Japanese Parade on Hilter's 125th Birthday

Japanese gathered on April 20 to honor Adolf Hitler's 125th birthday. The parade started at Tokyo's Ikebukuro Central Park East where seven Class-A war criminals including Hideki Tojo were hanged by international court post WWII. Participants include youth as well as elders.

Banners advocating Japanese Supremacy were displayed along Nazi flags. Posters of South Korean President Park Geun-hye were defaced and marked 'beggar' and 'prostitute'.

A national politician, former vice president of the nationalist "Restoration Political Party-New Wind", Hiroyuki Seto made the following remark: I don't know what's wrong with agreeing with Hitler. Is it the holocaust of six million Jews? Are there still people who believe that happened? That's a lie. It's the same fabrication of history as the Rape of Nanking and the forced comfort women.

The admiration to the Fuehrer is deeply rooted in generations of Japanese. Last year, referring to a constitution revision, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Finance commented "we can learn from techniques of the Nazis", who changed Germany's Weimar constitution "unnoticed".

The gathering and parade were escorted by police, as it had been registered and approved.

Prior to US president Obama's visit on April 23, Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe and his cabinet members paid respect to a shrine Yasukuni where war criminals were commemorated.

Neighboring countries such as China and South Korea see Yasukuni as a symbol of Japan's militarism, and repeated visits by Japanese leadership as a lack of remorse over the pain Japan had forced on peoples in Asia.

On April 1, 2014, the US Justice Department confirmed that 35 Japanese war criminals were banned from entering US. Most of them either served in Unit 731 which carried out horrifying experiments on live human subjects, or operated 'comfort stations', where females from occupied countries were enslaved as sex tools for Japanese army.

A Japanese Story

The Lunchbox and Dad

Three years after Father died of a disease, I became a first grader.

I want to tell you something Dad, although you probably have already known: I borrow your lunchbox.

My heart is still pumping when I think about what happened yesterday.

When my chopsticks hit the wall of the lunchbox, it made a pleasant tinkling sound. I had a really special lunch yesterday. My head was totally occupied by the packed lunch as early as 10 o'clock in the morning.

It was really special because it was the first time I used Dad's lunchbox. After you passed away, I was very lonely, very sad.

Father worked at a tempura shop, where he made the best fried tempura in the world. Every time I went there, he would secretly gave me a lot of tempura shrimp. I felt I was the special kid and very happy. After that, I always eat a lot, and worked really hard on Karate. Now that my lunchbox is not big enough for me.

"I need a bigger lunchbox!"
As I was telling Mom, she handed me Father's lunchbox from the back of the cupboard, the one you used when you went to work.

"It may be too big for Yu-kun," said Mom, but she allowed me to use Dad's lunchbox anyway.

Then it started the long wait since the breakfast. I ate all the lunch. After that I felt I was like Father, strong and kind. I really want to meet Father. Until now, my heart is still pumping, when I was thinking the yummy lunch and the happy time when I was eating it.

If I am granted to a wish to the God, I would like to live with Dad, Mom and sister once again. Alas, I know Father is guarding us from the sky.

Although I am lonely because Father is not at home, but since I am the only boy in the house, I will protect Mother and sister for Dad. I will eat well with Father's lunchbox, and become a stronger and kinder big boy.

Thank you for lending me your lunchbox, Dad.

translated from a Chinese translation, also with help of Google Translate.

Takanori Yu Katayama is a 1st grader. He took the picture with his father Shunsaku when he was three years old. Shunsaku died a few months later of a disease. This essay made him the first place winner in the 4th writing contest held by the Asahigakuseishinbunsha. The theme of the contest is 'Thank You Always'.

