Sanctions Restored Against DPRK

Recently the Abe government announced it was restoring the sanctions Japan previously held against the communist dictatorship of North Korea. These had been lifted in July 2014 in a good-will gesture that was supposed to be reciprocated by North Korea investigating the kidnapping of Japanese citizens by North Korea over several decades. Not surprisingly, the investigation has gone nowhere and so, now, the sanctions regime is back in place.

Is anyone really surprised by this? This outcome was to be expected from the very beginning and the only thing that is surprising is that anyone in the Abe administration thought that there would be genuine cooperation from the North Koreans. Did anyone really think that the DPRK would sincerely investigate, admit their wrong-doing, return the kidnapped citizens and punish the perpetrators? Of course not. The DPRK got what it wanted as soon as the sanctions were lifted, so they had no reason at all to cooperate, all they wanted to do was to play for time, keep the process going, in-name-only, for as long as possible so that the sanctions would stay off for as long as possible.

This is similar to the policy of the Obama administration in America towards Iran; lifting the sanctions first and then expecting reciprocity from the Iranians regarding their program to develop nuclear weapons. Once you lift the sanctions, the other side has already won and has no motivation to genuinely cooperate. Closer to home for Japan, this is similar to the previous embarrassment with the sanctions against Russia. Japan did not go along with the sanctions regime in the hope that this good-will gesture would be returned by Russia in some way regarding the Northern Territories issue. Instead, Japan was publicly insulted and then had to play 'catch-up' in joining the other countries in the sanctions. The whole fiasco was very damaging to the image of Japan on the world stage.

To deal with a brutal regime like North Korea, the only policy is one of strength. Although there is plenty of friction in their relationship, the DPRK is too dependent on mainland China for there to ever be a crack in the "bamboo curtain" on that front. At present, there is not much Japan can do but a policy of strength and unity between Japan, the United States and South Korea would go a long way to helping the situation. But, of course, we know the problem there. Real unity does not exist between South Korea and Japan due to continued antagonism and there are factions in all countries that are blatantly or inadvertently helping the Chinese to "divide and conquer". If these forces can be resisted and if the policy of recovery and strengthening in Japan can continue, then Japan will be well placed when the inevitable implosion of mainland China happens to assume a new leadership role in East Asia.

Remembering Prince Ito Hirobumi

It was on this day in 1909 that Prince Ito Hirobumi, the first Prime Minister of Japan, was assassinated in Manchuria by the deranged Korean An Jung-Geun. The Prince will always have an honored place in Japanese history, having played a crucial role in the establishment of modern Japan. In setting up a new system of taxation, the peerage system, normalizing relations with the Qing Empire and his work to restore order in Korea after the war with Russia, his accomplishments speak for themselves. It is, however, a pity that his assassin is today held up as a hero by bigoted elements in Korea as if he were some sort of hero for independence. The fact that this is mindless bigotry is proven by the fact that the Prince actually opposed the annexation of Korea, fearing it would be too big of a burden on Japan, and preferred it to remain a protectorate while the celebrated murderer of the Prince oddly claimed to revere the Japanese Emperor and to love Japan while his action only accelerated the issue of annexation, being upheld as an example that lawlessness would prevail if Japan did not take control of Korea.

Comfort Women and Useful Idiots

The fight is still going on in Glendale, California over the placement there of a memorial to the Comfort Women by Korean activists. They say it is to remember comfort women of all nationalities but we can see that is a lie because the statue is of a woman in Korean dress and they use these memorials to portray all comfort women as sex slaves that were exploited by the Imperial Japanese Army. This, of course, is incorrect as anyone who does just a little research can plainly see. The comfort women were prostitutes who were paid for their services and while some may have been coerced into service it was usually by their families or Korean agents and certainly not because of Japanese civil or military policy. Of that there should really be no doubt anymore, the facts are clear and plain for all to see. What is worth considering though is why these comfort women memorials are appearing in the United States, in places like California and New Jersey (always in areas with large Korean populations) when this issue had nothing to do with the United States. The answer should be obvious but some do not see it or else have difficulty keeping it in mind.

