Intraview

Hello! Glad you stopped by!

For my first post, I’m republishing an interview conducted between Kokuryu (otherwise known as Nevin Thompson) and me when we were writing for Japundit.

This will give you a good idea about my perspective on conditions in Japan and its relationships with other countries in East Asia.

Here’s a taste:

Q: Why do Koizumi’s visits to Yasukuni Shrine provoke such strong reactions among Chinese people, Koreans and other people in Asia?

A: It allows people to indulge their emotions. The Chinese public certainly has no other outlet for political expression. Also, it’s more satisfying than watching cheap television dramas because the element of nationalism gives them a sense of belonging to something greater than their everyday lives. So much of what passes for public opinion everywhere in the world is just emotionalism in disguise.

It has nothing to do with today’s reality. Imperial Japan no longer exists. It was annihilated, and everyone in Japan knows it. With the exception of a miniscule minority, no one in Japan is interested in reviving it. The idea held by some Koreans and Chinese that Japan is ready to do it again is fatuous.

You can read the full text at this page.