いつもありがとう

おとうさんがびょうきでなくなってから三年、ぼくは小学一年生になりました。

　おとうさんにほうこくがあります。きっとみてくれているとおもうけど、ぼくはおとうさんのおべんとうばこをかりました。

　ぼくは、きのうのことをおもいだすたびにむねがドキドキします。

　ぼくのおべんとうばことはしがあたって、すてきなおとがきこえました。きのうのおべんとうは、とくべつでした。まだ十じだというのに、おべんとうのことばかりかんがえてしまいました。

　なぜきのうのおべんとうがとくべつかというと、それはおとうさんのおべんとうばこをはじめてつかったからです。おとうさんがいなくなって、ぼくはとてもさみしくてかなしかったです。

　おとうさんのおしごとは、てんぷらやさんでした。おとうさんのあげたてんぷらはせかい一おいしかったです。ぼくがたべにいくと、いつもこっそり、ぼくだけにぼくの大すきなエビのてんぷらをたくさんあげてくれました。そんなとき、ぼくはなんだかぼくだけがとくべつなきがしてとてもうれしかったです。あれからたくさんたべて空手もがんばっているのでいままでつかっていたおべんとうばこではたりなくなってきました。

　「大きいおべんとうにしてほしい」

　とぼくがいうと、おかあさんがとだなのおくからおとうさんがいつもしごとのときにもっていっていたおべんとうばこを出してきてくれました。

　「ちょっとゆうくんには、大きすぎるけどたべれるかな」

　といいました。でもぼくはおとうさんのおべんとうばこをつかわせてもらうことになったのです。

　そしてあさからまちにまったおべんとうのじかん。ぼくはぜんぶたべることができました。たべたらなんだかおとうさんみたいに、つよくてやさしい人になれたきがして、おとうさんにあいたくなりました。いまおもいだしてもドキドキするくらいうれしくておいしいとくべつなおべんとうでした。

　もし、かみさまにおねがいができるなら、もういちどおとうさんと、おかあさんと、ぼくといもうととみんなでくらしたいです。でもおとうさんは、いつも空の上からぼくたちをみまもってくれています。

　おとうさんがいなくて、さみしいけれど、ぼくがかぞくの中で一人の男の子だから、おとうさんのかわりに、おかあさんといもうとをまもっていきます。おとうさんのおべんとうばこでしっかりごはんをたべて、もっともっとつよくて、やさしい男の子になります。

　おとうさん、おべんとうばこをかしてくれてありがとうございます。

Remembering Mitsuru Sato

Mitsuru Sato is is family farmer. When the Tsunami alarm came, he escorted about 20 Chinese interns (all girls) to safe place, then went back to look for his own family. Watching Mitsuru Sata watched away was the last image of this farmer.

Sato's brother, the head of the farm, secured a hilltop hotel for the Chinese girls, then set out to look for his own kids.

All Mitsuru family members survived and are well, except Sato.

Understanding Japanese

Once again, Japanese people have awed the world with their extreme professionalism and calm. One parent posted a snapshot showing 6 daycare teachers sit around his son in a circle, with cushion in hand, ready to cover his son if a big aftershock came, while he was walking an 18km commute to pick him up.

A Chinese Central Television Station crew was interviewing a Japanese family when the quake struck. They were seen from the footage fled away immediately without saying a word. There was also a video showing a Japanese TV crew interviewing a local family in a separate event. When the first shake came, the reporter was seen impromptu jumped on his interviewee to cover him with his own body. Japanese people's dedication to their job is simply beyond admirable.

On the other side, it had also been revealed the operator of the melting down nuclear power plant had repeated issue with fixing records. They were caught repeatedly of hiding accident from the public, and modified records of dangerous steam release for 38 times, even after audit revealed problem with its safety record. After the disaster struck, they repeatedly brushed off any suggestion that there could be any issue with the safety of the plant. They even refused an initial offer from the US for cooling assistance.

In the past four days, the situation at the Fukushima Dai-ichi plant deteriorated steadily. However, each time it was noticed or detected by outsiders. Still, every time the operators would vowed to assure the plant was safe, and that what would have happened the next day would not.

So how to put the two sharply contradicting faces together, the professionalism and dedication and absolute unblushing lies? Ill placed loyalty to a preset goal programmed ordinary Japanese to extraordinary personalities. The same people who can sacrifice themselves for a stranger in the blink of an eye are capable of sacrificing any other people without raising an eyebrow.

Friday, March 11:
15:00 Earthquake followed by tsunami
Japanese government announced affected nuclear power stations had been shut down and safe. Emergency plan to bring in coolant and backup battery from the US was struck as the government assured the public nothing to concern.

Saturday, March 12:
No. 3 reactor of the Fukushima power plant lost its containment building to a powerful explosion caught on aired cameras;
Japanese government admitted there had been cooling problem, but stressed there were not 'meltdown'.

