Gov. Blinky Ishihara wants to buy the Senkaku Rocks

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

Saw a huge anti-China demo in Roppongi yesterday including shitloads of little children whose parents had decked them out in Rising Sun flags...it had the class of fundamentalist Islam (or any other fucking oddball belief).

[matsuki]

Saw a huge anti-China demo in Roppongi yesterday including shitloads of little children whose parents had decked them out in Rising Sun flags...it had the class of fundamentalist Islam (or any other fucking oddball belief).

Did they have any idols or nationalistic lolitas with them?

[Marked Trail]

Saw a huge anti-China demo in Roppongi yesterday including shitloads of little children whose parents had decked them out in Rising Sun flags...it had the class of fundamentalist Islam (or any other fucking oddball belief).

Obviously that anti-China demo in Roppongi was all Koreans.

[Coligny]

Did they have beards ?

outrage.jpg

[matsuki]

http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-1 ... ft-carrier

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

I suppose every cloud has a silver lining....
http://www.theage.com.au/technology/technology-news/apple-maps-disaster-solves-chinajapan-islands-row-20120924-26fye.html

[Samurai_Jerk]

It looks like Taiwan is getting in on the act.

Japanese Coast Guard vessels fired water cannon to turn away about 40 Taiwan fishing boats and eight Taiwan Coast Guard vessels from waters Japan considers its own on Tuesday in the latest twist to a row between Tokyo and Beijing.

[cstaylor]

Looks like FGL may get his wish after all.
Abe Wins Vote to Lead Japan Main Opposition Party

Now the stage has been set for Nihon Ishin no kai to sweep the lower house of what remains of Minshuto. The times, they are a changin'.

[Taro Toporific]

Seems Japan has prepared for the apocalypse.
Japanese unveil iPhone-controlled battle robot
A Japanese electronics company has unveiled a cutting-edge battle robot Kuratas, signifying a new era in military industry.

suidobashi heavy industry logo.png

---KURATAS - Suidobashi Heavy Industries

Monstrous robotic behemoth brings anime fantasies to life
---Mad inventors use inspiration to build giant working robot---
The Japan Times Online | Sept. 28, 2012

[FG Lurker]

Looks like FGL may get his wish after all.

My wish was for Osaka to become a metropolis and to remove a lot of the duplicated bullshit by having both Osaka City and Osaka Prefecture. Too many fiefdoms.

Having Hashimoto as mayor of Osaka and stand up bit for what is best for Osaka rather than just mindlessly kowtowing to Tokyo is great.

Having Hashimoto scare the bejeebus out of the established parties and perhaps spur some actual changes in Japan is also great.

I've been so busy recently that I haven't had time to follow what's been going on nationally so I'm not sure exactly how I feel about Hashimoto having power on the national stage. International politics is not at all the same as domestic infighting. That said, it's not like either the DPJ or LDP are doing a stellar job of things, to say the least! I can see why the general populace may want to mix things up and try something new, even though it's not clear what the result of that will be. When the establishment has done little but watch the country burn for the past 20+ years I don't see how anyone can find a desire for something different to be surprising.

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

FGL, I agree with a lot of what you're saying.
Allow me to point out one area where you're severely misguided...if you think Japanese politics is dominated by politicians, you're greatly mistaken. They're mere bit-players, serving the will of the bureaucracy and Few-reaucracy.

[cstaylor]

FGL, I agree with a lot of what you're saying.
Allow me to point out one area where you're severely misguided...if you think Japanese politics is dominated by politicians, you're greatly mistaken. They're mere bit-players, serving the will of the bureaucracy and Few-reaucracy.

At least until Herr Hashimoto has his say. Chaos for the sake of chaos, regardless of the outcome, is suicidal.

[FG Lurker]

FGL, I agree with a lot of what you're saying.
Allow me to point out one area where you're severely misguided...if you think Japanese politics is dominated by politicians, you're greatly mistaken. They're mere bit-players, serving the will of the bureaucracy and Few-reaucracy.

Oh, I definitely agree with you.

Things do need to change eventually though and the LDP and DPJ have both proven completely incapable (or unwilling) of forcing through the needed changes. I'm not saying that Hashimoto would necessarily be capable of doing it either, just that people are getting really fed up with the status quo.

[FG Lurker]

At least until Herr Hashimoto has his say. Chaos for the sake of chaos, regardless of the outcome, is suicidal.

Sitting around doing sweet fuck all while hoping things will somehow improve by themselves is also suicidal.

Again, I am not saying that Hashimoto would do a better job on the national stage than the LDP or DPJ. He'd certainly do things differently though and that may be enough to get him some power when people are as frustrated as they are with the way things have been for decades. Perhaps the ideal solution would be for him to get enough power to make himself a PITA but not enough power to actually do any damage. That might finally start to spur a bit of change.

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

...just that people are getting really fed up with the status quo.

