For Japan to thrive, the wall must come down

[Ganma]

[dimwit]

Intellectuals in Japan?:shock: You mean like Ishihara? Having spent the berrer of two decades here I have never read or encountered a single commentator who was anything more then timid in his or her vision of change.

Let me give you an example with an issue; municipal reform. It is not a very sexy issue I agree, but it is nonetheless essential if Japan wishs to improve.

In most of the country, the way in which municipal councils are chosen results in universal corruption. This is due to, for the most part, the way in which councils are elected. In my city, for example, with a half a million people, 47 councillors are elected in a city wide vote. The councillors do not represent a particular district in the city but the city as a whole. So you have 50 some odd politician running for 47 positions. So who are they? Well they are representatives of the electric company (who wants to ensure that overhead electrical wiring is never buried) developers (who want to make sure that they can build whereever and whatever they choose), taxi companies (who want to ensure that public transportation is poor) and the list goes on. If politicians were forced to represent districts these special interests would be certainly weaked for the better.

Have you ever read a single commentator who has even talked about this issue? I haven't. And you can take almost any issue in which reform is clearly being screamed for and you find the same critical tepidness.

[Takechanpoo]

Full-blown automatic voice translation gadget will be developed soon. It is very the time to tear down the "invisible barriers". Japanese way of adapting themselves to the outer world is always different from the other species.

[McTojo]

[Tsuru]

Nice pic.... "this flag is based on humanistic grounds ... peace and ..."

edit: The full inscription:



"This flag is based on the humanistic basis of peace and unity of all peoples. She is an exposé with all the heritage of the German generations of after WWII."

Sorry for all the culture, don't know where that came from. Do carry on.

[Behan]

[YT]M_bvT-DGcWw[/YT]

Should we take it that Japan is as screwed up as Pink?

[Taro Toporific]

Nice pic.... "this flag is based on humanistic grounds ... peace and ..."

I am glad somebody noticed.
The original Berlin Wall photo that I repurposed had some sort of boring Palestinian/Israeli tripe.

[Samurai_Jerk]

I wholeheartedly disagree.

For one, what makes you think Japan needs to catch up to the rest of the world? Maybe the world needs to catch up to Japan, have you ever looked at it that way? i.e...lowest crime rate in the world, a war renouncing constitution which denounces all forms of aggression, no tipping, no overzealous religious freaks dictating who gets to live and die, no racism. Japanese is a model country in these regards, and then some. Yet, this articles writer uses his own Western logic to argue that Japan should dumb itself down to Western standards, because its practices are out of date, like Western nations have some higher kind of moral authority to tell the rest of Asia how it should be.

Jack?

[james]

no racism.

christ, you are delusional..

[FG Lurker]

Jack?

Yeah, I have been wondering the same thing. If they aren't the same person someone should introduce them...

[james]

Yeah, I have been wondering the same thing. If they aren't the same person someone should introduce them...

and bo-sensei can be the "go-between" of this love-in.

[Midwinter]

and bo-sensei can be the "go-between" of this love-in.

I doubt BO is McToJam's type, by the sounds of things the only thing he craves is 100% pure Japanese cock. Maybe Takechanpooped us more his style.

[McTojo]

:rofl:

christ, you are delusional..

Prejudice yes, but not racist. Gaijin is not a race, it's a category.

[nottu]

[McTojo]

Thanks for the email, I'm ccing Flip Flip who's emailed me along the same lines.

My argument has nothing to do with western or unwestern logic but with a few simple facts: (a) Japan's influence is diminishing (b) cultural isolation hurts economic performance (c) demographic trends require that Japan increase productivity and efficiency.

all the best

RD

Me] It's my job to protect Japan from integrationist like yourself. Cultural isolation helps preserve the country, and allows for Japanese to become more innovative on its own without having to sell its soul for foreign labor. Fuck you RD

[persephone]

I dunno. Tough issue, this.
While it's obvious that the Japanese are very much walled off from the rest of the world, the wall is created partly out of fear and xenophobia and pride over their homogenous society, partly it has to do with the education system that teaches "written" English skills (how to translate English into Japanese, yet with little to no actual conversational practice) that forces the average Japanese person to stay within their own country.