Sunday, March 13:
Radioactivity were detected from crew flying rescue missions from the USS Reagan. The 7th Fleet was ordered to back down to safety distance from Japanese shore;
Japanese government blamed the power company's slow reporting, but attested to the intact of the reactor vessel after the explosion, which was made of think steel.

Monday, March 14:
No. 1 reactor of the Fukushima Power Plant exploded with huge black smokes.
Japanese government acknowledged there were cooling issue with yet another reactor, No. 2. However, the government claimed the explosion of Reactor No. 1 damaged the wall of No. 2 building, therefore released thread from pressure building up.
21:00 Neutron emission detected around the damaged power plant, an indication that the shutdown might not be completed for whatever reason.

Tuesday, March 15:
Highly radioactive steams was released directly to the atmosphere through a new valve.

We wish all Japanese people well.

Diplomatic Issues

1. China and Japan 'normalized' their relationship in 1972. However, "Japan never apologized for the suffering of Chinese (300 million Chinese killed) during the Japanese invasion and occupancy", as complained by many Chinese. Former Japanese Prime Minister Tanaka Takuei (1972-1974) recalled he expressed 'being puzzled "困惑"' by what Japanese did to Chinese when he signed the 'normalization treaty' in Beijing. Tanaka argued the Kanji characters 'being puzzled' has a deeper meaning of 'not agreeing'.

2. Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi Junichiro (2001-2006) is known for his family roots which are entangled with the past glory of imperial army, and unapologizing attitude on Japanese's aggressions during the WWII. Unsurprisingly he was not popular among Asian neighbors, particularly China and Korea. For a while, China suspended talks with him. During an international meeting, Koizumi suddenly showed great interest in Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao's pen, and asked for a look. The two talked briefly, and the incident was considered a breakthrough in Sino-Japan relations.

3. The Sino-Japan relationship was once again frozen after the incident of Japan detaining a Chinese fishing boat captain near the Diaoyu Islands, which is controlled by Japan while claimed by both mainland China and Taiwan. In retaliation, China announced a suspension of bilateral communication of minister level and above. When the senior officials of both countries were attending an international conference, Prime Minister Kan Naoto (2010- ) caught up with Chinese Premier Wen in the hallway, and chatted for 20 minutes. According to reporting of Japanese news media, the incident was 'executed in the manner of' while Wen walked out of the meeting room, Kan walked "in high speed in same direction" and caught up with Wen. It is assumed Wen slowed down. Japanese coverage varied on the account whether Kan walked in big steps or small steps, but agreed on the 'high speed' part.

Subtle in Bowing

US trained MBA Mr. Toyota 'apologized', finally.

While every US media ridiculing Mr. Toyota's broken English, some were quick to point out the bow took place before the news conference held in Toyota City, not after. Toyota already had senior executives apologies in a prior news conference, picky audiences complained there was no deep bow, as always seen in Japanese culture. Now, Mr. Toyota gave the audiences the 'deep bow' as they expect to see, but deliberately made it before he started to speak. In Japanese culture, this bow is a greeting gesture. For Americans, that's the 'deep bow' they had asked for.

So an American trained MBA couldn't speak English? That's another practicing prank pulled by Mr. Toyota. If reporters spent less time in laughing on the odd accent, if you read Mr. Toyota's statement on paper rather than hearing it in his broken English, they would know when Mr. Toyota used the word 'apology', he carefully to make sure on record that it was not for what Toyota did, but for the concerns of Toyota owners caused by the media.

Awakening Desire among South Koreans

Koreans had been known for their wild approach in sex in history. When Japanese occupation walked out of their barracks 100 years ago, they were shocked to see every Korean women had their breasts revealed in their entirety, though otherwise clothed. The Japanese swiftly issued an ordnance which effectively ended a thousand years Korean culture.

When Hyundai competes directly with Toyota and Samsung ravels SONY, Koreans are picking up their national confidence.

They used bomb to demolish a most magnificent palace built during the occupation a few years back. Last year, an official national committee sorted through historical document to compose a list of Korean 'collaborators' during the occupation. Those people and their decedents were prohibited from bidding for government contract. This year, a first ever 'nude beach' is set up to rock the Japanese as the capital of sex in the world.

