WaPo: "Cranky" Ishihara Calls America Selfish

[Mulboyne]

[floatr][/floatr]WaPo via Houston Chronicle: Tokyo's boss calls America selfish
In a long, fabulous and cranky life, Shintaro Ishihara, the three-term governor of Tokyo, has specialized in the art of giving offense. The 75-year-old novelist, yachtsman, North Pole adventurer, theatrical director, nationalist fulminator and big-city boss has exuberantly offended women, immigrants, animal lovers, Africans and the French, as well as countless Asians whose nations were brutalized by Japan before and during World War II. He is not done yet. Thanks to global climate change and the Bush administration's refusal to join in the U.N. accord that is attempting to deal with it, Ishihara is just getting warmed up. "America is the most selfish country," he said during an interview in an austere meeting room in the 48-story building from which he runs Japan's largest city. "From the way they talk, Americans believe even if the world disappears, America wouldn't disappear"...more...

[Kuang_Grade]

Apparently the Chron is pressed for space or didn't want to be bother to print some of background info on Ishihara that TWP orginally printed near the end of the piece...Possibly, lickspittle is too much of a $10 word for people of Houston. Nothing earth shattering, but it evens out the tone a bit by pointing out his anti US viewpoint is not exactly new and he's been a bit of renegade for quite a while....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/17/AR2008071702660_pf.html

[Buraku]

Ishihara is being his fucking typical ultra nationalist self

but if sea levels do rise the financial hubs of Japan - Tokyo, Nagoya and Osaka have real reason to worry

They will probably be underwater

[xenomorph42]

The man just wants attention and because deep down inside(probably has a very small tool)his childish inferiority complex and his love to shock and be sensational is getting the best of him, because he's a worthless slug and wants some serious undivided attention scum like him will purposely push the envelope as far as they can.

[Midwinter]

The man just wants attention and because deep down inside(probably has a very small tool)his childish inferiority complex and his love to shock and be sensational is getting the best of him, because he's a worthless slug and wants some serious undivided attention scum like him will purposely push the envelope as far as they can.

That's quite some run-on sentence, Xenomorph

[bolt_krank]

The majority of what he says it a load of BS. But there is slight truth in his criticism of the Bush administration. America should set a better example in its efforts towards climate change.
Myself being from Australia - can't really criticise too much, as our government isn't much better.

But I think he is almost right in one of his comments - the rest of what he has to say isn't worth listening to...

[Caustic Saint]

"From the way they talk, Americans believe even if the world disappears, America wouldn't disappear"

The man may be nuts, but I don't think he's too far off the mark with that comment.

[Mock Cockpit]

"From the way they talk, Americans believe even if the world disappears, America wouldn't disappear"

The man may be nuts, but I don't think he's too far off the mark with that comment.

Yeah it's a good one-liner for sure. I still don't know why everyone gets their wee-wees in a froth about this bloke. He's a fucking governor, it's not like he's someone important. For all his gnashing and wailing has he actually done something since he became governor to negatively impact the lives of Tokyo's foreigners? Serious question.....sort of.

[Gilligan]

"From the way they talk, Americans believe even if the world disappears, America wouldn't disappear"

The man may be nuts, but I don't think he's too far off the mark with that comment.

This clearly falls into the "even a blind dog finds a bone once in a while" category.

[DrP]

For once I'm with blinky on this one. Though Tokyo has a long ways to go before it has a semblance of workable carbon offset plan that even marginally address the crap ass city planning. For example near my house a building burnt down, after 2yrs they've finally levelled it and turned the space into a coin-op parking lot. So my question is, where's the friggin government on this? A wise government would have purchased the land, planted a park and used the carbon credits as offset. Instead, we have more pavement, more cars and just more stinking pollution. I'm sure this is replicated on a nearly daily basis throughout Tokyo.

[xenomorph42]

"From the way they talk, Americans believe even if the world disappears, America wouldn't disappear"

The man may be nuts, but I don't think he's too far off the mark with that comment.

Dude, go outside, stop sniffing the glue, enjoy the beautiful nature around you and I assure you, once reality sets in, you will realize that your head is full of hot air.

[xenomorph42]

That's quite some run-on sentence, Xenomorph

The guy is an idiot, but apparently, you don't know this guys history. I have not heard one smart, sensible thing coming out of his trap, not to mention the air-time he gets from the media. What a waste! I understand, every country is not by any means perfect. Does that mean, Ishihara thinks Japan is the most honorable and noble country in the world??

[Buraku]

This clearly falls into the "even a blind dog finds a bone once in a while" category.

He might be right once in a blue moon

but I can't really think of anything positive Blinky has contributed to the Tokyo region

[Greji]

He might be right once in a blue moon

but I can't really think of anything positive Blinky has contributed to the Tokyo region

I can. Yesterday, I was out to Harumi on business and saw the site for the "Olympic Stadium" as purposed by Blinky. If they are going to use that site, they are probably going to have to tear down the largest garbage plant in the Tokyo area which is adjacent to the area. That is unless their going to run the garbage trucks through the stadium.

If Japan were to get the bid, the enviormentalist wakkos should be able to keep construction in the courts for about twenty years.....

[Behan]

Do you think it was ballsy of him to try and tax banks in Tokyo? I think the central government put a quick stop to his plans right away. I know nothing of finances or banking but it seemed pretty bold.
But he is a racist and a bad face for Tokyo, IMO.