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ASIAN AMERICAN ISSUES
JAPAN'S IMPACT ON THE ASIAN IMAGE
t has long been seen as the fountainhead of consumer electronics technology. Its cars are consistently among the world's most admired. Its corporations own two major Hollywood studios. Its kiddie culture has all but killed off Mickey Mouse and Barbie. Its $4 trillion GDP is number two behind the U.S. and its workers earn 25% more per head than Americans.
Bravo Castrati!
That's how many Asian Americans see Japan. A nation that should command the stature of a powerhouse -- and elevate the image of all Asians in the process -- possesses the geopolitical profile of, say, Switzerland, a nation a thirtieth its size. Japan's leaders are seen as mere hand puppets in a sad half-century charade of democracy. Its homes are cramped. Its men function as soulless drones whose women fly into the arms of western males. Even its vaunted economy has been on the ropes for ten years and looks ready to go down for the count. What little testosterone it possessed seems to have left with Ichiro.
A nation that should champion the Asian image has only reinforced every insulting stereotype. To many Asian Americans, Japan has done less than its smaller, poorer neightbors. Little Hong Kong exports asskicking action stars. South Corea exports people who take hooey from no one. Taiwan exports tech entrepreneurs to Silicon Valley. Impoverished China, Vietnam and even nutcase North Corea showed balls in standing up to the west. But mighty Japan? Spiritually it seems never to have recovered from its defeat in World War II.
Is Japan carrying its weight or slacking in the Asian image department?
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WHAT YOU SAY
[This page is closed to new input. --Ed.]
(Updated
Tuesday, Apr 1, 2008, 06:00:47 PM)
Your perception of Japan is dogged by jealousy and resentment; very biased indeed.
Kagaya Rinoa
Saturday, October 20, 2001 at 22:01:07 (PDT)
Japan, your sun is setting. And the bright red star of the old Asian power, the civilization originator not follower, China, is rising again. Japan is a disgrace to other Asians. Though it is wealthy, it has no soul. It has thoroughly enslaved itself to the West, while it is a cruel and heartless victimizer towards it's Asian neighbours. China is the only true and proud Asian nation, after a century and a half of poverty and weakness, China is once again regaining it's historical and natural place, which is Asia's leader. Thirty years from now, China will be the center of Asia, a real Asian superpower that will rejuvenate and rally its Asian brothers around it. While Japan will be nothing but a castrated, impotent bastard child of the West slowly slipping away into a coma and wishing for past glories.
The second rebirth of the Chinese and Asian civilization is coming. And Japan will be kicked out like a dirty flea bitten dog.
Zhonghua minzu wansui
Friday, October 19, 2001 at 23:28:29 (PDT)
Dan--
Couldn't agree with you more.
Yes, Sony is the shizznit and one of the biggest recording company in the United States.
And Hell YES! We need more Asian pop and rock singers.
Japan is alright by me and Japanese Lifestyle --
I'll take your word for it buds. Seriously, you make good points.
They suck--
No you suck...but I won't say what. I'm not that rude.
Korean guy--
Yes...surfing is cool. I bet surfing could solve a lot of the world's problems. (I'm not being facetious)
Bull--
Right on!
~~~~Killer Bee
Can't we all just smoke a bong?
Friday, October 19, 2001 at 19:06:26 (PDT)
dan,
You reap what you sow...
ptwindmill
Friday, October 19, 2001 at 15:50:32 (PDT)
Japan can't innovate? Compared to the United States? Probably not! United States is the most innovative country in the world! Assuming you are aware of the various innovations being developed all over the world, let me ask you something. What other Asian nation can innovate more than Japan? What FEW European countries can be "considered" to be better innovator than Japan? Be honest!
Japanese wants to be white? Give me a F'ing break. You think you know Japan by looking at it's POP culture? Looking at American POP culture, I guess all white people in U.S. wants to be black.
Japanese think of themselves as beneath Westerners? Obviously you haven't really talked to many Japanese, or Western business negotiators.
Japanese would not have achieved economic success/status without United States? Yes, the United States helped. However, obviously you didn't know Japan was a net creditor nation before WWII. I guess you didn't understand the economic success that allowed Japan to be a military power before WWII.
If you ask what Asian country they would live in if they HAD to live in Asia, I bet most of Americans choose Japan more than any other.
You say so what? Well, if you are an AA, obviously you are in US for some reason. I'll just bet that Japan can offer most of those things more than any other Asian nation.
Japanese Lifestyle
Friday, October 19, 2001 at 09:46:31 (PDT)
Really what is the deal with Japanese not getting married and having kids anymore?
I'm not sure if Japanese women marrying non-Japanese men and moving away from Japan can completely explain this trend. That couldn't account for more then 25% max.
