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It seems to me people here are being fooled by the Japanese media, who are capitalizing on their neighbors' anger, and by politicians who try to use it as justification for enhancing military forces and the relationship with the United States, seen by many as the country's sole guardian.
Currently, the bilateral relationship between South Korea and Japan is facing a huge hurdle -- the Dokdo/Takeshima issue. The sanction by the prefectural congress of Shimane to formulate a commemoration day for the islets fanned anti-Japanese feeling in Korea, and protests in front of the Japanese Embassy in Seoul have been reported repeatedly on television, irritating the Japanese population.
But the news stories convey little of what ordinary Koreans are thinking, giving people the assumption that all Koreans are adamantly anti-Japanese. They fail to notice that they are being swindled by these media, who are happy to gain more viewers and readers.
Also strange are the negotiations between North Korea and Japan on Japanese citizens abducted in the 1970s. Every day NHK and other TV stations in Tokyo broadcast stories on the abductees in North Korea, but there isn't even the slightest hint of what has become of the Japanese women who went there with their Korean husbands.
Both the abductees and the wives are Japanese citizens who cannot leave North Korea. But people pay no attention at all to these women or their children -- who must number in the thousands -- while they are fascinated and enraged at stories of their kidnapped brethren, whose total number is around 100.
This double-standard can be explained by the fact that Japanese politicians gain more support from voters by showing sympathy to families of the kidnapped while they find it difficult to get people's attention by tackling the issue of people who were "determined to leave Japan for good."
The establishment of diplomatic ties with North Korea and the subsequent inauguration of a Japanese Embassy in Pyongyang are important steps in providing Japanese nationals there the appropriate support, including the issuance of passports and the recognition of their children as Japanese. (The current Japanese legislation concedes Japanese nationality to those born from a Japanese mother since April 1, 1965.) Indifference among the Japanese public, however, makes politicians and diplomats reluctant to bring up the issue of talks with Kim Jong Il.
But the most crucial question today is the anti-Japanese movement in China. Youngsters gather spontaneously to damage Japanese restaurants and consulates, and justify their actions by claiming "innocence by patriotism." But I believe these rampages are attended by mischievous Netizens under the context of being "anti-Japanese," activities that Beijing had promoted for decades. The same happened in South Korea in the 1950s. What is clear, however, is that these recent happenings have raised the ire of many Japanese, and they are directing it at the biggest country in Asia.
So Japan is surrounded by "enemies." This fear allows Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to improve his relationship with U.S. President George W. Bush, who, according to his conviction, will protect his country once it is endangered. Other politicians, who don't like this dependency on the U.S., take advantage of the tension, asserting that Japan should strengthen its national military in the name of "security." It is important that we not be fooled by those who exaggerate every nationalist action for political or personal gain.
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Word 1.fool: 놀리다, 우롱거리다, 하찮은 일로 돈을 낭비하다. 2.swindle: 사취하다, 사기하다 3.abduct: 유괴하다. 4.rampage: 날뜀, 야단법석, 격노, 분노 5.mischievous: 장난을 좋아하는, 화를 미치는 6.ire: 화, 분노
Question Violent protests outside Japanese diplomatic compounds in China stemming from the Japanese textbook issue have alarmed many. Who do you think is more to blame for the current unrest? (2005-04-18 ~ 2005-05-04) 1.Japanese right wing 2.Japanese gov`t inaction 3.Chinese protestor 4.Chinese gov`t inaction
and you`ll choose one answer. tell me the reason you choose that.
someone insists that we`ll pull together china to Japanese text book and the other problems. is it good for us what do we have to do for a break through about those problems. we think about it.(do you agree an act of violence done by chinese to japanese stores and possession in china ?) |