My fellow blogger, Gon has posted a statement against the revisionists' advertisement on Ianfu (sex slaves during WWII) on Washington Post.

I have translated it word for word. Could any of your native English speakers proof-read below? Your support is greatly appreciated!

----------------------------------------

To our friends of the world

You may have become very suspicious of Japanese　people today.
It is such a pity for us, but you have rightly done so.
The full-page advertisement on coercion of "Jugun Ianfu (sex slave)" on Washington Post 
http://nishimura-voice.up.seesaa.net/image/thefact_070614.jpg

has enough impact to threaten the minds of people of conscience in the world.

It is not hard to imagine that this declaration surprised you so much that it made it difficult for you to understand its intention,　especially for those who believes in freedom and democracy.

Now, we are concerned more than anything else,　that you, our friends, may misunderstand how each each Japanese is feeling about this issue.

In other words, to come to one conclusion which will be naturally drawn, based on the apology by Prime Minister Abe and the advertisement denying "coercion of sex slavery"　endorsed by a number of politicians of both ruling and opposing parties, and well-known academicians and critics.

We are concerned that you may tragically judge that Japanese people are so insincere, that they would let the Prime Minister apologize,　but in fact are not repentant at all.

As this news reveals, there are some Japanese　who are so vile that refuse to repent of the past, shift the logic, trivialize the issue, and enhance own authority and deprive of power　by justifying their own wrongdoings.

And this way of thinking has become deeply prevalent among politicians, mainstream media and some of wealthy people.

Unfortunately, this influence has been evident as seen in;
- the dispatch of Self Defense Force (SDF) against peace group's activity in Henoko Okinawa, the habitat of dugong, the endangered sea mammal,　
- SDF's monitoring over legal political activities of citizens,
- censorship on history textbook by Ministry of Education to deny military involvement on unprecedented group suicides during the WWII)
These are illustrating the crisis of our democracy to the level that we have never experienced after the war.

Therefore, we have made a joint declaration on May 3
"To Oppose the Regime Change by the Current Japanese Government"

This describes a unique situation of Japan today.
Please take a look when you have time since it is a bit long.

To the peoples of the world, on May 3, 1947 right after the WWII, we the Japanese made an oath, by implementation of our constitution, so that we do not repeat the same mistake again.

That oath is still crystal-clear for us.
We hope that you trust us in this regard.
Please keep our appeal in your mind, and deliver it to as many people as possible.

We would like to close our message, with the Preface of Japanese Constitution.

PREFACE
We, the Japanese people, acting through our duly elected representatives in the National Diet, determined that we shall secure for ourselves and our posterity the fruits of peaceful cooperation with all nations and the blessings of liberty throughout this land, and resolved that never again shall we be visited with the horrors of war through the action of government, do proclaim that sovereign power resides with the people and do firmly establish this Constitution. Government is a sacred trust of the people, the authority for which is derived from the people, the powers of which are exercised by the representatives of the people, and the benefits of which are enjoyed by the people. This is a universal principle of mankind upon which this Constitution is founded. We reject and revoke all constitutions, laws ordinances, and rescripts in conflict herewith. We, the Japanese people, desire peace for all time and are deeply conscious of the high ideals controlling human relationship and we have determined to preserve our security and existence, trusting in the justice and faith of the peace-loving peoples of the world. We desire to occupy an honored place in an international society striving for the preservation of peace, and the banishment of tyranny and slavery, oppression and intolerance for all time from the earth. We recognize that all peoples of the world have the right to live in peace, free from fear and want. We believe that no nation is responsible to itself alone, but that laws of political morality are universal; and that obedience to such laws is incumbent upon all nations who would sustain their own sovereignty and justify their sovereign relationship with other nations. We, the Japanese people, pledge our national honor to accomplish these high ideals and purposes with all our resources.

We look forward to meeting you some time somewhere.

Sincerely,

Your Japanese Friends

Yesterday, I was astounded by the shooting in Virginia, but was thinking that it was a unique thing about America.

Now, I heard about another shooting, this time in Japan. A member of yakuza shot Ito, current mayor of Nagasaki from the back during the election campaign. You may not know, but Nagasaki is the 2nd and the last city attacked by a nuclear bomb toward the end of the WWII on 9 Aug 1945.

