HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: ntetsuya@lamar.ColoState.EDU (Nishimura)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Re: An open letter to the Emperor Akihito of Japan
Date: 21 Aug 92 00:28:42 GMT
Organization: Colorado State University, Fort Collins, CO  80523

In article <3741@fcs280s.ncifcrf.gov> masuda@fcs280b.ncifcrf.gov (Michiaki Masuda) writes:

[stuff deleted]
>
>   Now, Japan has an integrity stable enough to reveal her dark age
>and to make her people realize what it was really like. Most young
>generation might understand it as a story which is unrelated to themselves
>and which they are not responsible for, and this may not lead to any 
>"apology." However, knowing exactly what their country did only half
>a century ago, they would learn appropriate attitude or view towards the 
>neighboring countries and their people.

	Many young Japanese, actually, know almost nothing about what Imperial
	Army did on the continent in WW II but years and names of events that
	are *important* for their exams.  
	There is a(n) (in)famous anecdote about what the many (some if not 
	many) know about history:

		Right after a history lecture concerning the Attack of Pearl 
		Harbor in a university, a student came up to the professor and
		asked;
			"Is that really true that the US and Japan had a war?"

	I don't think this is always the case, though, I cannot deny the story
	completely with the fact I got from my teaching experiences.  They, I 
	mean the students are honestly and innocently ignorant.  When I 
	presented what I personally learned, some of my students were just 
	shocked and some showed interests in seeking the facts.

	Yes, they can learn if there is enough information that should be from
	more than one way of point of view.


>
>   One problem is that could hamper Japan's effort to disclose the history is 
>unavailability or limited availability of domestic information. I assume 
>that there has been intentional or unintentional losses of records regarding 
>the atrocities. Probably, the best way to solve this problem is to assemble
>a joint research group of Japanese and other Asian historians under a 
>5-year (or so) project financially supported by the Japanese Ministry of 
>Education and to have them perform a thorough and unbiased survey/analysis
>of documents and information regarding WWII. Their final report should be
>regarded as the official record for the participating countries. 
>
>   What was done cannot be undone. We cannot erase the historic facts.
>To reveal and admit the most embarrasing part of our history would not lower
>ourselves. It is even an opportunity for us to show our morality, ethical 
>standard and gentle(wo)manship to the people of Asia and of the world. 
>
>   Have I motivated you enough, my government buddies?
>
>Michiaki Masuda

	I agree with your idea, Masuda-san.  I will keep telling my future 
	students (I'm currently working on my M.A. in TESOL, NOT in history :))
	about what I learned on this net, not only Japan's point of view but
	also other countries, people, and many netters point of view.  They 
	will decide what they should do by themselves.

					Tetsuya Nishimura
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
From: doi@jrd.dec.com (Hitoshi Doi)
Subject: Re: Japanese Things
Organization: DEC Japan Research and Development Center
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 21:53:32 GMT

In article <1992Aug19.165646.27054@u.washington.edu>, yoichi@milton.u.washington.edu (Yoichi Ii) writes:
# blamb@rodan.hri.com (Bill Lambert) writes:
# >[about quantity discounts]
# >Even retail sales for such everyday items such as liquor, toiletries,
# >foodstuffs, etc. lack any discount price break.
# 
# Well, if you go to Daiei (or any other supermarkets in Japan),
# you'll see a lot of "6 for Y100" deals, where if the items are bought 
# singly it costs, say, Y20.  But I guess this is more of a "special sale"
# deal than a quantity discount.

100 yen specials are very popular in supermarkets.

# If you want things in mass quantity, you can go to "oroshi-ya" type 
# establishment and get a good discount. But again, this is a bit different.
# 
# If you buy a BIG bottle of beer, it's probably cheaper (per litre) :-)

The keyword is BOTTLE here.  Beer is cheapest in bottles.
You can buy the large 2 liter or 3 liter cans of beer,
but they cost more than buying a lot of bottles.
Also it's sometimes cheaper to buy 6 individual cans of beer
than a 6-pack with a fancy label.
(They charge extra for the fancy "gift" label.)
--
Hitoshi Doi, International Open Systems Engineering        doi@jrd.dec.com
Japan Research and Development Center               decwrl!jrd.dec.com!doi
Digital Equipment Corporation Japan          [from Japan: doi@dec-j.co.jp]
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan,soc.culture.china,soc.culture.korean
From: ikeda@vxcrna.cern.ch (IKEDA,M./EP)
Subject: Re: Textbook Censorhip (Was: [LONG] Textbook Inspection)
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: European Organization for Nuclear Research, CERN
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 11:41:00 GMT

