Dear People of the World (formerly Dear Americans)

It has been a huge turmoil in Japanese politics. It was caused by Minister of Defense, Mr. Kyuma. In a speech he made at a University in Chiba Prefecture, he said "US dropping of atomic bombs helped Japan end the war and prevent the Soviet Union from entering in Japan, so we have to accept that."

After the criticism arose, he apologized and retracted the remark. But still the demand for his resignation is strong.

As one Japanese citizen, some point I agree with him, I do not want to blame the US for dropping atomic bombs for some reasons although these acts should never be justified. It was clearly attack on civilians. Huge number at one time.

In Hiroshima and Nagasaki in total, more than 200,000 people were killed. The Nuclear Era started by them.

But the war was in fact started by us, Japan, we started the war in China and then Japan had to face economic embargo by allied nations including the U.S. We've killed so many civilians in China and other Asian nations. After the economic sanctions was implemented, Japan attacked on Pearl Harbor.

We haven't done enough to compensate for the loss of the victims like "comfort women" who were forced to become sexual slaves for Japanese soldiers. This issue has been on debate in U.S. Congress lately. The resolution to demand Japanese government to apologize and ackknowlege this inhumane act.

Japan has not done enough to make up for the past aggression. In order to accuse U.S. for dropping atomic bombs, we, must have done what we have to do. We failed.

However, Mr. Kyuma, should have never made such remarks. That is the insult to the victims of the atomic bombs and considered justification of the use of nuclear weapons. Nuclear weapons should be all eliminated. No matter what cause the nation provoke the war, attacks on civilians should never be done.   

Can you believe this is happening in our country? Most conservative among advanced nations.

The couple is not just lesbians that you can normally see in SOHO in NY or Castro Street in San Francisco.

A woman on the left is Ms. Kanako Otsuji, former member of Osaka prefectural assembly. Now she is running in upcoming nationwide election campaign as candidate for the second largest political party, Democratic Party of Japan.

 She came out as lesbian two years ago while she was a member of the assembly.

 On this wedding she received the congratulatory message from the party leader, Ichiro Ozawa, known as conservative type of politician. Wow, what is happening in Japan?

 Well, as I wrote on this blog, our society used to be very open-minded to gays. We were very free sex nation.

But since westerners came in late 19th century, our view of sexuality has drastically changed.

We may be moving backward.

This week has been suicidal week for Japan. On Monday, minister of Agriculture and Fishery, Toshikatsu Matsuoka  committed suicide by hanging himself in the Diet members' residential building. He left several suicide notes including one to the whole nation. He was amid so many scandals. On the same day, famous singer, ZARD stepped down from the stair of the hospital, where she was hospitalized for her cancer cure. She did not leave any suicide note but it was speculated that she may have committed suicide. Next day, an old man who was the head of the organization linked to the minister's scandal jumped off the building.

Then on Wednesday, a high school girl hanged herself in her school. Everyday around 100 people committed suicide. It is estimated 1,000 attempted to kill themselves. Japan's suicide probability rate is double that of the U.S.

Why, so many?

We had the tradition that valued suicide act like harakiri of Samurai. It had been considered honorable.

We live in the society that an individual cannot speak out inner-self. It is called "Culture of shame."

We are living in kind of depressed society.

The theme to live in Japanese society is how to survive in such depressed and stressful environment.

According to the Kyodo Press in Japan, English conversation teaching school in Kofu city of Yamanashi Prefecture posted the ad that recruits an English teacher on the bulletin board in public facility managed by Yamanashi International Association. The condition of the applicant was limited to blond hair with blue or green eyes. American Japanese person protested against the association. The facility apologized for this, saying they lacked the consideration.

 What do you think about that?  

 Well, for us typical foreigner is Blond and blue or green eyes, so that English schools like to hire people with such features. Yes, it is racist. But blond and blue eyes are what we are longing for.

I always wanted to be like Brad Pitt.