I am so mad at this news, feeling the blood boiling in my body. I don't think I can write properly today.

Major media is trying to cover up by saying that the shooter had personal grudge related to the city's public works. That is totally absurd.

Ito was known to be strictly against nuclear arms. He publicly made anti-nuclear speeches several times. He was also very critical of recent arguments on Japan's nuclear armament, led by major LDP politicians around prime minister Abe.

This is the 2nd time that the mayor of Nagasaki was shot. Let me qote the last part of the article.

On Jan. 18, 1990, then Nagasaki Mayor Hitoshi Motoshima was seriously wounded when he was shot by a senior member of a right-wing organization in front of the Nagasaki municipal government building. The bullet penetrated his chest, and he was hospitalized for a month.

Motoshima said at the municipal assembly in December 1988 that he thought Emperor Showa bore responsibility for World War II. The remarks angered the right-winger who shot him. In September 1991, the Fukuoka High Court sentenced the perpetrator to 12 years in prison for attempted murder and other crimes.

"I don't know why [Ito] had to be shot," Motoshima, 85, said Tuesday. "A politician can't satisfy everyone with his politics, but that doesn't justify violence. This is unacceptable, whatever the reason."

Ito, a native of Nagasaki and a graduate of Waseda University, won a seat in the Nagasaki Municipal Assembly for the first time in 1975. After serving two terms, he served for three terms as a Nagasaki Prefectural Assembly member. In 1995, he defeated Motoshima to become mayor of Nagasaki.

In the same year, the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II, he gave a speech calling for nuclear disarmament at the International Court of Justice in The Hague.

Wow. This is an absolute must-see. The Constant Gardener 

I decided to rent out this movie because I was interested about drug companies in Africa and 2 of greatest actors, Ralph Fiennes and Rachel Weisz. I knew Ralph Fiennes would always be good in romantic tragedies. But this film was so much more than that.

It is such a painful, emotional film. It forces you to face the other side of real world that is neatly covered from our eyes.  Justin, the British diplomat is a quiet guy, content in his life in Nairobi, surrounded by greens that he takes care of, and the beautiful young wife Tessa.

But everything changes when Tessa was found murdered near Lake Turkana. Justin starts walking into her life that he had been avoiding, and starts finding out about what a drug company "Three Bees" was doing in Africa.

I was emotionally moved by the scenes showing the slum in Nairobi (just outside is a golf course with beautifully trimmed green), local hospital where Tessa gives birth, the village in the dessert which is later attacked by a raid by horsemen, and painfully beautiful Lake Turkana... I see that these impressive shots are largely due to the talent of the Brazilian director, Fernando Meirelles. I haven't watched "City of God", but this film makes me want to do so!

Both Fiennes and Weisz are showing believable, strong performance. Fiennes shows changes of Justin from gentle, dull character into man of conviction for his love for Tessa. Weisz is depicting Tessa as passionate, extreme character but with motherly love. (She is exposing her nudity in her full months of pregnancy, and this is actually adding depth to the character.)

Now the story. Both original story as well as the script were written by John Le Carre, the famous spy story writer. Both story and characters were very well developed and has impact and depth. In the early part of the movie, Justin tries to stop Tessa when she wanted to offer a ride to a boy, saying they could not do the same to thousands other. Toward the end, Justin tries to do the same. This is when we, the viewer starts sharing the sorrow that we cannot offer help to everybody who needs help, even when there is 1 person in front of us who we might be able to help.  

Off the line, this really reminds me of what is actually happening in Japan. You may already know about how Rumsfeld made money out of his investment in Gilead Sciences. Gilead Sciences developed a flu medicine called Tamiful. Tamiful was released in US and Japan before thorough study on side effects. 90% of the drug was used in Japan, and there have been many cases of serious side effects including neural effect which drives teenagers into abnormal behavior, like jumping off from the 10th floor of the apartment, or causing babies into sudden death during their sleep.

I can see how political force could push the drug into the market prematurely. Japan has become a testing ground at the expense of 55 deaths and hundreds of other serious cases.

