations even if the amount is much much greater. So....they suck at putting on a show for outside observers I guess..

That's basically it. Japan negotiated with PRC's Zhou Enlai to establish diplomatic relations after the Nixon thaw. The negotiations went well, and Zhou Enlai got what he wanted -- massive Japanese funding for the PRC via reparations (+ abandoning the recognition of the Republic of China (Taiwan) as the legitimate Chinese government). The Japanese negotiator also got what he wanted, which is to call the reparations in another name and just call it a foreign aid program.

Except he really should not have wanted that.

Japan made a number of major mistakes: first, by calling their reparations foreign aid, to avoid "losing face," other countries' political leaders take advantage of the fact and most Asian people don't even know Japan already paid so much reparations. Second, they did not -- they never had to -- confront the past the way Germany did (thanks, America), and continuity with pre-war government figures left strong foundations for doubts of repentance. Third, you are absolutely right that the Japanese people as a whole are much disconnected from this past, and that they are relatively docile politically (read: cynical, gave up), so they don't quite understand why so many heartfelt apologies were needed. Fourth, many heartfelt apologies were needed because the likes of Shinzo Abe, ex-Tokyo Governor Ishihara, and many others could not help themselves with the victim blaming, ruining previous apologies in a vicious cycle and restarting controversies each time.

You could also perhaps add the fifth that the individual compensation program mentioned above that Germany conducts in addition to other reparation efforts is a much more sensitive way to go about achieving what they really want -- forgiveness from the victims -- than trying to bribe self-interested countries. It's a much, much stronger message of repentance and goodwill if the "comfort women" victims have direct outreach and recourse with the government of Japan. And if the victims themselves are satisfied with Japanese efforts at redress, their governments would find it much harder to raise the public storm.

[MrTerrorist]

Paris mayor: I'm suing Fox News over false report on Muslim 'no-go' zones

Basically Fox News brought a so called Terrorist Expert on their show who claimed there are areas in the UK and Paris where the police cannot go and are ruled under Sharia Law. Both countries weren't please with this with the Prime Minister David Cameron calling the so called Expert an idiot. And in rare move, both Fox News and the Expert apologized their mistake and redacted their claims.

But that hasn't stop the Mayor of Paris plans of suing the network or Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal from using the so called "No Go zones" as facts in an upcoming speech. (Facepalm to the latter)

[Urzu 7]

Originally Posted by Yu Ominae

ISIS now making threats to kill Japanese hostages.

With how evil and crazy ISIS is, I'm now worried about them sending people to Japan to detonate bombs in a crowded Tokyo subway.

We have to crack down on ISIS. I think...maybe the best thing is for the U.S. to put ground troops over there and fight them. I don't know. I just know that their numbers have grown and they are becoming a pretty big threat to nations around the world.

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by Urzu 7

With how evil and crazy ISIS is, I'm now worried about them sending people to Japan to detonate bombs in a crowded Tokyo subway.

We have to crack down on ISIS. I think...maybe the best thing is for the U.S. to put ground troops over there and fight them. I don't know. I just know that their numbers have grown and they are becoming a pretty big threat to nations around the world.

why should US be putting boots on the ground? Where is the rest of the world? Why isn't anyone talking about Europe needing to put boots on the ground.

[Anh_Minh]

What is anyone's boots on the ground going to solve?

[Xellos-_^]

Originally Posted by Anh_Minh

What is anyone's boots on the ground going to solve?

Uruz wanted US boots on the ground.

personally i think Euro Boots should go first and foremost. European colonialism planted the seed for a lot of the crazy stuff in ME and Africa. European should clean up their own mess.

[Anh_Minh]

Personally I think we shouldn't send boots without a better reason than "Uruz wanted it".

[hawkeyesvn]

I think US should just support weapon for its allied ME countries ( Arab Saudi, Jordan...) and let them do the clean up instead. Obama just got his boot out of Afghanistan, I don't think he want to dirty it again so soon.

[Anh_Minh]

Don't some of those allied countries finance terrorism?