Dear People of the World (formerly Dear Americans)

Today I joined my new job training. I just witnessed how ordinary people have become Xenophobic these days in Japan.

Maybe it is because Japan has been in big recession and Chinese ship intruded Japanese territorital sea which caused diplomatic turmoil just recently.

In office, one worker talked about what he witnessed on the platform in the station when Chinese person yelled to a police officer. He said "it was like moster attack." Then his colleagues followed that saying "That is very Chinese personality. That is how they deal with us. See how they bumped to Coast Guard Ship."

My trainer said to me "Be careful these days our customers have become like stupid Americans who always want to sue us."

Japanese are islanders so we generally act like this but these days people have become more aggressive than before. I do not like this tendency.  

From last week until early in the next month would mark 5th anniversary of the major combat of the Iraq War.

There was a demonstration march to call for the U.S to end the war in Tokyo. The city also had a march to call for China to end the oppression against Tibet.

Japan's position is kind of complicated for the both issues. Japan helped your country with the war and occupation in Iraq sending troops there.

As for China,  we invaded China in the past and currently we have been having controvesy over historical issues with them, such as how to acknowledge Nanking Massacre, and PM's Yausukuni shirine visits. It is just like Germany's position in Palestinean issues with Israel. Well, Germans have made up their mind to admit their faults. But we haven't done it enough.

American politicians criticize China for oppressing Tibetan. But I want to say, what about the U.S. for what they have done to Iraqis!

Tens of thousands of civilians were killed. Proportion of one out of 6 Iraqi have become refugees. They live lives without clean water, electricity and safety. You might insist Iraqi were liberated from tyranny like Hussein. But after Hussein, what is left is anarchism, division of the nation, and worsening the security.

American army dumped depleted uranium weapons that are very hazardous to human bodies with high level of radioactive. Iraqi were worried whenver they give birth to a child as if they get a defective baby.   

Hussein was a monstrous dictator but he could at least maintain the minimum infrastructure for his people's lives. The U.S. never thought of what to do after Hussein regime was toppled. That is totally different from the U.S. occupation strategy of Japan and Germany. There was no strategy for Iraq.

Please think of your own problems before accusing others of human rights violation. Not only things related to Iraq, but also domestic ones such as health insurance, poverty and etc. Your government is not so different from Arabic dictators who use anti-Israel and anti-U.S. propaganda to distract attention from their own citizens who are frustrated with poverty and inequality of the society.

P.S. I am writing a novel on this blog that points out the above issues. If you read the story and learn the things you have to be aware of.   

I was very surprised to see an woman with red-painted hands approaching Secretary of State, Ms. Rice and screaming "War Criminal." The woman and her people in the congressional hearing last week belong to the peace group named "CODE PINK women for peace."

As soon as she did that, she and other members were kicked out from the room. But they were never put into the jail. They were criticized by White House. They keep doing what they think should do.

Since 911, I always thought America has become Nazis. But that was not true. America is still open-minded. They prove that. America is a country, where you can speak up whatever you want to say and take actions.

The group worried about the war with Iran. According to the poll, more than half of Americans say OK to fight with Iran.

But, please don't. This is going to make things worse. Just think of alternatives, why don't you listen to the people like "CODE PINK"?

The film was shot in late 1940's Japan which was occcupied by U.S. led allied forces.

Humphrey Bogart was starred in this film as Joe, who came back to Japan after the war. Before the war Joe managed a club in Ginza, which is Tokyo's most famous shopping and entertainment district like 5th Avenue in NY.

The story was like post-war version of "Casablanca." The plot is very similar. Joe re-encountered his past lover in Tokyo, but she was already married to another man. First he was jealous of her but later he tried to help her out.

I was really surprised. "Casablanca" was war propaganda movie against enemies like Germans. But this movie was kind of friendship movie with Japan which was also the enemy during the war. It seems to reflect post-war diplomatic policy of U.S.

The description of Japan was not very strange even though it was filmed in such old days. Very precise, in fact. The streets, black markets, airport. Japanese characters portrayed in the film were very real. The film producers showed respect to our people. Bogart spoke some Japanese, not good accents but very accurate words.

In the last part, Joe said to his Japanese friend, "We are not enemies any more. Now we're helping you to stand up against old system."

Yes, indeed, we became democratic nation with the help of the U.S. and two countries became greatest friends.

Bogart was a great prophet. Thank you, Americans.