Dear People of the World (formerly Dear Americans)

The below is the novel I am writing in my Japanese blog.

This is translation of Prologue of the novel. I wonder if you might be interested.

Please try.

 

Prologue

 

Pentagon, Washington, USA,   July, 1944

 

A 44 year-old man named Richard Whiteriver was sitting in front of the old lady aged around 60, named Ruth Benedict. They were alone in the room. He was told that she was one of the most authoritative scholars for cultural anthropology. She started to talk about her mission assigned by the Department of Defense.

“Thank you for coming here from so far away. You may be surprised that a woman like me is part of war-time intelligence mission. I have to do the research on our enemy, oh sorry, it is my country.”

She seemed hesitant to use “our” because she was informed that a man was ex-Japanese national.

“No, ma’am, that is fine. In fact Japan is not my country from the beginning. The fact of the matter is I was not born in Japan. I wasn’t even raised in Japan.”

“Oh, really, I was told you were a journalist for Japan’s mainstream newspaper. Then you became a political advisor for the prime-minister prior to Pearl Harbor Attack. You  have witnessed Nanjing Massacre and then Pearl Harbour Attack. You have quite experiences for my project to complete.”

“Actually, my father was Japanese. But my mother was exiled Polish. I am mixed breed. The place I was born was Shanghai. I grew up there until 15 years old. Then my family moved to Japan later.”

His explanation seemed convincing to Dr. Benedict. He just looked like a pure white American man, but if his hair color is changed from light brown to dark black. He might look like a Japanese man.

“All right, Mr. Whiteriver, oh how should I call you? May I call you “Richard” like American way?”

“Oh, please call me by first name. You can even call me “Richey.” That was what I have been called.”

“Even by Japanese?”

“Yes. That was my nickname.”

“What was your name when you were Japanese before you became American citizen?”

“Shirakawa Ryuichi. The family name “Shirakawa” literally means “white river” in Japanese.”

“Interesting” she said.

Dr. Benedict stood up and walked to the sideboard. Richey and Dr. Benedict looked at two objects placed on the sideboard. One is chrysanthemums arranged on frog in flat vase. This kind of flower arrangement is called “Ikebana” in Japan. The other is traditional Samurai’s sword. Richey asked her why such things are placed on the side board.

“Because they seemed represent the nature of Japanese personality. The beautiful chrysanthemums arranged like this represent gracefulness. The sword represents aggression of military which we are fighting against. Japanese soldiers are so barbaric but easily to surrender themselves. I have collected and read so many things about Japanese culture and politics. But it is not good enough for me to make a complete book of Japanese culture which is to submit to the military intelligence. That is why you come in. I need your help.”

“Why does military assign you the mission like this? It is almost certain that sooner or later Japan would surrender. You do not need to interview with me for knowing Japanese culture. You’ve read so many documents, books, films and so on. The two countries have had almost a century long relationship. You’ve had enough sources.”

Richey talked laughingly.

“The military is thinking about what to do after the war. How to occupy Japan. You can’t just conquer the enemy. They should always be afraid of rebellion. In order to gently control the enemy land, you have to know what they are always thinking. Interviews are important because it is part of field work which I cannot do, as you know I am too old to get in the enemy field.”

Dr. talked as laughingly as Richey did. Then they both smiled each other.

After a moment of silence, they became serious and started talking.

“Well, first of all, tell me more about yourself. Things other than written on reference I was given” said Dr. Benedict.

“What would you like to know?” Richey said.

“How did you become a journalist for the newspaper? What was a lead?”

Her question started to remind Richey of his last month spent at the house in Kobe city, Japan. That was one of most shocking events of his life although he had worse later.

It was March 1918, Kobe City Japan, when Richey was only 18 years old.

A 18 year-old Shirakawa Ryuichi was looking out of the window viewing the whole of Kobe city. His house stood on the hillside of the city. He was also overhearing the record played in his father’s study, which is next to his room. The music was Italian opera, which was his father’s favorite.

