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lou lou
Joined: 31 Oct 2004
Posts: 37
Location: England
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 Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2004 7:59 pm Post subject: Ignorant students! |
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Hi Everyone I hope you are all well,
I have just been shocked into writing this post after deciding to explore the student forums - as I am a student after all. I was astonished at the responses to Japanese culture on there  I think the ancient stereotypical attitude being represented there must frighten Japanese students from the forum.
The students (it sounds like they have never even been to Japan) blatantly say they HATE the Japanese because of their violent military past. I don't know what they are being taught in school but I think it is extremely sad that they should have this attitude before experiencing the country for themselves!!!
One girl says she is just happy when one person shows some interest in Japan. Should we really be allowing this bullying to happen 
Lou Lou. |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Tue Nov 09, 2004 8:55 pm Post subject: Re: Ignorant students! |
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| lou lou wrote: |
Hi Everyone I hope you are all well,
I have just been shocked into writing this post after deciding to explore the student forums - as I am a student after all. I was astonished at the responses to Japanese culture on there I think the ancient stereotypical attitude being represented there must frighten Japanese students from the forum.
The students (it sounds like they have never even been to Japan) blatantly say they HATE the Japanese because of their violent military past. I don't know what they are being taught in school but I think it is extremely sad that they should have this attitude before experiencing the country for themselves!!!
One girl says she is just happy when one person shows some interest in Japan. Should we really be allowing this bullying to happen
Lou Lou. |
Lou lou
I have checked out the student forum you mentioned. It is sad that such attitudes still exist, but at the same time there is still a lot of anger and resentment at the official level towards japan becuase of the war. Students also learn about what Japan did during the war when they were at school, while in Japan it is covered up. Young students dont learn about what Japan did during WWII and there is a kind of cultural amnesia.
A few months ago some unfortunate incidents happened in China that reinforced the 'dirty Japanese' mentality and some students almost escaped being lynched by other Chinese students. You also have the Japanese Prime Minister who visits Yasukuni Shrine which is where Japanese war criminals are worshipped by the Prime Minister. This is greatly upsetting to the Chinese and Korean people. Its as if the Germans went to worship at Hitler's grave.
It is because Japan has not apologised because of its wartime behavior or made compensation to those countries, as well as current discrimination against Chinese and Koreans in Japan, that these students still feel this way against Japan. It is unfortunate that they have these attitudes against Japanese people, but the Japanese government has not really done much to help its case and it is hoping that people will forget about its wartime behavior. |
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king kakipi
Joined: 16 Feb 2004
Posts: 353
Location: Australia
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| Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2004 12:04 am Post subject: |
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| ...and Gov Ishihara helps foster such resentment methinks....you reap what you sow..... |
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GambateBingBangBOOM
Joined: 04 Nov 2003
Posts: 2021
Location: Japan
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| Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2004 12:47 am Post subject: |
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Ignorant students (if they are children) grow up to be ingnorant adults (or else they already are).
I once had a conversation with a Japanese person who refused to believe that Canadians don't all fly planes everywhere, because he said Canada is like a giant forest, and it's too far and too hard to get anywhere unless you fly. He furthermore didn't believe me when I said that there are cities in Canada.
For Japanese kids WWII education is exemplified by the JHS textbook that has a unit beginning "One day a bomb fell on Hiroshima". I have been told many times "We Japanese were victims in WWII". |
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Mike L.
Joined: 28 Feb 2003
Posts: 519
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| Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2004 2:30 am Post subject: |
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| It is because Japan has not apologised because of its wartime behavior or made compensation to those countries, as well as current discrimination against Chinese and Koreans in Japan, that these students still feel this way against Japan. |
Apologies were issued, perhaps not heart felt, in the mid 90's. As for compnesation the vast amount of foreighn aid Japan gives to China, a military super power, should pretty much cover it!
I'll agree on the discrimination point but I China and Korea are not really bastions of tollerance either. |
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PAULH
Joined: 28 Jan 2003
Posts: 4672
Location: Western Japan
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| Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2004 2:37 am Post subject: |
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| Mike L. wrote: |
Apologies were issued, perhaps not heart felt, in the mid 90's. As for compnesation the vast amount of foreighn aid Japan gives to China, a military super power, should pretty much cover it!
I'll agree on the discrimination point but I China and Korea are not really bastions of tollerance either. |
]
Most of the aid is in the form of loans that are supposed to be paidback.
Japans ODA comes with strings attached that usually benefit Japanese companies in those countries. Its not like the Japanese government writes a check and says "use the money as you wish".
Anyway as the comfort women payment scandal showed it didnt go to the people who needed it, and it seemed to be more like hush money than actual compensation. The Japanese never actually admitted they did anything wrong and seemed to intimate that what the women did they did voluntarily.
It was a case of "we will pay you off as long as you shut up from now on and don't try to sue us". |
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Mike L.
Joined: 28 Feb 2003
Posts: 519
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| Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2004 3:17 am Post subject: |
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PAUL H: I agree with all you wrote!
I just find it ironic that a country with perhaps the second largest military budget in the world would be collecting this so called "aid."
As for paying back this so called "aid" I bet the Chinese get pretty good rates and still call most of the shots! |
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lou lou
Joined: 31 Oct 2004
Posts: 37
Location: England
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| Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2004 8:49 pm Post subject: |
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Thankyou for your interesting glossing of the situation. I can understand the difficulties between certain countries, however on an internet site like this great one where everyone is in my experience trying to help anyone who needs it; I was shocked that people felt it was OK to openly rebuke a whole nation over political issues.
I don't agree with certain political parties and their actions - the war on Iraq for instance, but I would never be so insulting or unthinking to say I hate all Americans! I think it is OK to say that you don't agree with George Bush or Tony Blair, but not to insult people who don't have any control over the actions of their government.
It sounds as if this one is a subject which will take more than my best intentions to sort out, but like I said on the student forum: "We should never blame sons for the sins of their fathers," or their leaders. |
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Tonester
Joined: 24 Mar 2004
Posts: 145
Location: Ojiya, Niigata Pref
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| Posted: Wed Nov 10, 2004 11:57 pm Post subject: |
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Lou-lou,
In that student forum in question read the long lecture I gave those people who hate all Japanese for its military past. I got pretty peeved when I read all that thread and I'm pretty sure that some of those members will flame me as some just do not have the maturity to see Japan for what it is now and are just happy perpetuating something that was significant but happened over 50 years ago. I just wish those people would just grow up!!!!
By saying this I am not being insensitive to the pain felt in the countries concerned but it just infuriates me living in Japan and meeting the local people who'd in the majority would do anything to help you and seeing those people being blamed for what their fathers did.
Anyone is welcome to flame me for these comments but in my book; blaming the current generation is not justice nor is it logical. To me it is a mark of wilful/brainwashed immaturity and prejudice. |
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lou lou
Joined: 31 Oct 2004
Posts: 37
Location: England
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| Posted: Thu Nov 11, 2004 8:49 pm Post subject: |
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Tonester,
I did read your post on the student forum and I quite agree with you. I will say though, since I have displayed my disappointment at the posts on the forum, it seems that there has been an influx of support for Japanese culture which is nice to see. Maybe this will carry on and we can all enjoy a peacful web community again.
Nice work.  |
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