[토론주제] [ Topic 2 ] JAPAN

[Iriskorean]

Japan

History is sometimes in the eye of the beholder.

Although many historians have argued that history repeats itself, few have explained why it is so, not because it is beyond explanation, but, more likely, because the reason is too obvious to need any further elaboration. The reason is human tendencies rarely change.

So with a generous dose of freedom to interpret history and on the basis of acknowledgement regarding a historical ellipsis, I surmise that the post-March 11 earthquake/tsunami Japan will pose a major challenge to the rest of the world in general and its neighbors, Korea and China, in particular. Not so much because of radiation leaks or fears of a China Syndrome, as because its politicians are unable to find an outlet for the colossal amount of frustration felt at national level as the result of the biggest peacetime disaster in the history of the island nation.

Now it’s not just Naoto Kan, the current prime minister, who is incapable of leading the country that has been suffering from the “lost decade” triggered by the burst of the economic bubble but characterized by the lethargy permeating into every nook and cranny of Japanese society. His predecessors, Yukio Hatoyama, Taro Aso, Yasuo Fukuda and Shinzo Abe, served one year or less in office, representing a Japan in an unprecedented flux.

Kan’s lack of leadership, a problem shared by Japan’s political leaders, is spotlighted because of his mishandling of the current nuclear crisis, well illustrated by the failure to contain radiation leaks from the Daiichi power plant in Fukushima.

Even deadlier than the radiation is a potential combination of the senility of Japan’s political establishment with the post-traumatic anger that is bound to haunt ordinary Japanese people.

Tens of thousands of Japanese have been killed, with many times more left having lost all that they had. This scale of disaster will never fail to spook the rest of the nation that has so far been spared from the immediate ravages of the catastrophe.

Simply put, orderly lines of Japanese, ostensibly little dazed by nature’s wrath, waiting for their turn in front of supermarkets, are descendents of angry mobs of soldiers who bayoneted their way through China, Korea and the rest of Asia less than 100 years ago.

It remains to be seen how successfully Japan will grapple with the aftermath. Depending on a given development, the rest of the world may have to intervene not just to help Japan recover but guide it away from a trajectory that in the past deviated to a path of ultra-nationalism and brought a devastating war to the half of the world in the Pacific theater.

The “day of infamy” declared by FDR for Japan’s attack on the Pearl Harbor at the start of the Pacific War during World War II also was the result of a political manipulation to divert the anger of the public frustrated by the embargo imposed by the United States for Japan’s invasion of China.

This type of behavior is not limited to the Japanese, although they excel in the intensity and scale. As I said at the start of this column, I am taking examples that are readily available to me for the greater purpose of pointing out human nature commonly found irrespective of race, culture, nationality.

Once again, I want to emphasize the post-traumatic reaction is not unique to one or two countries but constitutes the basis of human nature The United States has been cited for its superior status in global politics and Japan for the immediacy of a fallout from such an emotional outburst that will directly affect us, the Koreans.

So the point is that if there is nobody in Seoul thinking about containing the possibility that Japan acts out on the post-March 11 trauma, somebody in Washington or London should start now.

[ Questions ]

[1] How do you feel about Japan ? Are you in favor or not in favor of Japan ?

[2] What‘s the best image of Japan to you ? What's the worst image of Japan to you ?

[3] After a huge disaster occurs, The Japanese people act cool and calm. Are you impressed by the Japanese reaction ?

       Do you have the Japanese friends who stay in Japan now ?

[4] Japan is famous for unusual, innovative items. Is there a particular item you'd recommend ?

      ( For example : stationery, food, car.. Anything is OK~^^ )

[5] Sometimes I feel scared by the Japanese with their banal remarks and plastic smiles ( 가식적인 예의 ) .

      Do you feel like me ?

[6] Do you enjoy the Japanese culture ? ( Culture includes books, food, animation, movies, fashion  etc. )

      Any answer is OK. Just say what you enjoy !

[Iriskorean]

JAPAN 에 대한 제 감정은 호의를 넘어 좋아하는 편입니다.
몇해 전 일본작가 "시오노 나나미"의 "로마인이야기" 독서가 일본에 대한 제 감정변화 (넘 싫다->꽤 좋군 )의 시발점입니다.
독서하면서 발견한 로마인과 일본인의 공통점은 "자신을 낮추면서 남으로부터 무언가를 끊임없이 배우기 + 발전하기" 였어요~^^ 그 영향으로 저의 Motto 중 하나는 "오늘도 나는 배운다" 입니다~*^.~*

[Rachel80]

"오늘도 나는 배운다" !! 넘 멋지네용....*^.~*

[Iriskorean]

~~*^.~*