In article <jwb.714271276@capek.rdt.monash.edu.au>, jwb@capek.rdt.monash.edu.au (Jim Breen) writes...
>yoichi@milton.u.washington.edu (Yoichi Ii) quotes from The Japan Times:
> 
>>[...] concerning revision of this or that.
> 
>Frankly, I find this absolutely fascinating. In many ways there could not be 
>a more stark difference between Japanese society and that of Western liberal 
>democracies than this one. I can't comment first-hand on what happens in 
>other countries, but here the very thought of a Ministry inspecting textbooks 
>and ordering changes would be anathema to people right across the political 
>spectrum. It would (rightly) smack of social engineering and thought-policing
>of the worst kind.
> 
I wouldn't be so hasty to say that "Western liberal democracies" is that
starkly different.  The idea of "social-engineering" is practiced in a
certain way in the United States.  Of course, there is no central ministry
that systematically censors this or that.  But there are local bureaucrats
that "encourages" publishers to print textbooks that are "acceptable".  The
most well-known example is the downplaying of the teaching of evolution in
biology textbooks.  Also, pre-high-school textbooks have a tendency to show
the US as being a remarkably benevolent nation even during its imperialistic
era.  Basically the goal is the same; they want to give their children the
"right" education.  However, IMHO, I believe education that is diluted
because of political considerations is "wrong".

-- Makoto
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
From: jice@echo.asd.sgi.com (John Eisenman)
Subject: Re: Have some cash
Organization: Silicon Graphics, Inc.
Date: Wed, 19 Aug 1992 07:40:09 GMT

In article <1992Aug19.001742.8157@neopath.wa.com>, mike@neopath.wa.com
(Mike Rosenlof) writes:
|> In article <oo6kebo@fido.asd.sgi.com> jice@echo.asd.sgi.com (John
|> Eisenman) writes:
|> >
|> >In Japan I exchanged my US traveler's checks for yen.  I did this
|> at
|> >a bank.  The exchange rate for traveler's checks was much lower
|> >(at least 8 yen/dollar) than the exchange rate for cash, and even
|> >that was not very good.
|> >
|> 
|> What bank did you use? This is exactly opposite my experience - in
|> several
|> different areas.
|> 

I believe it was Mitsubishi Bank, but I am not certain.  As I stated
in my other follow-up, I could have been mistaken.

|> I do agree with Mr Eisenman's later statement that the best rate he got was
|> for credit card transactions - it usually is very close to the market rate,
|> but I tend to stay and eat in inexpensive places that don't take credit
|> cards..
|> 
|> mike
|> mike@neopath.wa.com

--
John Eisenman (jice@sgi.com)

Silicon Graphics Computer Systems
7U-550
2011 N. Shoreline Blvd.		
P.O. Box 7311		
Mt. View, CA 94039-7311		

(415) 390-1551
From: masuda@fcs280b.ncifcrf.gov (Michiaki Masuda)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Re: Japan
Date: 13 Aug 92 00:20:32 GMT
Distribution: soc
Organization: Frederick Cancer Research and Development Center

In article <1992Aug11.164654.15105@udel.edu> shin@krusty.ee.udel.edu (Jeong-Gyun Shin) writes:

>I find it somewhat absurd having to ask who represents Japan to a netter
>apparently bearing Japanese name (so probably Japanese citizen).  Who's
>in control in Japan to give continuum of Japanese nation?

   If your "continuum" means the condition that allowed Japan to
exist continuously (but of course, in a different way) from 1945 until the
Peace Treaty, when the basis of postwar Japan was constructed, it was 
controlled mostly by non-Japanese.

   If it is the continuous state of Japan for the last several
decades after independence, it was controlled by Japanese. 

   Are you expecting me to pick up some specific names? If I said
Kiichi Miyazawa is currently representing Japan (which, in my opinion, is 
not true), would you be satisfied with blaming just him?

>>   Thirdly, I wonder why Japan did not express apology in 1945 or at least
>
>Let time pass and then let later generation claim 'we have no responsability
>over what our fathers did/committed.'