On the other hand - there are resources available. Heck, I taught myself Japanese (and am quite fluent), so for the determined Japanese person, there is a way out of the walled-off Galapagos islands. I have several Japanese friends in the States who are doing their damn best to master the language while pursuing their dreams. In the end, it's up to the individual.

So, while opinion pieces (in English only?) in Japanese newspapers like these can make us feel superior and allow us to wag our fingers at the walled-off mentality, it's totally within the power of the average citizen to make the choice to expand their own horizons. It's not North Korea, for fuck's sake.

[Ikemen-of-d00m]

no racism

You really are the most persistent troll I've ever seen...

[Typhoon]

Jack?

Noboru?

[Yokohammer]

Jack?

Nah ... McToejob is a bit more literate than Jack, while holding a similarly twisted world view.

But think about it: we have a match made in heaven here! Remember the book Jack was going to write, but couldn't because, um, he doesn't quite have the requisite language skills?

I think we've found the perfect ghost writer.

[nottu]

[james]

Prejudice yes, but not racist. Gaijin is not a race, it's a category.

you just get off the boat?

[wuchan]

Prejudice yes, but not racist. Gaijin is not a race, it's a category.

definitely a jap, engrish aint' too bad tho.

This reminds me of that saying, "I'm not racist, I just hate everyone who is not like me"

[Ikemen-of-d00m]

definitely a jap, engrish aint' too bad tho.

This reminds me of that saying, "I'm not racist, I just hate everyone who is not like me"

To quote a girl from junior high:

"I hate racists and black people!"

[Takechanpoo]

Yeah, I'm not a racist but hate Chinese and Korean.
That's it.

[McTojo]

I believe that blacks,Chinese, and every other race can be over achievers in whatever they set out to do. It's when you think that people are are inferior based on race is when a person could be labeled a racism.

Prejudice means when you choose to associate with or not associate with a particular group of people based off of race, sex,age, or economic status.

I don't socialize with hardly anyone regardless of race.

[GomiGirl]

Yeah, I'm not a racist but hate Chinese and Korean.
That's it.

See now I think you are being ironic and I was going to green snot you for that.

[Samurai_Jerk]

To quote a girl from junior high:

"I hate racists and black people!"

That reminds me of when I was a JET high school teacher and we had this exchange student from Australia. One day she said, "I'm not racist or anything but black guys give me the creeps." I responded with something like, "I'm not racist either, I just hater niggers". The irony was lost on her. I forgive her though. She was only 15 at the time and the guy, a friend of mine, who triggered the conversation was pretty fucking creepy.

[dazz_in_japan]

I wholeheartedly disagree.

For one, what makes you think Japan needs to catch up to the rest of the world? Maybe the world needs to catch up to Japan, have you ever looked at it that way? i.e...lowest crime rate in the world, a war renouncing constitution which denounces all forms of aggression, no tipping, no overzealous religious freaks dictating who gets to live and die, no racism. Japanese is a model country in these regards, and then some. Yet, this articles writer uses his own Western logic to argue that Japan should dumb itself down to Western standards, because its practices are out of date, like Western nations have some higher kind of moral authority to tell the rest of Asia how it should be.

I do agree with most of your post!! BUT

What makes you think Japan needs to fall behind!!
Low crime rate:YES i agree 100%
Model Country: YES i agree
No tipping: Dont know why thats relevant??
No Racism: MMMM i guess your Japanese and live in Japan!
Religious freaks dictating who gets to live and die: Not in Australia
Dumbing itself down??: So all western standards are not up to Japanese standards?? Do you think your better then any other race??

I think the original Japan Wall post was business and economy orientated!

This post sort of peeved me off!! But, These forums are for free speech and i respect your post, I dont agree with it 100%, but respect it!

I have been here 10 years or so, im very happy here, and i live under Japanese law!
There are many aspects of Japan where the rest of the world DOES need to catch up with!
And Japan will need to catch up in other areas also if its economy wants to survive!!

Or you could always go the North Korean way and fence yourselves in!

And that dont seem to be working so well!!

Dazz

[dazz_in_japan]

Full-blown automatic voice translation gadget will be developed soon. It is very the time to tear down the "invisible barriers". Japanese way of adapting themselves to the outer world is always different from the other species.

Thats just scary that you think like that!!!

[dazz_in_japan]