05 August 2025
Dear US Marine servicemember who destroyed the message banner at Camp Schwab, Okinawa
Here I post my letter to the young US Marine serviceman who destoryed the message banner at USMC Camp Schwab in Henoko, Nago city, Okinawa prefecture.
This is the message I and other activists created and placed since last fall.
It was placed facing the entry gate to the camp for the protest activity.
But last April the banner was destroyed and taken away.
It was a crime act. But I decided not to file the damage report to police this time as mentioned in following letter texts.
I handed the letter over to the police to give it to the serviceman.
Some of the texts are altered in order not to disclose the offender's identity. The incident and the letter were reported to the local news media as well as some of national news outlets.
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Dear Sir,
I am Masagata, one of the contributors of creation and setting up the banner you destroyed and took away from where it was picketed near the Camp Schwab gate. I live in Tokyo but sometimes stay in Okinawa to join the protest against the construction of planned runways. I am much older than you like your father. When I was your age, I lived in the US as a college student.
I heard the reason that you destroyed the banner from the police. You were incited by the word “RAPE” on the banner because your closest person was a rape victim. I am saddened to hear that. I sympathized with you. Therefore, this time I will not file a damage report to the police nor demand the compensation for the damage.
But remember what you did was illegal. Some might say our setting up the banner in that place is unlawful as well but that is considered to be an act of freedom of expression ensured by the Japanese constitution like the first amendment of your country’s constitution.
“RAPE” in that banner does not only mean physical rape incidents committed by the US servicemembers in Okinawa but destruction of the environment of the island caused by the ongoing construction at your serving place. For details, please read my letter to the US government.
Instead of charging you with a crime, I ask you to escalate our message as protestors to your supervisors and your neighbors so that more people will know the pain locals are feeling.
I will post this letter on my blogsite to let the world know what’s going on in Okinawa without mentioning your name.
I heard you are leaving Okinawa soon. I wish you best luck in your future.
Best regards,
15:37 Posted in Ecology, Japan News, Media, Politics, Society, US-Japan relationship, USA issues | Permalink | Comments (0) | Tags: military, okinawa
07 March 2025
Film "Salt" has become reality
A female CIA agent Evelyn Salt was suspected of being a double agent from Russia since a Russian deserter revealed but the revelation was a trap to destroy the US by the Russian intelligence. In fact she was the double agent so were a lot of other people in the US government.
Recent President Trump's dialogue with Ukrainian President Zelensky showed the film was a kind of preview of the current US and Russia relationship. Trump has been a pro-Russia person like other conservative people in the US.
Yes, Russia has been evil in this affair. Russia invaded Ukraine and Ukraine has been a victim.
But who fueled the conflict? Does Ukraine have any chance to win this war? Americans are in fact tired of helping Ukraine so Trump was elected.
As I was IR major during my college days, International Relaion is cold blooded field that justice cannot be always done. Rather, you have to be a very pragmatist.
Ceasefire or Truce is prioritised action not to cause any more casualties.
We know "Might is Right" is wrong but that's the reality and we have to deal with such reality.
In fact, America and its allied nations including Japan are seen as evil from Russia and China.
Do we always represent the rightousness?
Once we start arguing, it will never end forever. So let's choose earlier end of the war and less casualties.
23:44 Posted in Film, Politics, USA issues | Permalink | Comments (0) | Tags: russia, trump, ukraine
11 December 2024
My planned novel "White America" should be more interesting than the film "Civil War"
Journalists traveling to Washington to conduct the interview with the Trump-like US President amid the civil war in the 21st century.
The film wasn't very impressive to me. I could clearly figure out the intent of producer of the film, criticizing Trump and warning citizens for electing Trump.
I do not think Trump being elected was all bad. He is a kind of consequence of American society's agony caused by massive number of undocumented immigrants and extreme PC (political correctness) and DEI (diversity, Equity, and Inclusion).
It is time America and the world realise its true figure. America is no longer what we know of in the 20th century. That image of America may have been exceptional. America has been white dominated racist society. Trump unveiled true nature of America.
Before such movie is released, I've come up with a novel idea "White America" in which only white conservative people live in an exclusive area in the US and enjoy their livelihood without worrying about PC and DEI.
I guess that is the solution for America's internal division. As a matter of fact, Americans live separately depending on their race, economic status and thoughts. America is a big country, different people do not have to mix and try to understand the difference. Zoning may be a solution.
That is what I would like to propose to American society.
16:21 Posted in Film, My novel, Politics, Society, USA issues | Permalink | Comments (0) | Tags: racism, trump
18 September 2024
Film “Hillbilly Elegy”, the biography of Trump’s running mate
I happened to watch this film on Netflix channel at a hotel room while staying in Okinawa.
As a matter of fact, I was shocked and could understand why J.D. Vance made a very peculiar and derogatory comment that childless cat ladies such as Kamala Harris and Pete Buttiigieg are miserable and making the rest of the country miserable although he graduated from Yale Law School.
Recently along with his running mate, he spoke racially aggressive comments against Haitian immigrants in his state of Ohio, which was not based on the fact.
He and his family’s life was very miserable due to the poverty and his mother had mental disorder and could be emotionally unstable. He had to go through domestic violence just like his mother experienced.
They lacked ethics so his grand mother told him to do urinalysis for his mother who was drug-addicted but wanted to get back to nursing job, for which she was fired due to her misbehaving at a hospital.
I know one of siblings who was raised in such family and became a surgeon but acted like a child due to mistreatment in his family. I cut off relationship with him and his wife because I was offended by him.
It is very difficult to remove bad effects mounted in childhood.
Scary thing is he’s been supported by such people because they can feel mutual with him.
Sorry to tell, America is sickened. (I’m not saying Japan is not.)
I just happened to know good advices to such people.
1. Don’t look back on the past. The past is in the past. The best things are never in the past but in the future.
2. Family members are people you cannot choose to relate to. If you think that is the cause of your agony in life. Just cut them off.
He seems to be dragged by his past although he made himself such a big person.
So sad.
14:26 Posted in Film, Politics, Society, USA issues | Permalink | Comments (0) | Tags: poverty, racism, election