South Korea has no other reason to put comfort women statues in the United States than to try to spread discord between the United States and Japan. Particularly, they wish to spread anti-Japanese sentiment among the American public so that the American people will put pressure on their elected representatives to draw back from America's staunch support of Japan. The motivation is clear and there is no other explanation for it. From the standpoint of the current geopolitical situation, this makes no sense for South Korea but then neither does the continued antagonism toward Japan. When the greatest threat to South Korean security has always been North Korea and Communist China they should be trying to strengthen ties with all free, non-communist countries. Nonetheless, this is something South Korea has obviously committed to and everyone in Japan, and the United States, should be alert to what their true intentions are and not allow themselves to be duped by this blatant propaganda effort. In this area, South Korea and Communist China have a shared agenda which is to isolate and weaken Japan on the world stage and to use anti-Japanese bigotry as a rallying point for their own people in times of discontent.

This tactic is transparent and easy to see, nonetheless, people in Japan, particularly on the right, must be on guard to not allow themselves to be the "useful idiots" of South Korea and China in this way. After all, these countries do not care what the reasons are for ill-will between Japan and the United States as long as that ill-will exists. They want to encourage it and exploit it and some people in Japan are helping them do it, some purposely (those on the left who do not support their own country) and some inadvertently (those on the right who hold on to past grudges against America). This is to be expected from those on the left, they know what they are doing, they are treasonous and willingly take the side of the enemies of Japan on almost every issue. However, for those on the right, they really should know better and take care not to assist the enemies of Japan by trying to weaken Japan's most important alliance. Already the Communist Chinese have taken advantage of these people and used them as "useful idiots". On Chinese international media and by purchasing time on American media, the Chinese have shown clips from speeches and YouTube videos of people in Japan making verbal attacks or insults against the United States and have shown these in America, putting their own commentary along with it of course.

Some of the most prominent Japanese speakers and YouTube vloggers have had their materials used in this way by the Chinese and they are doing it for the same reason Korea is putting comfort women statues in the United States. The Koreans use the statues to make Americans see the Japanese as wicked people while the Chinese use Japanese video clips attacking America to portray Japan as a false-friend, an untrustworthy ally that hates America. Their goal is the same; to divide Japan and America and weaken the alliance so as to isolate Japan. I wish, I hope, I pray that everyone will be able to see through this tactic and think about what they are doing in the context of the best interests of Japan. Do not be "useful idiots" for Korea and China!

Scotland, Japan and Korea

HM the Emperor in Scotland

Next week Scotland will hold a referendum on whether or not to leave the United Kingdom and become an independent country (or at least as "independent" as one can be within the European Union). The coalition supporting this movement are certainly no friends of monarchy or time-honored Scottish traditions. The "Yes" vote supporters consist of socialists, communists, Irish republicans and people who have simply made a habit of hating England. Given the disreputable characters who support the break-up of the United Kingdom, it should probably be no surprise that the dictator of North Korea, Kim Jong-Un, recently came out in support of Scottish "independence" (see this article in the Daily Mail). This should be reason enough on its own for anyone in Japan to support the "No" vote. Elements in Russia have also voiced support for Scottish so-called "independence" because they feel it will strengthen the position of the pro-Russian rebels in Ukraine in terms of world opinion as they try to claim independence from the rest of the country (prior to joining Russia outright or in all but name). What does this have to do with Japan? Indirectly, more than one might think, especially with the position of powers such as Russia and North Korea. These countries support the break-up of the United Kingdom because they want to see countries like the UK weakened. As a friendly country with a long history of good relations between the Japanese Imperial Family and the British Royal Family, the dissolution of the United Kingdom is something Japan should oppose for the same reasons that powers like North Korea support it.

There is also the concern of this idea becoming fashionable and that is something that could cause Japan considerable trouble. Many news reports are already circulating about the example a "Yes" vote in Scotland could set for independence-movements in Quebec in Canada, in the Catalan region of the Kingdom of Spain or for Flanders in the Kingdom of Belgium. There are plenty of other examples as well. Consider the so-called "Ryukyu Independence Movement" (琉球独立運動). Here also is a former kingdom that was united with another monarchy and which existing countries today would like to see push for independence as a way of weakening Japan. Only recently, elements in China said that the Ryukyus should not be considered part of Japan at all. It would be very easy to imagine China giving active support (perhaps clandestinely) to a pro-independence movement in the Ryukyus both as a way of weakening Japan and to gain control of the Senkakus without risking war with Japan and the United States. All of these are reasons why the loyal monarchists of Japan and the United Kingdom should stand together in opposing these secessionist movements. It is a dangerous world and countries which are successful always attract enemies and if these enemies lack the courage to oppose a country openly, they will do it with subterfuge by supporting movements that make their enemies weaker and leave them open to outside manipulation. Now is the time for monarchist solidarity, support the "No" vote in Scotland!