   Thank Buddah, er, I mean, Thank God! You said, "fathers." 
So, you seem to have already omitted "mothers" from your list.
You've also omitted those whose father was not involved in the atrocities?
I wonder what you would do if you found out that the great grandfather of
your Japanese friend - if you have any - was a war criminal. 

   Seriously saying, I suspect that there was an unwritten consent 
or a gentleman's agreement (sorry, ladies) at the diplomatic stage
that apology is not necessary.

Michiaki Masuda
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan,soc.culture.china,soc.culture.korean
From: jwb@capek.rdt.monash.edu.au (Jim Breen)
Subject: Textbook Censorhip (Was: [LONG] Textbook Inspection)
Organization: Monash University, Melb., Australia.
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 00:41:16 GMT

yoichi@milton.u.washington.edu (Yoichi Ii) quotes from The Japan Times:

>The revisions were approved following the Education Ministry's annual inspec-
>tion of textbooks, in which 114 were cleared, including 26 on social studies.

> seven of the eight publishers were instructed to make revisions.

>The ministry stressed that ....
>It said three elements must be present: .....
>The ministry directed publishers to .....
>The ministry said inspectors expressed an average of 50 opinions ...
>The ministry said many of the submitted draft textbooks failed to ...
>One publisher was directed to take up negative aspects of Stalin's policies..
>The ministry also instructed publishers to contain references to ....
>The ministry said textbooks should mention .......
>One publisher was ordered to delete a detailed description on Swedish ..
>The ministry stressed problems of foreign labor cannot be .....
>The ministry applied the socalled "neighboring nations criterion" in screening
>Under the criterion, a publisher was instructed to rewrite ......

Frankly, I find this absolutely fascinating. In many ways there could not be 
a more stark difference between Japanese society and that of Western liberal 
democracies than this one. I can't comment first-hand on what happens in 
other countries, but here the very thought of a Ministry inspecting textbooks 
and ordering changes would be anathema to people right across the political 
spectrum. It would (rightly) smack of social engineering and thought-policing
of the worst kind.

Why do the Japanese people let it happen? Do they really *like* having their
beaurocrats censor the books their children read?

Comments please, especially from Japanese nationals.

-- 
Jim Breen                           JIS:$B%8%`!!%V%j!<%s(J
Department of Robotics & Digital Technology. Monash University. 
PO Box 197 Caulfield East VIC 3145 Australia (ph) +61 3 573 2552 
(fax) +61 3 573 2345  AARNet/Internet:jwb@capek.rdt.monash.edu.au  
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
From: J105270@LMSC5.IS.LMSC.LOCKHEED.COM
Subject: Re: Learning Japanese in Japan
Organization: Lockheed Missiles & Space Company, Inc.
Date: Thu, 13 Aug 92 19:52:38 GMT

I agree with T.P.'s response so will keep this short...

While lost with a friend in the countryside in Japan, we stopped and asked
two farmers for directions. My friend being fluent got what we needed. Neither
farmer used a word of English. As we pulled away I heard one say to the
other,in Japanese of course, that he did not know (his friend) could speak
such good english.

It is a game, a contest that I never won (lack of skill) but it was fun.

It did not bother me since I knew plenty of people who would not let use
English.

Have fun,

MartyG
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
From: king@meaddata.com (Mike King)
Subject: Looking for penpal
Organization: Mead Data Central, Dayton OH
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 20:27:22 GMT

I'm looking for a penpal to talk about anything/everything.  I'm very
interseted in Japanese culture and what it's like to live in Japan
today.  I would prefer you to be female. 

My name is Mike and I'm a software engineer working for a division of
the Mead corporation.  I'm 26, 5'10", and approximately 175 lbs.  I
have a wide variety of interests including; almost anything done
outdoors, all kinds of music, history, politics, and just about every
sport.  I'll glady give out more details to anyone who replies.  See ya.

-- 
Michael W. King     |  "I'm going to graduate on  |     (513) 865-1395   
Mead Data Central   |  time, no matter how long   |     CAPRR Conversion
P.O. Box 933        |  it takes"                  | mead!mwk@uccba.uc.edu
Dayton, Ohio  45401 |      -- Rod Brookin         |    ...!uccba!mead!mwk
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
From: rto051@hippo.sps.mot.com (Chang Suk-Kyung)
Subject: Re: Have some cash
Originator: root@mogate.sps.mot.com
Organization: TDO
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 01:23:56 GMT

In article <oo6kebo@fido.asd.sgi.com> jice@echo.asd.sgi.com (John Eisenman) writes:

>In Japan I exchanged my US traveler's checks for yen.  I did this at
>a bank.  The exchange rate for traveler's checks was much lower
>(at least 8 yen/dollar) than the exchange rate for cash, and even
>that was not very good.

