Japan violates foreigners' human rights: Amnesty Int'l

[sukebekuro]

from Japan Today

[kamome]

Taken from the commentary following that Japan Today article:

This my point: Japan will let any foreigners in provided they're nationals of a mostly white-populated & English-speaking country.(note that the "&" is a requirement)

The reason is simple. For one thing they want to learn the language of their victors and masters (thinking they will eventually match them). Another reason might be that they don't have much of a choice, they only respect power, and America is truly more powerful than Japan. It can just impose its main views to Japan as it pleases.

Isn't this the biggest load of crap you've ever heard? Although I'm American, the thought that Americans are the "masters" of Japan is just ridiculous. But it's this jagoff's way of further breaking down the Japanese preferential treatment of white gaijin over non-white gaijin. He believes that Japan sees a hierarchy even among white gaijin, with Americans on top. I find it hard to believe that Japanese people subscribe to that, although it is true that Japan swallows most of American pop culture hook, line, and sinker.

[cstaylor]

...at least from a historic perspective. If you can find the time, get a copy of "American Caesar" by William Manchester. All about MacArthur and how he handled the Japanese occupation. I was really surprised. First orders to American troops during the occupation:
- Any GI seen slapping or hitting a Japanese spends serious time in the slammer
- GI's can mix freely with the general population
- Non class-A war criminals were allowed to reenter society, except not in a public role (no government jobs)

I wouldn't say that our generation of Japanese kids care at all about this, but my father-in-law remembers: "Give me choco!" from his own childhood. The goodwill shown to the Japanese during the occupation meant more than any observation such as "they only respect power, and America is truly more powerful than Japan". From what I took away from the book, the respect (back in the 40's and 50's) came from the fact that America was powerful, yet did not beat the Japanese down after they had surrendered.