(Also, notice in the Daily Mail article the source of Koreans in Japan who are loyal to the DPRK, a foreign power, rather than being loyal to HM the Emperor. Traitors in one country supporting the traitors in another country.)

The Politically Incorrect Truth About the Comfort Women Issue

The Agreement with North Korea

Some people are happy and some people are upset about the recent deal struck by the Abe government and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. That is perfectly understandable because there are both good and bad aspects to it. For those unfamiliar, the fundamental points of the agreement between Japan and North Korea is that the North Korean government has agreed to allow an investigation into the status of the many Japanese nationals kidnapped and held in North Korea for many years. In exchange for this, Japan will lift at least some of its sanctions against North Korea which will greatly benefit the North Korean economy. Foreigners may not be aware of the many Japanese people missing, kidnapped over the years by North Korea, but it is a big issue in Japan and a very long-standing one with many families suffering for decades with no knowledge at all of the status or whereabouts of their loved ones. Any movement forward on that front, anything which takes us even one step closer to finding these people and bringing them home to their families is a good thing.

That being said, obviously, there are also drawbacks to this agreement. North Korea is simply allowing the issue to be looked into. The DPRK has not acknowledged any wrong-doing or admitted that these people were kidnapped and taken to North Korea. In effect, they are being rewarded by the Japanese government for doing just the bare minimum of what any decent country should do simply because it is right. They are being given benefits simply for being slightly less evil than usual. But just slightly. It also cannot be overlooked that the lifting of sanctions on North Korea will be a major benefit to them and thus will be, in a way, helping a regime that is one of the most oppressive, dangerous and fundamentally evil in the world. That is not a good thing and Japan may end up paying a heavy price for it in the long-run. Some have also speculated that this may be the beginning of a warming in Japanese-North Korean relations that will isolate South Korea which is persistently hostile to Japan and perhaps draw the DPRK away from China. I can only hope no one is thinking that. Remember that North Korea has vowed to attack Japan first if they ever come under attack by South Korea or any other power. Remember also that the PRC is and always will be their biggest partner because the Chinese Communist Party (especially the PLA) is the only thing keeping North Korea alive.

Anything that brings some relief to the families of the kidnapping victims I applaud but I have great worries about what this means in terms of benefits to North Korea and I hope that no one is under any illusions as to what an insanely wicked regime it is to its very core.

Park, Obama, Abe Photo-Op

Many people have been talking about the recent meeting of President Park of South Korea, President Obama of the United States and Prime Minister Abe of Japan in the Kingdom of the Netherlands recently. It was the first time that President Park has agreed to meet and speak with Prime Minister Abe basically because of the irrational anger of those in the Republic of Korea who think they should shun Japan until absolutely everyone in the entire country agrees completely with them on their own national view of Japanese history. Which is rather ridiculous to say the least. However, the meeting did happen and there is probably some symbolic good to that, at least the 'ice' was broken and perhaps there can be other meetings in the future that will actually produce some good results. However, I am not optimistic and this meeting certainly produced nothing substantial, it was really just a photo-opportunity and one arranged by and for the benefit of President Barack Obama. True, the three countries did express their unity in opposing the nuclear program and aggression of communist North Korea but neither South Korea or Japan had ever expressed any change in that long-standing policy anyway. Nothing was said about why the Republic of Korea has refused to meet with the political leader of Japan and so nothing was really resolved.