Ah, here I disagree...on the surface it appears so, but the reality is they're not prepared to do what it takes to enforce change. I don't blame them. I hate it myself and have failed miserably every time I've tried to do so, therefore I'm not really being critical of their inactivity as trying to explain it.
Japanese popular discontent at the moment is exactly the same as my own malcontent...lots of bitching, whining and moaning, but not a lot of activity to do something about it. The results appear about the same. As far as the cuntry goes, The Man knows and see this going on and essentially just ignores it.
I fear change will come to this cuntry only in a very painful manner...but, it'll come eventually.

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

I think it's wrong to assume Japan is not changing..it is, quite drastically in its own way. It is moving inexorably to the right. Post-feudal era, it's done this on a few occasions, sometimes with beneficial results, sometimes not so beneficial, but rarely has it been of any help to the average punter on the street.
Rightward moves are generally followed by cursory retractions to a more sensible position, it should be noted, but we seem a bit away from that at the moment.

[FG Lurker]

Let's recap the choices faced by the average Japanese voter:

LDP: Known devil, has proven itself to be mostly useless since the bubble burst over 20 years ago.

DPJ: Leftover dregs of the LDP, have proven themselves beyond any doubt to be completely useless.

Nihon Ishin no Kai: Unknown and unproven but run by a guy with a reputation for not taking bullshit and for kicking asses when needed.

It's not hard to see why people might be attracted to that 3rd option and at least willing to give it a try. They might be wrong. It might be bad for Japan. It might even be disastrous. With the other two options looking like they do though, it's easy to see why there is interest.

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

Let's recap the choices faced by the average Japanese voter:

LDP: Known devil, has proven itself to be mostly useless since the bubble burst over 20 years ago.

DPJ: Leftover dregs of the LDP, have proven themselves beyond any doubt to be completely useless.

Nihon Ishin no Kai: Unknown and unproven but run by a guy with a reputation for not taking bullshit and for kicking asses when needed.

It's not hard to see why people might be attracted to that 3rd option and at least willing to give it a try. They might be wrong. It might be bad for Japan. It might even be disastrous. With the other two options looking like they do though, it's easy to see why there is interest.

Can't dispute anything you have to say there. It seems perfectly rational and logical. Which is why the LDP will be back in office following the next general erection.

[FG Lurker]

Can't dispute anything you have to say there. It seems perfectly rational and logical. Which is why the LDP will be back in office following the next general erection.

After a 4-year clusterfuck by the DPJ I'd actually welcome the return of the LDP... I'm not even sure why to be honest, it's not like I expect much to change.

[Yokohammer]

I think part of the difference is that the LDP knew how to deal graft where it occasionally did some good.

The DPJ haven't even managed to get that right.

[cstaylor]

They might be are wrong. It might will be bad for Japan. It might even will be disastrous. With the other two options looking like they do though, it's easy to see why there is interest.

FTFY. Before they give a 43-year old Hitler-lite a shot why not give China's only friend in the Diet a chance to cool things off?

[Screwed-down Hairdo]

They might be are wrong. It might will be bad for Japan. It might even will be disastrous. With the other two options looking like they do though, it's easy to see why there is interest.

FTFY. Before they give a 43-year old Hitler-lite a shot why not give China's only friend in the Diet a chance to cool things off?

I'm with CS and agree that this would be a far more sensible line of action....


...which is why it hasn't got a fuck in hope of happening.

[FG Lurker]

FTFY. Before they give a 43-year old Hitler-lite a shot why not give China's only friend in the Diet a chance to cool things off?

I find it interesting that you strongly dislike Hashimoto and feel he's fascist, yet seem to think Japan should back down and scurry around trying to appease a brutal authoritarian government.

The world needs to start standing up to China, and seeing Japan make even token efforts in this direction is a good start IMO.

[Samurai_Jerk]

FTFY. Before they give a 43-year old Hitler-lite a shot why not give China's only friend in the Diet a chance to cool things off?

I find it interesting that you strongly dislike Hashimoto and feel he's fascist, yet seem to think Japan should back down and scurry around trying to appease a brutal authoritarian government.

The world needs to start standing up to China, and seeing Japan make even token efforts in this direction is a good start IMO.

cstaylor probably has a tattoo.

[cstaylor]

I find it interesting that you strongly dislike Hashimoto and feel he's fascist, yet seem to think Japan should back down and scurry around trying to appease a brutal authoritarian government.

I don't live in China, I live in Japan. If China wants (and does) brutalize its own people, that's the Chinese peoples' fault.

I don't like Hashimoto because he's another hustler on the make with nothing to offer Japan. He's a modern-day Toyotomi, and I'd rather not have one of my foreign ears on the pile, thanks, just because I'm a member of his target group of the week.

The world needs to start standing up to China, and seeing Japan make even token efforts in this direction is a good start IMO.

Please wait until I've vacated China's latest nuclear testing site before electing Herr Hashimoto. Without Russia providing a united diplomatic front against the PRC, Japan's only trump card is to pull America into another war, but not before sustaining massive civilian casualties first.

