I lived in Japan for 17 years and love everything about it. It's closed minds that still have a prejudice over past and present. People talk about WW2- were you there? Tell me if you have a problem with a certain country, and I'll dig up dirt facts on your own country. Throughout the history of mankind, there has been nothing but war and prejudicy. This thing is for certain...it's just the way the world turns. You either walk forward trying to make a better life for you and others, or you stay behind hating life and yourself.

日本一

bye

Couldn't agree with you more. That is not quite what I was saying. I wouldn't stay behind for nothing. I'm sayng we could have done it better. And learned from it. And we did to a degree. And in many parts people don't give that part enough credit (about learning) I guess I'm hardest on the Japanese.

I don't love everything about Japan though...Some things are sentimental attachments not culture. Just like India.

Krazywithak, I meant I just get most of the shit from the chiniese for some reason, So I was just bumming that fact and came out weird.

You say you don't personally hate the Japanese. That is what everyone says. That is definitely not how everyone feels. This is what I mean by prejudice. I think the information you present here is not the real picture. It is a media pushed totally propaganda based hogwash. I see the same people turn around and complain about "white people"

Japan is a partner with european and american countries. There is no question about that. Is Japan the only asian countries that are partners with EU and US? I don't see anything wrong with that one. You can be considered a dangerous individual if you pursue that reasoning a little deeper. Global economy is a global issue. If Asia tries to dominate economically, there is going to be another world war. (unfortunately reality is pretty ugly)

As for Japanese people thinking that they are asian europeans, I think your personal exposure to the actual subject needs more examining. They, especially the last 10 years have become more and more Japanese. I see very few identifying with themselves to the Euro-centric and US centric values. I think many asains are brain washed by the media to think other wise. Just because they like toys that doesn't mean they are going to give up wearing kimono on a hot summer eve.

You forgot to mention that Japan is partners with all major Asian countries?
Do you know how much of Japan's wealth is distributed in Asia? If you consider being partners with the west is narcissism, then you have self esteem and identity issues you need to examine.

I put this thread up hoping to make a statement about how racism and nationalism being lame old shit that needs to be recycled.

We english speaking folk with east/west hybrid life style, need to realize that there are some serious shit going on in the world and if we don't grow up the shit will eventually hit the fan and there are going to be some major bad shit.

Come and personally tell this to my friend's grandmother (RIP) who was raped during the colonial occupation in Korea. Raped for what? to become a toy of japanese soldiers? tell this to the people/descendants of the Nanjing massacre in China.

I don't hate japanese, heck I work with 5 and we get along fine. but I don't particularly like them either and I'm not shy to say so. Incidentally if Japan truly regretted what happened in the past, why would Koizumi repeadly visit the shrine of warlords despite numerous requests from neighboring countries not to do so to honour the dead (by the japanese?). Why would the present president provoke other neighboring countries by almost denying of the rapes that clearly happened?

And you come and say it's fueled by propanda

The lazy way to greet all of you - HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!!

I couldn't tell this to your grandmother...But I can tell this to you. Who is same as me, an offspring. I truly believe that horrors done by the Japanese soldiers should be even identified to the last soldier and be exposed. But that would just fuels the complex politics behind the media push on this issue. And the benefactors are from neither country. That is the point I'm trying to get across. I'm not trying to erase the past.

My grandfather was one of the few who is dead because he stood his ground in the mass insanity that was the Japanese army during the war. As soon as my grandfather was exposed to the territory and the oppression of the conquered he and his entire platoon was sent to an impossible front lines. Our family understood the silent execution because of what kind of human being he was. (he probably protested. He already had a bad rep as a humanitarian)

The insanity that went with conquest during both ww1 and ww2 is a gargantuan legacy of injustice and bloodshed.

As painful as it is, what I'm saying here is a separate issue rarely noticed masked by subtle mixture of truth and psychological manipulation. Just think who gains by enhancing conflict between Japan and those countries Japan occupied during the war...It's politics and economics.

If it is ok for me to be treated differently because of war horrors, (happens everywhere that much is true) then it is ok for you to be treated differently by "white poeple" in the US because you're asian.

In high school I tried to apologize to my friend Tanie's grandmother...she stopped me. Not a word...but gave me a smile. I don't think she knew what to say and I was too young to understand what was going though her mind. But I was her grandson's friend and she was very nice to me even though she's been through the whole thing. She saw hope rather than hate in that. I really regret loosing contact with him. He reached out to me first....he was a year or so older than me. The guy is still ten feet tall in my eyes.(bad taste in cars though...)

I never really b*thced/argued how whities never really treated me right, have I? and how is that even relevant? I'm here because my parents came here legally, to have a different future and we were welcomed with open arms.
I'm a law abiding citizen and I love this my adoptive country

I don't think the japanese imperial army was welcomed with open arms in the asian countries, more over to kill and rape them.

It's a different context.

As for your thing, take the jews/germany for example. Germany fully acknowledges of what happened, have memorial museums and are encouraged to learn more about the shameful past so it never happens again, I know cuz I was born and educated in Germany.

Has Japan done anything similiar? if anything you get your head ot state denying and mocking the war victims.. oh and let's not forget about how they tried to change their text books.

There I agree 100%. The Japanese government and cowardice politicians can't make heads or tail about what is proper to do regarding those issues. They keep pumping ridiculous amounts of money to those countries which only satisfies the political parties involved instead of making any kind of symbolic gestures like building a memorial. Everything is backwards there.

But you are still saying one thing and me another.

I was just talking from my own personal experiences in this country and how I have been a target of discrimination by other asians almost all of it from strangers, so I know it isn't my personality..... And that is what I was trying to bring to light, not the idiotic and closed mindedness of the meanderings of the Japanese government. Sure if I was an arrogant asshole jap I would deserve it maybe but I'm a soft spoken aware individual.

Are you saying that I should shut up and take the abuse, because I'm of a genetic relation to thugs who caused horrors more than half a centry ago? NO one here has recognized that this happens...it seems to always go back to the criticism of the governmental behavior which i have not disagreed with. That tells me you guys think that the japanese offspring deserve it. And I'm saying that is wrong. That is all.