Then he heard the sounds someone was knocking on the entrance door. The knocking sound was very loud.  

 

If you are interested in what will happen next and can read Japanese, please go to this page.  

I've been moved by the film for more than a week since I saw the DVD of it. I playback it over and over.

 The story is that two young cowboys met in Brokeback Mountain in Wyoming and fell in love with each other. Even after they were apart and married to women, their love had never faded. Then they got into a big trouble.

The theme is not about homosexuality. It is about love and agony in life.

Besides love story element of the film, I could learn so much about American country life including what cowboys are doing for living. Cowboys are tough guys. They can live in a tent on the prairie. They have to be very strong to take care of livestocks.  

Country music played in the film were so great.

 I never experienced such wonderful feeling by other films. The feeling remained for more than a week. This can even change my way of living.   

Five year have passed since 911.

 Again, your president is misleading you, guys.

 I read all of his speech transcript. As far as I read, he insists your country is good and free, helping other nations safer and freer.

Only evils are Islamic extremists.

Have you ever thought about why such terrorism came out to the world?

911 has nothing to do with Saddam Hussein. Bush admits that, and then said that he attacked Hussein because he was a clear threat.

Hussein was found not having weapons of mass-destruction. He was no threat at the time the war started.

Using this rethoric, you can attack anybody if you think he is a threat. Bush is a big liar.

After the toppling of Sadam Hussein, what is happening in Iraq? The situation is in fact worse. The security is getting worse. Conflicts between religious sects intesified. You can't provide democracy unless a legitimate and widely trusted regime exists there.

 How many innocent lives were taken away in Iraq and Afghanistan after 911? Much more than 911 victims.

Terror attacks are still going on. The world is just getting more dangerous.   

Please cool down, Americans. Don't be misled by such a fool any more. He is just playing war games.

Today, the third child of Princess Kiko who is married to the 2nd prince of Japanese royal family was born. It was a boy.

 So finally Japanese royal family got a legitimate successor under the current royal system. The family have got 3 girls prior to the birth of this boy. Two girls between Princess Kiko and her husband. One girl between 1st prince and his wife. If the system allows female successor. this child birth might not have happened.

 The news of the Princess's pregnancy came coincided with the Parliament debate of changing royal succession system to allow a woman to be in line to the throne. This debate was brought about by the fact that there is no male successor in royal family and then the wife of 1st prince had been distressed because of the pressure to give birth to a boy. She had been mentally ill and is now in Holland to rest hiding from public. It seemed she lost the ability to act as a public person.

 Was it just a coincident that Princess Kiko got pregnant and now gave birth to a boy?

 I do not think so. This should be because Kiko and royal family were concerned about the other Princess.

Kiko is already 39 years old. It is hard for her to give birth to a new child. It seems they set up pregnancy and did the gender selection of the child.

I just feel so awkward. Why should we be so persistent with having a male royal successor? It is now 21st century.

I don't care if the throne was taken over by a woman. In fact I do want to see a queen in the future.

 The conservatives say it is not the issue of gender equality. Royal family is out of the constitution. Their family line has run through male successors. Yes there were some empres in history but they were the daughters of male successors and their children never took over the throne. We should not cut this family line. That is why conservative do not like 3 girls to take over the throne.

If the system cannot work without such sexist and feudal notion, it may be better to abolish such royal system.

It cannot work in such modern time of Japan.

Actually the story of royal family line may be a bit of fiction.  

 There is doubt about the royal family line has gone over 1000 years. There is no concrete evidence that today's emperor shared the famliy line with the first emperor, Jimu. Only the records on the paper. In fact there is a doubt that if the first several emperrors really exist. The average life span of first 8 emperors in history was more than 100 years. It is so hard to belive people of over 1000 years ago could live such long years.

 It is still as mysterious story as "Da vinci Code."  I just simply do not believe such story.

I cannot say "Congratulation" to Princess Kiko and royal family.