[cstaylor]

cstaylor probably has a tattoo.

No tats, but.

[Taro Toporific]

Twitter-_-DailyGomiuri_-Add.png

DailyGomiuri on Twitter-- Adding Pressure: US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Threatens To Disrobe Unless China-Japan Settle Disputes

[FG Lurker]

If China wants (and does) brutalize its own people, that's the Chinese peoples' fault.

Seriously? Man, that's rather out of place. China rules its people with an iron fist and the largest standing military in the world. People who step out of line (to this day) tend to just disappear. This is not an environment where people can just elect a new government and throw the old one out.

I don't like Hashimoto because he's another hustler on the make with nothing to offer Japan.

He's a politician so somewhat of a hustler by definition. As I said before, I'm not sure what I think of him on the national stage but it's nice to see someone with a backbone stand up for Osaka. (Even though I don't agree with some of the things he has done with regards to running the city government.)

He's a modern-day Toyotomi, and I'd rather not have one of my foreign ears on the pile, thanks, just because I'm a member of his target group of the week.

Not sure which event you're referring to here. If it's the Mimizuka and related events it's actually wrong, it was noses that were cut off (not that it changes the brutality of course.) If it's Toyotomi kicking all the xtians out of Japan, yeah, it was brutal how it was done but getting the xtian influence out of Japan was an awesome move and Japan is far better off for it. I can't imagine how much more fucked up this country would be if there was a strong xtian influence here, I'm really thankful it wasn't allowed to happen. In any case, I don't see how Hashimoto is in any way similar to Toyotomi and I can't see he will be remembered and talked about several centuries into the future.

Please wait until I've vacated China's latest nuclear testing site before electing Herr Hashimoto. Without Russia providing a united diplomatic front against the PRC, Japan's only trump card is to pull America into another war, but not before sustaining massive civilian casualties first.

There is no chance that China would nuke Japan, the response would be a massive American nuclear attack on China. China's annoying as fuck and behaves like a spoiled 3 year old but the leadership (military and otherwise) isn't that stupid. If China does nuke Tokyo though it would probably get rid of the theoretically elected Hashimoto which would make you happy, no?

[Coligny]

Typical amurikun thinking... China Nuking Japan... Even in Afghanistan were clearly nobody cares aboot casualties not a single nuke had been used or even considered...

The only thing keeping China stable (inside) is their economical growth... which is due to their MASSIVE exportation... they lose that... they lose everything... you can't replace your clientele, when said clientele is "the planet". For the senkaku, sure they want that shit big time... but it's a catch 22... they want it to produce shit either for their market or for export... their market can buy stuff because of the money made with exports... So whatever happens... they have to take the senkaku without pissing off too much people... because even without this... the "made in china/unemployment at home" clusterfark is going to piss too much people at some point. It's good for companies to have cheap chinese crap to sell, but if in your country nobody have jobs anymore, even dirt cheap become too expensive... I think the easiest way to solve the problem for Japan would be to just start building factories and start mining without giving a single fuck aboot what's hapenning around... Nobody in their right mind would attack civilian installation (well except North Korea) without fearing massive retaliation of the worst kind... namely... embargo... If governemental bullcrap (to catch ressources for few friendly companies) threaten the whole Chinese industrial masheen... The commi puppets are as good as dead...

[cstaylor]

Seriously? Man, that's rather out of place. China rules its people with an iron fist and the largest standing military in the world. People who step out of line (to this day) tend to just disappear. This is not an environment where people can just elect a new government and throw the old one out.

What I'm saying is that the Japanese have a choice whether to escalate or not.

He's a politician so somewhat of a hustler by definition. As I said before, I'm not sure what I think of him on the national stage but it's nice to see someone with a backbone stand up for Osaka. (Even though I don't agree with some of the things he has done with regards to running the city government.)

I prefer politicians that work in concert with others, not just stamp their feet and scream until they get their way. Large corporations have enough of those types already.

Not sure which event you're referring to here. If it's the Mimizuka and related events it's actually wrong, it was noses that were cut off (not that it changes the brutality of course.)

The point I was making was Toyotomi using the a foreign invasion to solidify his control of Japan. Like Napoleon, he cut off the route he himself took to power.

In any case, I don't see how Hashimoto is in any way similar to Toyotomi and I can't see he will be remembered and talked about several centuries into the future.

He will be if he takes Japan into a third world war. (where's that nuke icon when you need it)

There is no chance that China would nuke Japan, the response would be a massive American nuclear attack on China.

Can you name one war after WW2 where the losing belligerent was a nuclear state? I'm not talking about wars of attrition like Afghanistan or Vietnam. Yom Kippur was probably the closest. What do you think is going to happen if the gloves come off?

If China does nuke Tokyo though it would probably get rid of the theoretically elected Hashimoto which would make you happy, no?

Considering how close we are to Tokyo and that Yokosuka and Yokohama have military bases, I'd rather not get caught in the crossfire over these puny rocks.