All nude stage plays have become a new fashion that every Korean must see. On the menu next month, it's the all nude drama "When Professors Met Female Students". Commercials bragged out bright illumination on private parts with spot lights.

Toyota's Broken Axles

Japanese companies have long been accused for intentionally manufacturing products with inferior quality for Chinese market. A bunch of broken axles of Toyota cars just added to the evidents pool.

March 17, 2009, Ms. Zhang Yan of Nantong, Jiangsu was driving on a highway at around 60mph when she felt something was wrong about the Camry which she purchased less than on year ago on May 22, 2008. The car then spun off the road, but in a miracle it didn't bump into anything when it finally stopped. The rear right wheel was found 800 feet away, and the rear axle broken. It was a flat highway, and there was no scratches on the body. Apparently, the axle broke on its own.

It was not until Toyota refused to fix the car, and Ms. Zhang had to do some homework on the records of this model in Chinese market had she learned of the horrific history of broken axles on new Toyota Camry cars in China.

Zhang Jianguo of Beijing had his Camry axle broken when he was driving on Jing-Shi highway near Zhuozhou on May 22, 2009. The Toyota Camry was purchased July 2008.

On March 29, 2009, Mr. Huang Xinyuan of Shenzhen, Guangdong lost control when his Camry had two broken axles. The car was purchased on July 2, 2008.

Camry is not the one Toyota car that have been entangled with broken axles.

On January 26, the New Year's Day in Chinese lunar calendar, Mr. Li Jianming of Guangzhou, Guangdong was driving his Toyota Ritz, when the car lost control because of a broken axle. Toyota refused to have a third party agency examine the car because, ridiculously, Toyota had its own examination. The case was in the court of Huangpu, Guangzhou since June 23, 2009.

Hitachi Refused to Fix Troubling Elevator

A newly elevator installed in Building 11 in No. 1 Wanjiang of Dongguan, Guangdong made several residents hospitalized, though no one had died of it, yet.

An incomplete record of the symptoms includes:

19:20 July 7, 2009, Lost power and dropped;
17:00 July 10, 2009, Dropped from 8th floor to 7th while ascending;
14:00 July 11, 2009, Dropped from 6th floor to second while ascending;
21:30 July 13, 2009, Dropped from 9th floor to 7th while ascending;
13:25 July 15, 2009, Dropped from 7th floor to 5th while ascending;
8:50 July 21, 2009, Lost power and dropped

The Hitachi elevator, among 35 others in the community, is still within warranty. The property managing company had reported to Hitachi repeatedly, and Hitachi had revealed the surveillance camera of dropping incidences. However, Hitachi couldn't locate the cause of the problem, and refused to fix it.

Chinese consumers often complained the handling Chinese market by Japanese companies. In a high profile case, Mitsubishi refused to recall SUVs sold in China on a fuel line issue after similar mode vehicles had been recalled in Japan. Although large amount of the affected SUVs were used by the Chinese military, Mitsubishi resisted the media pressure and public outcry to issue the recall.

East West Education

Korean government had its hand on another social target. This time, it tried to set a curfew of 10:00 pm for cram schools in Korea. Usually they would go beyond 11:00 pm, and sometimes even over the midnight line. Koreans are not known for hard working, at least not as Japanese students. However, New York Times (Losing an Edge, Japanese Envy India’s Schools) reported that Japanese parents felt Japanese students are not hard working enough yet, so they hired Indian teachers to teach their kids. Now, Japanese toddlers under Indian teachers are learning calculus in kindergartens.

The US has been getting away from its crappy public school system by harvesting talents from all over the world with lucrative financial support in graduate schools. Most of these foreign students stay in the US because of job opportunities. For example, the Washington Post article (U.S. Colleges Bask in Surge Of Interest Among Chinese) reported a uprising influx from Chinese high school graduates to apply for US colleges. Year 2008 saw a nearly double increment in US undergraduate enrollment of students from mainland China, from 9,000 in 2007 to 16,000 in 2008. The problem, it's unlikely they will stay this time, unlike what has been the case for decades. On one hand, the US is struggling with sky rocket unemployment rate, and politicians are making policies to make more jobs for US citizens by kicking out more foreign high tech workers. On the other hand, Asian countries are enjoying a more robust economic growth and flourishing career opportunities. It was reported that almost all 50 some member of the graduate class of Chinese students in the Duke MBA program this year are leaving to China. Taking away with them are the knowledge and experiences that they would need to fence off their US classmates in the real world in the years to come.

