Comments on: And never the twain shall meet

By: toneburst

toneburst — Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:03:47 +0000

Hiya,

I was at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum in the Summer of 2007, and I remember being very moved by the experience, and actually thinking, contrary to your observations, that the museum organisers had gone to some trouble to place the dropping of the atomic bomb into the context of the poisonous militarism of domestic politics at the time. I don’t recall any specific mention of the Japanese invasion of Pearl Harbour, but I do remember reading there that more German civilians were killed in the fire-bombing of Dresden than in Hiroshima and Nagasaki combined, which suggests a sincere attempt to provide a balanced account of a truly horrific event, within the wider historical background of one of the bloodiest periods of human history.

Having said all that, as a non-Japanese-speaker, I was only able to read the English material there. I’d be interested to know if there is a consistent discrepancy in tone or emphasis between the information presented in English and that in Japanese.

Incidentally, great blog! I’ve been periodically dipping in since you left sunny London for more exotic climes, and your insights into Japanese society and language, and your excellent photographs have been never less than fascinating.

Cheers,

a|x (ex of Bughouse)

By: remora

remora — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 18:10:10 +0000

We’re Doomed! – Private James Frazer

By: overoften

overoften — Sat, 17 Jan 2009 07:03:47 +0000

Thanks for your reply, Sam.
Yeah, the Japanese are not the only people who need reminding that “All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good people to do nothing”, but I can’t really comment on the U.S., I don’t know enough about it. If there was a world league table for “Likelihood of a popular revolution”, though, you’d have to think Japan would be somewhere near the bottom of it!
My main issue here is that Japan’s popular culture doesn’t see the link between wartime Japan and Germany that the rest of the world sees, and then even makes light of it.
I can’t imagine the TV shows mentioned above being broadcast in Germany. It’s a question of good judgment, along with years of painful reflection, which seems to be lacking in the former ally (if not in the people, then in parts of the popular media).

By: Sam

Sam — Thu, 15 Jan 2009 10:36:47 +0000

Great post. Hadn’t thought about our responsibility to teach our kids how much of an aggressor Japan was before WWII ended with a bang. Certainly that needs to be emphasized and not skipped over as the Japan “Self Defense” Forces are being deployed in other countries. Seems as though Japan is being swept up with the US in it’s global calamities.

I too have noticed the scary sight of the Japanese public turning a blind eye to local aggression like the right wingers blasting away, swearing at the traffic in front of our children.

For some reason, I always have flashbacks to North Korean television clips when I see Japanese elementary kids in perfect rows at a sports day following the leader in perfect unison.

However, as much as Japan has it’s scary elements, it’s not the only country where the citizens don’t cry out anymore.

What is the US bailout and stimulus package total at now… 1.x Trillion dollars???!!! Why isn’t there a monstrous uproar? No angry mobs? Why isn’t there some policy makers, CEOs, and top management going to jail due to fraudulent mismanagement?

Another example is crime rates in the US inner cities? Why do we as a society put up with these atrocities? Is it complacency or appropriate tolerance?