This was really all about making President Obama look good. True, there was probably also a consideration of presenting the image of a "united front" to communist China and North Korea but even then, President Park did herself no favor by only agreeing to meet with Prime Minister Abe (as any mature government leader should have long ago) which President Obama arranged it. It made President Park look week by appearing as though President Obama was the "adult" who had to persuade the childish Korean president to come and sit down with Mr. Abe like a reasonable, mature person. It did not really change any perception for Prime Minister Abe who had always expressed his willingness and desire to meet with President Park, it was Park who was refusing all along to meet or speak with him. People have to understand that Obama had his own public image in mind all along. In the United States he has been seen increasingly as weak and ineffectual due to his own domestic policies and his failure to persuade anyone to go along with his efforts to punish Syria or Russia. So, he needed something that would make him look like a strong leader and this was his opportunity, by getting this meeting to happen and sitting in the middle between President Park and Prime Minister Abe, he could appear to the American public as the "grown up" who brought the two bickering children together. President Park and Prime Minister Abe were both basically used as background decorations in a photo-op to make Barack Obama look like a great statesman -which he clearly is not.

Fair Weather Friends in Virginia

I have been to the Commonwealth of Virginia a number of times. It is a beautiful state with a great history and, for the most part, very nice people. However, in recent years, Virginia has been changing rather dramatically. The people and subsequently the politics and the values of Virginia have been changing and are extremely different from what they used to be. Because of some of these changes, the Virginia government now finds itself in a difficult position and, so far, neither side of the political divide has been showing much good character. It starts with the fact that, in recent years, Virginia has become home to a rather large number of Korean immigrants and Korean-Americans. As with many such people, they are extremely zealous in their patriotic attachment to the Republic of Korea though, obviously, not so attached that they would live there and no prefer the United States of America. In comparison, very few Japanese immigrants or Japanese-Americans live in the state of Virginia. Because of this, the Korean community has become more vocal and the Korean point-of-view has tended to dominate and this is reaching a point that is may become detrimental to Japan and to the Commonwealth of Virginia.

Recently, both the Republican and Democrat candidates for Governor of Virginia promised that, if elected, they would pass a law requiring textbooks in Virginia to rename the Sea of Japan as the "East Sea" as it is called in Korea because it is east of Korea and because they don't like the name "Japan" appearing anywhere. Both candidates promised to do this in order to win the votes of the large Korean community in Virginia. As it turns out, the Democrat candidate, Terry McAuliffe, a long-time friend of the Clintons and former Chairman of the Democratic Party, won the election and the bill was soon brought up to a vote and passed the state senate changing the name of the Sea of Japan to the "East Sea" in Virginia textbooks. The Korean community cheered but the Japanese government was understandably disturbed. It had never been an issue before, so why was it now? The fact that the textbooks, like most every map in the world, said "Sea of Japan" was not such a problem that the Koreans did not still come and move into Virginia in large numbers. The Japanese Ambassador wrote to Governor McAuliffe warning him that this could harm Japan-Virginia relations and this is no small issue. Japan has been very generous toward Virginia and is the second-largest source of foreign investment in the state. Some 250 Japanese-owned companies operate in Virginia and employ some 13,000 Virginians according to the 2012 numbers. Japan is also a major customer of Virginia goods with Japan buying $475 million worth of Virginia products in 2012. In the last five years Japan has invested over a billion dollars in Virginia. Japan is the 12th largest buyer of goods from Virginia farmers whereas South Korea is only 30th on the list. And, whereas Japan is the second largest foreign investor in Virginia, Korea doesn't even make the top 20.

Fearing a financial backlash to the economy, Governor McAuliffe secretly tried to kill the bill but his political enemies will not let it die and want to force him to make a decision. The Koreans do as well and the Republican Party is hoping that, no matter how things go, the dithering of McAuliffe will allow them to gain the support of Korean voters in the next election. The question now is what Governor McAuliffe will do. Obviously, Japan has been a great friend to the Commonwealth of Virginia, a major business partner and a good customer. Japan has provided investment and many good jobs to the people of Virginia but now all of that is threatened because of politicians pandering to a vocal minority group. The question is whether or not Governor McAuliffe will put the welfare of Virginia and all its people first or will he care more about the electoral prospects of the Democrat Party and cave in to the pressure from the Korean community. Will Virginia be only a fair weather friend of Japan? We must wait and see...

Making an Assassin a Saint

Some may know the Catholic Church in Korea is pushing to have An Jung Geun declared a saint. They have compared this assassin of Prince Ito Hirobumi to the great heroine St Joan of Arc.