London Tower is Falling Down...

Victim of Nanjing Massacre Won Lawsuit

Xia Shuqin, a survivor of Nanjing massacre, when 400 thousands Chinese civilians of then Chinese capital city Nanjing were killed by Japanese invasion, won a lawsuit against the writer and publisher of Japanese book 'A Thorough Examination of Nanjing Massacre' on slander. The Japanese Supreme Court ruled in favor of Xia. Her lawyer received 4.5 million Yen.

Japanese Vender Argues Game Pulled by Amazon

Amazon.com pulled a Japanese video game from its online market place on the Valentine's Day after receiving several angry complains from customers.

Remember famous PC game 'Leisure Suit Larry' in the 1990s, where Larry would have to get laid by flirting and honey-mouthing around? In the Japanese version, the goal is also to get laid, but by violent means. The plot starts when a guy is released from the jail. In order to earn credit, he would need to rape a single Mom at a subway station, then follow her to find her two daughters and rape them repeatedly. However, the player must watch out when they got pregnant. The fetus must be aborted by force, otherwise the game ends. In the online mode, individual players across the world can join up to gang rape a common target.

The rape simulator titled 'Rapelay' is produced by a Yokohama studio 'Illusion'. Illusion argues the game was not sold directly to the US or UK market. Also it had been cleared by a Japanese ethics committee. A spokesman for the company was quoted saying 'We believe there is no problem with the software.'

Japanese Volunteers Helped Earthquake Rebuild

Japanese volunteers helped Sichuan Earthquake rebuild. September 11, 2008, another temporary elementary school welcomed new semester. Unlike hundreds of mass production temporary schools set up in the quake area, this one will be remembered as a master piece in architecture history.


The Chengdu Hualin Elementary School is designed by Japanese architect Shigeru Ban with 'paper tube' technology. The main structure is made of mass products of recyclable materials paper tube, wooden joint and steel cables. The design features excellent ventilation and temperature control in the area known for hot and high humidity. Construction materials are easy to build and will be easy to recycle or reuse.

The project is a collaborative effort among Chinese and Japanese volunteers. Thank you Japan.

Chinese are Poison Tolerating, Said the Foreign Ministry

In answering Japanese reporters' questions on the recent gyoza poisoning cases in China, the spokesman of the Chinese Foreign Ministry Mr. Qin Gang said Chinese people are more poison tolerating, unlike Japanese people. Mr. Qin said Chinese people could wait on the regular press conference held on August 13, 2008. The story was broken by Japanese news media. This piece of conversation was not appeared in the formal transcript published by the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

earlier SR coverage

Made In China Refrigerator Sank Japanese Warship

Japanese warship was burned down last December, days after Japanese media criticized visiting Chinese destroyer was not properly fireproof. At the time it was a big irony, maybe not as much because it was just revealed that a Made-in-China refrigerator was responsible for the fire.

昨年12月、海上自衛隊の横須賀基地（神奈川県）に停泊中の護衛艦「しらね」（基準排水量5200トン）で発生した火災で、隊員が無許可で持ち込んだ「保冷温庫」が原因だった可能性が高いことが24日、判明した。防衛省首脳が明らかにした。保冷温庫は中国製で、戦闘指揮所（CIC）で隊員が飲む缶入り飲料を冷やしたり温めたりする目的で使われていたといい、何らかの理由で過熱、発火したとみられる。
　護衛艦の修理には約60億円が必要といい、同省は関係者の処分を検討している。同首脳は「他の艦艇でも同様に無許可で持ち込まれた電化製品がないか調べている」と説明した。

DDH-143 しらね (Shirane) Helicopter Destroyer was complete construction in 1980, and went through modernization in 1984. The warship belonged to First Escort Flotilla. With standard displacement 5,200T (full displacement 6,800T), the ship carries three helicopters and was the first Japanese warship to be fitted with 3D radars.