The Constant Gardener is a fiction. But it is written based on substantial research on the facts, and filmed in the real environment. (Meirelles insisted this filmed in Kenya rather than in South Africa where filming is more convenient.) This was enough to help me open my eyes for what is really happening. I am sure you will enjoy and take a lot of stuff out of this film.

Wow..... the pace is accelerating.

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2006/12/061212-arctic-ice.html

When I was growing up the future was "rosy", with the ideas of super-sonic bullet train going through the core of earth from Tokyo to New York, TV phones, longevity, disposable underwear,,, etc, etc.

This is the illustration of Hiroshi Manabe, whose futuristic ideas I used to be greatly influenced as I grew up in the 70's.

Now, many of his ideas on the future already realized, (including mobile TV phone and bridges and tunnels over Japanese 4 main islands), the future has become so grim.

The future we are facing is very different from the one I used to dream about. But at the same time, I am, in a way, excited about pioneering the future for the survival of my children's generation.

10 Good Things about living in California

1. Sunny weather (except for the few weeks in Jan/Feb)

2. Scenic beauty

3. Organic food is available

4. More accepting to multi-cultural family like us

5. I can brush up my English (Yes, my native language is Japanese, not English!!)

6. My husband will complain less (about walking up and down the stairs of train station, about gloomy winter and hot & humid summer)

7. Dishwasher will do much of dishes (we ended up not buying one in Japan, because they are still very un-common....)

8. We will be closer to my husband's family and friends

9. I can just wear T-shirts and jeans all the time. (No proper business suites, shoes, pantyhose, winter coats, wool sweaters...)

10. Movies are cheaper there! (Regular price of movie theater in Tokyo is 1800 yen = $15)

10 Things I DON'T like about living in California

1. We will be so much more harmful to earth by using cars, dish washer, dryer, central heating.... Yes, living in Tokyo is actually much more earth friendly!  (and my husband will be engaged in environment related business... what an irony..)

2. Having to drive all the time. Beware, I am a dangerous driver!

3. Hard to find real Japanese food / grocery.

4. House is to huge to vacuum / sweep the floor

5. I will have to speak English all the time!!! (And I cannot even recognize the difference between R and L!!!)

6. My son will have hard time learming Japanese.

7. I like humid weather. It is good for my smooth, wrinkle-free skin!

8. I will miss shopping / cafe in Jiyugaoka

..... You know what? I cannot find 2 more. I guess I don't meet my family and friends in Japan so frequently anyway, and I am not into having fun in downtown Tokyo so much.

So, I guess I am inclined more toward moving to California.

You may already know, but bullying ("IJIME in Japanese) in schools has become such a big issue in Japan recently. This has always been there, but it was neatly hidden, mainly by the joint effort of schools and education boards, probably due to the pressure from Ministry of Education and Science to "eliminate bullying".

Amid the LDP's attempt to pass the legislature on thre revised Basic Education Law (what a good timing), real situation started uncovering, by increasing reports of suicides of the victims.

At the same time, faking of teaching record by schools became an issue. More than 10% of high schools were lying about the classes they taught, so that they could focus on preparing students for college exam. This time, a principal commited suicide after apologizing for the faking.

At the same time, "set up" of public opinion at Town Meetings carefully crafted by picking the right people and paying them to ask questions already scripted by the organizers. Who was the organizer? This whole "Town Meetings" was planned by the Koizumi's cabinet. Who was the chief of the cabinet then? Of couse current PM Abe!

What I am feeling now is a deep sense of desparation, for the kind of society we have become. Grim reality of lying adults overshadowing the children. Pushing people into the corner, without embracing differences, without kindness.

I still remember how I used to feel when I was bullied. I was fortunate I survived it, but I have seen other kids who was so much more deeply hurt, and lost their cheefulness and confidence.

The revised Education Reform Law will be passed at the lower house this afternoon. This will not solve any problem of our society. This will basically segregate teachers/students who can be on the side of the "authority" and those who cannot, and corner those people who is more vulnerable and sensitive.

Vulnerable teen-agers in this country will never start shooting guns in their school. Flustrated teachers won't start shooting at other people. They quietly choose to leave people behind, asking us to change the society which has been so cold and cruel to them.

Who is really listening to their cry?