Catholics everywhere should oppose this monstrous abuse of the causes of saints. An Jung Geun was no Joan of Arc. In the first place, St Joan most likely never killed anyone, she rode into battle carrying a banner to lead and inspire the soldiers who were fighting. Secondly, even if St Joan did kill people -it was in battle, during a war, fighting armed soldiers with honor on the battlefield. An Jung Geun murdered an unarmed man, taking him by surprise. That is totally different and it is an insult to Joan of Arc for the Korean clergy to compare her to a murderer.

Honoring a Murderer

This last Sunday the Chinese Communist bandit government, at the suggestion and with the collaboration of South Korean president Park Geun Hye, opened a memorial hall in the VIP section of the railroad station in the city of Harbin, northwest China (what used to be called Manchuria) to honor Ahn Jung Geun (seen above). The reason he is being honored, and why he is considered a national hero in Korea, is because he assassinated Prince Ito Hirobumi, the first Prime Minister of Japan and one-time Resident General of Japan in Korea. It is outrageous that such a murderer would be honored by two countries, though not surprising given that Red China still honors Chairman Mao who was the biggest mass-murderer in history and it is sickening that South Korea would be so friendly with Red China in this way, coming together over their shared hatred and bigotry against Japan. Korea has Red China to thank for their country being divided, for half of it being a family-owned slave labor camp and for the other half still remaining basically an American protectorate and yet, the South Korean government chooses to hold hands with the blood-stained dictator of China in order to nurse grudges from the first half of the last century against Japan. It is disgusting. There are other individuals in Korean history who were genuine national heroes who could be honored instead rather than heaping praise on a man who did nothing noteworthy in his entire life besides murdering an unarmed and unsuspecting statesman. They should all be ashamed of themselves.

COMFORT WOMEN ISSUE 慰安婦問題（07年 米TV番組から）

This is an important video, particularly for people in the United States and English-speaking world to see, on the little-told Japanese point of view on the controversial "comfort women" issue with Korea:

No Free Speech in Japan

Recently in Japan there was a court ruling against a Japanese group, forcing them to pay a fine, because of "hate speech" directed at a Korean school in Japan. No problem there? Pay attention to the details. This Japanese group was protesting the use of some nearby property by this Korean school which they had no right to. It should also be added that this school was teaching things with not just a pro-Korean slant but a pro-North Korean slant. North Korea, or the DPRK, is of course the country which has threatened to attack Japan, the United States and South Korea on numerous occasions and which is basically not even a country so much as one giant slave-labor camp for the Kim family. Anyway, this Korean school said they were being harassed and, I guess, their feelings were hurt by the things the Japanese protesters were saying outside their school so they took them to court and the Japanese group was prosecuted, not even for breaking a Japanese law, but for violating an international agreement or treaty or something against "hate speech". Personally, I do not think any international law should override the laws of a sovereign nation and I don't think any Japanese man, woman or child should be obliged to obey any law that was not passed by the Japanese government and signed by HM the Emperor -but that's just me.

All that this court ruling has done is to illustrate how the free speech of the Japanese people is being suppressed. Is that a surprise? Not really, since, as we have discussed before, according to the Chinese and Korean republics that are neighbors of Japan, the Japanese are not supposed to have any rights or freedoms at all. They don't think the Japanese have the right to their own flag (they protest against the Japanese flag, especially the naval flag for some unfathomable reason), they don't think the Japanese should have the right to their own national anthem (they protest against that too), they don't think the Japanese should have the right to teach their own children because these republics are always protesting about Japanese textbooks and they don't think the Japanese should have the freedom of religion because they protest every time anyone goes to pray at the Yasukuni Shrine. They don't even think the Japanese have a right to their own opinion or to even think for themselves because they are always claiming to know what the Japanese people are "really" thinking and what their words "really" mean. Take Takeshima island; the South Koreans are upset just because the Japanese think that island is Japanese. Japan does not dispute that South Korea has the island and controls it but just because some Japanese think this is unjust it drives the Koreans crazy.