Hmm.  I have exchanged money several times at different banks in Japan,
and I have _never_ seen the TC rate worse than the cash rate.  Further,
the buy/sell rates for TC are usually only about 3 yen apart, which means
that it's impossible to do much better.  (Cash rates seem to usually be
about 1 yen worse, for a spread of about 5 yen).

On the other hand, the exchange rates in the airports in the US (I've
only paid attention to SF and LA) usually seem to have spreads of more
like 10-15 yen, meaning you lose 5-10% by exchanging there over Japanese
banks.

I'll be going to the bank to exchange money next Monday morning, and going
through Narita and LAX that afternoon (give or take 16 hours of 'jisa'...).
I'll write down the rates for whatever bank I go to here and the exchange 
windows at Narita and LAX, and post them the middle of next week.
-- 
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
THIS IS A BORROWED ACCOUNT!          David Luke
   SEND ALL E-MAIL REPLIES TO:        ruser@hippo.sps.mot.com
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
From: therese@crchh588.NoSubdomain.NoDomain (Therese McCarthy)
Subject: New Year's Eve in Japan
Keywords: New Year's Eve
Organization: Bell-Northern Research, Richardson, Texas
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 1992 14:42:45 GMT

Hello--

I will be traveling to Kyoto at the end of this year (after Christmas and
through to New Year's) and was wondering what type of typical celebrations
for New Year's Eve can I expect in Japan?  Are there any type of gatherings
as similar to Times Square in NYC or Trafalgar (sp?) Square in London?
This is my first trip to Japan, but I'm interested in spending New Year's
Eve somewhere other than a bar/beer hall.  Anyone have any ideas/suggestions?




Thanks much,

Therese McCarthy (therese@bnr.ca)


Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan,soc.culture.china,soc.culture.hongkong,soc.culture.taiwan
From: zzuo@iastate.edu (Zhiqi Zuo)
Subject: Re: An open letter to the Emperor Akihito of Japa
Organization: Iowa State University, Ames, IA
Date: Thu, 20 Aug 1992 18:01:05 GMT

In article <907@hobby.ukc.ac.uk> mhs@ukc.ac.uk (M.H.Smith) writes:
>In article <1992Aug18.204502.1796@news.iastate.edu> zzuo@iastate.edu (Zhiqi Zuo) writes:
>   Once I came across a Japanese girl who absentmindly said that Manchuria
>   STILL should be Japanese.
>
>And if you come to Britain you will meet plenty of people who think
>that India should still be a British colony; I hope you would not
>judge me by what some moronic Brit says.

NO, of course not. But it is dangerous for some people to bear the idea, 
isn't it?
Xref: sparky soc.culture.japan:6892 soc.culture.china:23284 soc.culture.hongkong:9904 soc.culture.taiwan:12059
From: news@comlab.ox.ac.uk
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan,soc.culture.china,soc.culture.hongkong,soc.culture.taiwan
Subject: Re: An open letter to the Emperor Akihito of Japa
Date: 19 Aug 92 08:52:36 GMT
Organization: Oxford University Computing Laboratory, UK

In article <SMITTIE.92Aug18124612@beach.csulb.edu> smittie@beach.csulb.edu (Smittie) writes:

>The Chinese who harbor hatred will become the problem.

I see.  So it is the Chinese who caused the problem.  Not the massacre by
the Japanese.  Nor the Japanese history books which failed to acknowledge
the massacre.

-- T.H. Tse
From: yunson@lpf.umd.edu (Yunson Du)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Re: An open letter to the Emperor Akihito of Japa
Date: 21 Aug 92 01:52:29 GMT
Organization: University of Maryland, College Park

I have followed this topic for a long time until
I posted. I was especially suprised at what Mr. Dave 
McLane (davidg@aegis.or.jp) said. Since he posted 
numerous postings, it is hard to use his exact
quatation. But I should point out that he does not
know one most important foundation that peace can really
rest on: That is respect of ALL human being. It is 
wrong to "enter" other nation and kill all people there. It
is, in any sense, WRONG!!!. You said you talked with
a lot of Japanese and they think the war is justified
and they keep silient just to be polite. You compared
the rape of Nanking with what the White did to indian
centuries ago. Then you argued that, since American 
government does not apology, why should Japan?  You
then said that there was no common justice. You also
tried times and agian to sell your 20 century's most
notorious idea: it is alright for stronger to attack 
the weaker. You tried very hard.

