Japan, from here on out (Nihon no, kore kara)


From one of my favorite Japanese political cartoonists (though a bit too traditionalist for my tastes) who goes by the pen name High Moon. The left bubble reads, "country that makes things," and the right bubble, "country that makes trash." The question bottom left asks in a Chinese-ish way (meaning it would make sense, sort of, in the language of our favorite savage), "division of roles?" or more loosely "division of labor?"

I'm somewhat glad, because here on the most nationalistic of all Japanese holidays, Obon, and incidentally also the anniversary of the end of the second world war, I'm watching a show about the future of Japan in Asia and in the world where the current Japanese foreign minister Tarou Asou was basically accused of being a racist, which I'm fairly certain he is. In Japan, he's treated to a certain extent like Dubya, like "one of the guys," despite the possibility he may be ruining the country's international relations. Here's hoping he and our president hang by their feet in the Void.

For those who may need it, the tldr version of Asian geopolitics: everybody hates Japan, and the government's typical reaction to the statement of this fact is, "c'mon, guys!"

I look at this from a position of aloof amusement: for example, several of my friends believe they have a horse in the race, including a Korean (American actually, sorry Deanne) who hates Japan despite knowing absolutely nothing about it. But this is of the problems in associating people with their government. Example: the South Korean goverment strongly condemned Koizumi's visit to Yasukuni Shrine. Interestingly enough, a majority of Japanese disapprove as well.

I suppose I have the luxury of being amused here, whereas in my homeland the truth would sting too much to laugh at it. Think about it, replace Japan in that cartoon with the US, and has the meaning changed at all?