You will also notice that these international law against hate speech applies only to the Japanese and not to the Koreans who hold protests and spew hate speech against the Japanese all the time. We recently talked about how they even teach their children to do this. They have displays in Korea with hate-filled people killing animals associated with Japan, ripping Japanese flags with their teeth and burning Japanese symbols. Yet, South Korea never fines these people for their hate speech. And one has to wonder that if the Koreans think the Japanese are so terrible; why are they living in Japan?! Why do they not just leave and go back to South Korea? I am sure no one in Japan would be upset if they did. I certainly wouldn't be.

PRC and ROK Snub Abe

Once again the most murderous regime in human history, that illegitimate bandit government in Peking that calls itself the People's Republic of China is snubbing the leader of the Japanese government, Prime Minister Abe. There is a big conference coming up and the current dictator of Red China will be meeting with many other Asian leaders but has said they will definitely not be meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Abe. What are they afraid of? Two countries do not have to agree on everything or even like each other just to talk to each other but the Red Chinese must be very frightened of Prime Minister Abe because they are refusing to even speak with him. The reason they give, as usual, is their spurious claim to the Senkaku Islands which belong to Japan. The conference isn't about the island dispute, it would likely not even be mentioned and yet, because Japan doesn't take the ridiculous Chinese claim to the Senkakus seriously, the communist dictator is refusing to even speak to the Prime Minister of Japan. Mr. Abe is likely very relieved by this really. Talking to the dictator of a country that runs slave labor camps and drives over its own people with tanks would be a sacrifice for any civilized person anyway.

However, the bandit government is not alone! The President of the Republic of Korea is refusing to meet or speak with Prime Minister Abe as well. Their reasons are even more convoluted. Red China opposing Japan is not surprising (what is evil will always hate what is good) because China has had a government and ideology ever since the revolution that is opposed to monarchy and traditional Asian values that Japan is based on. The attitude of South Korea, on the other hand, really makes no sense. Both Koreas, it goes without saying, are republics that have an ideology that is totally opposed to Japan as well as the whole history and values of Korea but it really makes no sense that South Korea should be on the same side as Red China in refusing to even speak to the Prime Minister of Japan. Is she afraid of something? It was China that sent hundreds of thousands of troops onto the Korean peninsula to totally destroy the ROK, not Japan, yet South Korea (and North Korea for that matter) side with Red China. In the past, Japan actually fought a war to end Chinese rule over Korea. Perhaps they just like being ruled by the Chinese and that's all there is to it. Who knows? With Red China and North Korea, both communist dictatorships who want to destroy all non-communist countries and dominate all their neighbors, South Korea and the ROC on Taiwan should be coming together with Japan for mutual cooperation. Will that happen? Probably not, at least not until these illegitimate republics start behaving sensibly.

Korean Children Learn to Hate Their Neighbor

 Recently, I remarked on how the bandit government in Peking is indoctrinating children in Red China to hate Japan and the Japanese (Red Chinese Triumphalism). Unfortunately, this seems to be an act of bigotry not restricted to the communists but shared by the other republican neighbors of Japan. Here we see drawing by school children in South Korea, proudly displayed, with an anti-Japan theme. Even among the many despicable republican regimes of the world, where anti-monarchy prejudice is common, this sort of enforced, indoctrinated hatred of a neighboring country and people is far from common. Even more than Red China, the hatred and vitriol against Japan is the most bewildering coming from South Korea. It is in the vital national interest of South Korea to be a close friend and ally of Japan. Surrounded by Japan, North Korea and Red China, Japan is the only country that doesn't want to see South Korea totally destroyed. Yet, there often seems to be more hatred aimed at Japan than anyone else on the part of the Republic of Korea. Consider for a moment that the North Korean slave state has said that if they are ever attacked by South Korea their first retaliation will be against, not South Korea, but Tokyo! There is nothing, it seems, they will not blame Japan for. It has gone beyond the ridiculous to the positively disgraceful. Just take a look at these pictures and think about what they mean. Children are not born with this kind of hatred toward their neighbors. This is something they have to learn which means this is something they have been taught which means that just like in Red China, the Republic of Korea is deliberately teaching their children and raising them up to hate the Japanese. Really, this is no different than a form of child abuse. It is shameful and should be unworthy of all Koreans.

Will Koreans Remember Their Attacks on Japan?