Whale Slaughtering Photos Shocked Australians

Australians were shocked when they saw the photo of a whale and its calf were dragged in a Japanese whaling ship. The picture was taken by an Australian customs ship Oceanic Viking on an official mission of monitoring and evidence collecting targeting Japanese while hunting activities in the Australian declared While Sanctuary. The Australian government, with a moral burden carried over by pre-election promise to protect the whale sanctuary, plans to bring legal action against the Japanese whaling practices.

Despite the fact that many whales, such as fin whales were on the list of endangered animals to be preserved and that Japan was a signature country of the international treaty, Japan continue to send whale hunting fleet escorted by armed coast guard warships.

The ICR of Japan issued a statement on its website disputed Australian media's description of the two whales in the picture as mother and its calf. The ICR claimed that the two whales were 'random samples' of varied size whales in a research program in order to get accurate statistic data (as the banner over the whaling ship read). However, spokesman of Peter Garrett, the Australian environment minister claimed to have received independent scientific advise saying they were in fact related.

On the other hand, the Japanese government threatened that if they had too much hassle in continuing the scientific research, they could withdraw with the treaty and start commercial whaling overnight. The majority of Japanese support whaling. "What about lambs?" angry Japanese asked western journalists.

Luxury Government Buildings Questioned

An article published in the Japanese Sankei Express (産経新聞) questioned the wisdom of a Chinese local government in Anhui Province for building luxury government buildings while leaving school kids under collapsing roofs.

Japanese funded for the rebuild of Yangzhuang Elementary School in Yingquan District, Fuyan of Anhui Province. A new teaching hall with 12 classrooms is being build thanks to $80,000 from Japan. Yangzhuang Elementary School applied for the grant in 2001. At the time, all but 4 classrooms in the 600 kids school are collapsing, and kids took classrooms under shaking bricks. They had applied for Chinese national educational grant earlier, but didn't get any. The application for international assistant was passed by the local government to the provincial government, and finally landed in the General-Consulate of Japan in Shanghai.

About the same time, the local government started building their luxury office building, which is often ridiculed by local residents as the 'white house'.

Japan sent in investigators to check out the condition, and they were shocked by the scene of hundreds of kids reading under falling roofs. The project was fully funded by Japanese Foreign Ministry's safety enhancement funds. The rebuild started in March of 2006, and finished by the end of the year. Now the school is the best building overseeing the village.

Japanese investigators published an article in the influential Sankei Express on June 22, 2007. Although they recommended the funding, but they argued that they were shocked by the excessive luxury of the office building used by the local government. The regional (county level) government's new office building is comparable to the Palace of Versailles in Paris. Its cost should be more than enough to rebuild hundreds of country schools. So what was it in local official's mind?

The article was noticed by Chinese Nanfang Daily in an investigative report. Despite the extreme poor condition of the building, the education system in the region is severely suffering from underfunding. Even teachers were not paid. The local Party boss, Mr. Zhang Zhian was reported receiving the position by bribing his county Party boss with $12,000. Nevertheless, he is still holding his position, and praised by his Party bosses.

Chinese have long been known as investing in education. However, that's only on the individual level done by individual families. The communisms government never behaves that way.

On the contrary, Japanese government place education the top priority. Education played a significant role in Japan's uprising in the late 19th century.

The question is: should the Japanese government take care of Chinese education, while the Chinese officials busy building luxury government buildings?

A Whistle Blower's Story of the Panasonic Battery Plants in Wuxi

Mr. Pan Wei, Deputy Director of the Human Resources of the Panasonic Battery Plants in Wuxi told his account of the recent Cadmium Poisoning Incident. Mr. Pan was fired for his performance in the incident.

The blog told a story of how the company hided the truth about the plant and employee's health exam results.

Atrocities Committed by Korean Troops

As a Japanese colony, Korean troops not only fought along the imperial Japanese military, but also were seen committing brutality on people of other south and eastern Asian countries.

In China, the first troop that started gang raping of women after occupying Nanjing, then capital city of China, was the Korean regiment of the 15th division.

In Vietnam War, a 47,000 strong Korean troops was responsible for slaughter of more than 5000 Vietnamese. The picture shows the aftermath of gang rape and slaughter of 1004 Vietnamese committed by the Capital(Tiger) Division of the Korean troops in a village of Binh Dinh province.

Anit-Japan Protest in Korea

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