If everybody shares your philosophy, no peace will
last on Earth. The only way to avoid the future war
is that: let us talk, we are all human being, we all
respect each other and we all do not want war. 
The Japanese you talked to are either not typical, 
or Japanese government has done such excellent cover-up 
that Japanese people are not aware of the fact that millions
of innocent Chinese people have died in that terrible war.
They are not animals.
They are the very HUMAN BEING. Tell me how they justify
their "entering" into china? Want to do a good favor to
china? Or want to do good to Japan? CLEARLY, the 
government wanted to do good to Japan. It was fine as
long as you do not kill/rape other people. Do you
think Japnaese is above Chinese, so killing some (oh,
in no way it is some, it is MANY, MANY). You do not
have no respect of Chinese people. In the mean time,
you won't get any respect. How dare you are? 

WW2 seems do not teach you anything. Why Hitler started
the war: he thought German is above all other people,
he thought German should conquered all the other people.
He was wrong. Many, many people suffered, including
German. Donot play fire again, please, for the sake of all
human being. 

There is one common understanding: respect ALL human
being. The world is changing towards this understanding,
after paying a dear price. Grow up, you little baby. 
Grow up with the world. You are not strong enough to defy
the whole world. You are strong, but the whole other
countries united is much stronger than you!

I hope you learn some. Poor, little boy, your pap forgot
teaching you that. Do not feel bad, we know it is not
your fault.  

Yunson Du
University of Maryland @ College Park.
 

There IS at least one common understanding: allme 
(and woman) 
 
once in while. T 
to chinese peoY
)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
From: pauline@mips.cs.murdoch.edu (Pauline Day)
Subject: Happy Birthday in Japanese
Organization: Murdoch University
Date: Tue, 18 Aug 92 03:01:54 GMT

I have a Japanese student staying with me (arrived on Saturday) and it is her birthday this 
weekend.  Can someone please tell me how to say 'happy birthday' in Japanese.... also any 
Japanese customs as to how birthday's are celebrated.

Thanking you in advance

Pauline Day
From: kenji@reseau.macrofield.or.jp (Kenji Rikitake)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Re: Mimana Theory Revisted (due to the Nara tombs being excavated)
Date: 12 Aug 92 15:46:28 GMT
Reply-To: kenji@reseau.macrofield.or.jp (Kenji Rikitake)
Distribution: soc
Organization: Macrofield Corporation, Toyonaka-city, Osaka, Japan
Posting-Front-End: Terakoya-u kaku 2.06 DEBUG 11-AUG-1992

In article <Aug.10.19.36.08.1992.27385@gandalf.rutgers.edu>
	junglee@gandalf.rutgers.edu (Jung S. Lee) writes:
>SEnd THem all to me. Don't waste bandwidth trying to flame over my
>article. It is useless, as you know.

Ironically, writing a news article is cheaper than writing 
international email - exchange of USENET news is free, while 
writing an international email message costs somewhat.

And some people in Japan respond to news articles while they or 
their organizations do not pay for international mail exchange. I 
think those people are not doing the right thing - they should pay 
or they should leave immediately.

BTW - it's nice to see a fair-play battle of Korean and Japanese 
runners in the Olympic Games.

// Kenji
_.. .   .___ .___ .____ _... _.. _.._ _.._. ...__   _ ___ _.__ ___ _. ._ _._ ._
"Humour is by far the most significant behaviour of the human mind."
                                -- Edward de Bono, "I am Right - You are Wrong"
From: dww@eniac.seas.upenn.edu (Grand master tong)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Re: Mimana Theory Revisted (due to the Nara tombs being excavated)
Date: 12 Aug 92 14:25:02 GMT
Organization: University of Pennsylvania

In a previous article, Mr.Jung Lee wrote:

>How many Chinese textbooks covered what the Japanese did to the Korean
>people?

>How Many??

Wake up and smell the coffee, my fellow race; Chinese history textbooks
cover primarily or mostly Chinese history; that is why there are called
CHINESE HISTORY BOOKS!

right?

Denny the master.
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan