Dear People of the World (formerly Dear Americans)

I went to see the movie "Memoirs of a Geisha." Here in Japan the title was changed to "SAYURI."

The movie was kind of strange but also very interesting.

The characters in the movie speak in English. The hairstyle of the Geishas were appearently different from real Geishas walking on the streets in Kyoto.

The story was good in first half but the latter half was kind of difficult to understand. I actually did not like the story.

Some of Japanese argue Japan portrayed in that film was too strange to see. But how many of Japanese know the old time Japan, especially the life of Geisha? How many of us know how to wear traditional kimono?

So in that sense Hollywood made the best of their efforts.

One thing I find they are better than Japanese films is the scenes of the evening party. Usually those scenes are very bright like today's party room with fluor lamps on the ceiling. That never happened in 1930's. But in the movie "Memoirs of a Geisha," the room was not very bright and the Geisha's face was lit by orange paper lantern. That should be real scenes of those days, I think.

The thing I was kind of disturbed by was the main character was played by Chinese actress, Zhi Zhang. She is a great actress, but the point is the character she played might aggravate Chinese people. The story took place in 1930's Japan. It was a time Japan was invading China. The Geisha fell in love with Japanese rich man who once fought in Manchuria. Then after the war she helped him with reconstructing his business sleeping with American military man.

Today is the time the relationship between China and Japan has become worst in post-war time. It is due to our stupid prime minister and his uneducated conservative supporters.   

As one of Japanese citizen who is very aware of how apologetic Japan should be to China, I could not enjoy this movie although the Chinese actress did played that role as Hollywood actress.

Mr. Colin Powell is one of my favorite politicians.

Although he was born in poor immigrant family, he worked hard and made brilliant accomplishments in his career, he became the first Black Secretary of State in US history. This is what the 60’s movie “Guess, who’s coming to dinner?” predicted.

Although, he was Republican, he was pro-choice of abortion issue, against forcible praying at public schools, against CA proposition 209 that bans affirmative action.

He was not only a great politician, but a cool war strategist, that is why he successfully led the Gulf war. That is why he was against the Iraq war.

The most memorable thing to me was the comment he made to 3 Japanese hostages captive in Iraq, April last year. They were kidnapped near Fallujah and the insurgents’ demand was pullout of Japanese forces dispatched in Iraq. One of them was human aid worker. The other 2 were journalists. The human-aid worker was helping street children in Baghdad. She was on her way to meet the children.

8 days later, they were released, but at the time they were released, they became the scapegoat of hysterica of Japanese politicians and society. The hostages’ travel to Iraq was very much criticized because the government released the warning of not to go there. Their respectable activities as human-aid worker and journalists were ignored.

The Prime Minister of Japan was so angry with the human aid worker’s comment that she wanted to continue her activity in Iraq although she had a hard time being kidnapped. He said “How dare she could say that, many people worked hard not sleeping and eating to rescue her.” The PM just gave up his duty as leader of Japanese government. Some politicians even ask them to pay the expense to rescue them.

Mr. Powell’s comment was totally opposite.
“I am pleased that Japanese citizens were willing to take risk to do better thing. Japanese people should be very proud that they have citizens who are willing to do this. Very proud of soldiers in Iraq. If nobody takes the risk you can’t move the world forward. You take the risk, you are captured, it is your fault. No. We still have obligation to do everything we can to recover them safely. They are the citizens and our neighbors.”

He knows the duty as politician unlike our PM.

He is in fact the great human asset of dynamic American society, isn't he.

I want to receive his message as given to me "If nobody takes the risk, you can't move the world forward."

I am Japanese and identify myself as patriot and pacifist.

In my country, there is an enormous criticism for that US dropped atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki. However, I do not agree with those who criticise your country for that matter.

The following is the reasons for that,

1) Japan was the first one who started the war. Japan attacked Pearl Harbor first. Once the war is started, the rules are maximum damage on the enemy's side, the minimum damage on your side. The nation knew it when it started the war and the rules would continue until it wins or surrenders.

2) Japan did brutal masscre of civilians like Hiroshima and Nagasaki. During 1930's and US-Japan war time, Japanese army occupied China and masscred enoumous number of civilians. One of the examples is Rape of Naking in 1937. Not revewing such facts, we shouldn't blame others' brutality. In fact, we haven't reviewed the past brutality enough like Germans did.

However, I do not support US's dropping atomic bombs because civilian casualties should not happen and it started the age of nuclear war.

What do you think about my opinion?