Japanese officials try to cover up China's actions...

[cstaylor]

Consulate issued false report on Chinese response: FM

The diplomats gave false explanations about their handling of the case apparently because they were afraid that their failure to put the North Korean asylum seekers under their protection would incur a backlash in Japan.

Talk about understatement of the century. What a bunch of cowards.

[cstaylor]

...the right-wing in this country will take advantage of the situation by pointing out that without a credible military presence, foreign bullies like China can abuse Japan's sovreignty at will.

I still wonder if this is part of some elaborate plot...

[cstaylor]

I still wonder if this is part of some elaborate plot...

Been watching 'Conspiracy Theory' again? Or just reading history?

Now that you mention it, I was reading American Caesar last night... and it did just enter the portion where the North Koreans pour over the 38th parallel...

[cstaylor]

Japan Protests China's Arrest of Koreans at Consulate
And the key quote from the article:

The Japanese can be seen picking up the Chinese officers' hats, which had been knocked off

Oh, that looks really good... as if China needed any more ego-puffing. "Thanks for picking up my hat after I invaded your embassy"

[cstaylor]

On Thursday Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Kong Quan said the police had acted, "under the spectre of the international fight against terrorism", to protect consular staff.

I don't know what's worse... China's pathetic attempts to cover its ass, or the rising storm that may come of it.

Anyone have some 2,000,000 sunblock I can borrow?

[cstaylor]

the armed Chinese police did not understand what the five were saying, so they removed them from the Consulate General on Wednesday and found they were North Korean after questioning.

Sounds like Japan should rethink their ODA donations to China this year.

[kamome]

It boils down to the Japanese being complete imbeciles in the face of crisis. They just don't know how to react to a situation and will stand around looking puzzled when anything unexpected happens. This explains the embassy crisis, the slow response when a bunch of kids were stampeded to death during a Kobe hanabi-taikai, the slow response to the Kobe earthquake, the slow response to the economic quagmire in Japan, etc.

[cstaylor]

Not if they don't want the refugees anyway. This whole thing would have been a non-starter if the NGO hadn't filmed the inept consulate officials.

Someone should produce a daily show similar to "The West Wing" here based on the Foreign Ministry. Maybe a mix of "West Wing" and "Hogan's Heroes"?