I have a theory which may or may not hold any water, but from my experience with Japanese women almost everyone of them is some sort of amature artist. They attempt to live life in a very artistic fashion. From the way they decorate thier apartments, to the way they dress, to their view on sex and relationships as an avenue for new experiences and self knowledge. It's like thier whole lives are summed up in the Pillow Book or thier experiences. The fact is most very artistic people shun conventional institutions like marraige and raising children as mundane and uninspired. They would rather go through life traveling to new destinations and meeting new lovers every year all in the quest for self knowledge. They resent middle class morality is oppressive and wish to life a life full of highs and lows. People like this generally don't give a hoot about natinal problems or the effects of extreme decadence. I think these Japanese women regard fashion and artisitic flightiness as the end all achievement of he human being. I also think these women account for about 60% of the drop in birth rate and miserably low marraige rate. There is defintely something wrong between the genders in Japan. I don;t claim expertise as I am not Japanese but from the several Japanese women I have met, this seems to be a running theme.
Cork
Friday, October 19, 2001 at 08:52:49 (PDT)
after the two nuclear boombs, japanese only know to bend down their knees in front of americans, or any whites...
come on! stand up! the big SONY record company is one of the biggest record companies in U.S. why only sign and promote the whites or blacks musicians? we need asian singers, pop stars in U.S. too!
dan
Thursday, October 18, 2001 at 23:05:22 (PDT)
I think Ichiro has done alot recently in improving the image of Asian men. He's an excellent player and really good-looking.
Ona
Thursday, October 18, 2001 at 22:54:56 (PDT)
I hope other Asian countries like China, Korea & Singapore avoid what Japan did to herself. That is blindly following western trends & culture. Japan is a country without her own soul and self. Yes, it is the 2nd largest economy in the world. But for how much longer? If it were not for the US's assistance, Japan would not have achieved such a status. The country has no ability to innovate and create new technologies. All it does is copy European and US inventions. Japanese are the most whitewashed Asians. They hate being Asian. Look at their pop stars. How many of them have dyed blonde hair? People would think Japanese have blonde hair, not black like other Asians.
FOP
Thursday, October 18, 2001 at 18:33:31 (PDT)
Uh ... you say Japanese women fly into
the arms of western males?! ...
Hold on while I book a flight ...
Western male
Thursday, October 18, 2001 at 18:06:40 (PDT)
[We're talking about perception and image here so go at your own risk. --Ed]
Many Japanese are simply American wannabe puppets with no identity of their own. They are despised in Asia and made fun of by America. Japanese are world's biggest hypocrites!
America forever
Thursday, October 18, 2001 at 17:08:39 (PDT)
Hey "They Suck" dude, you are ignorant!
[[Not one man in Japan own a pair of solid balls]]
Yeah right. I guess that's why Japan is the only Asian country that competes successfully in No Holds Barred type of fighting. Brazilian fighters frequently say the Japanese are the only other nation with true fighting spirit. Top American NHB fighters frequently travel to Japan or Brazil to train. No NHB fighters go to other Asian countries to train. Those guys don't bullshit about their style of Martial Art. They just fight and let the fights talk for them.
[[their women are cheap sluts]]
Yeah, right. Most Japanese women prefer Japanese men. There are actually small percentage of Japanese women who prefer Western men (some of them are hardcore). Those small percentage are everywhere the Westerner are likely to be. Those small percentage are the women those Westerners "conquered" while visiting Japan. I have to say one thing about those women. At least they are not after the Western men for "economic opportunities" like women of some other Asian countries.
Japan is alright by me
Thursday, October 18, 2001 at 14:18:40 (PDT)
In modern history, Japan has done more than any other country in showing what Asian countries are capable of accomplishing: First Asian nation to win in a battle in 20th century against an Western nation (Russian V. Japan), First Asian nation to surpass most Western countries in GDP and GDP per capita, First Asian nation to compete in some major key industries of the 20th century, and the list goes on.
Japan is the only Asian nation who is enjoying similar things we enjoy in the U.S: golfing, hand gliding, diving, surfing, and other recreational activities that are so rare in other parts of Asia but plentiful in Japan.
Japan is the only Asian country that has state of the art transportation system.
The list goes on and on.
Is Japan perfect? No, actually it’s far from it. Would I prefer to live in Japan over the United States? Hell no! We live in the United States because of the lifestyle it offers us. And I say Japan is closest by far to any other nations in Asia that could offer lifestyles we hold dear.
Say all you want about Japan. But what does other Asian nations currently offer its people? Is it what you want? Why did you leave your country? Why is the immigration from Japan to US so small (per capita) compared to other countries? It's probably because modern Japan can offer the lifestyle many people want, at least more than any other Asian nations.
Japanese Lifestyle
Thursday, October 18, 2001 at 13:58:39 (PDT)
"Japan's economy: Japan's economy is in decline because of its shrinking population. Its simnple as that." Korean Guy.
Exactly right. The shrinking population has created what economists call the liquidity trap. Will the US become like Japan, asks economist Paul Krugman. The answer is clear: it is one legislation away from becoming like Japan. Pass the Tancredo bill banning all foreigners from visiting or immigrating to this country. The airline industry will be destroyed and the hotel industry would be annihilated. The unemployment rate is expected to increase to 6.5% by next summer. But, with the Tancredo bill it would increase to 12%. The US will become another Japan. It would be the end of the American dream!! Then our whiteness will not protect us
White Male
Thursday, October 18, 2001 at 11:21:11 (PDT)
The Japanese have been permanently castrated. Not one man in Japan own a pair of solid balls, and their women are cheap sluts. That country is a shambles in any area other than their economic status. That's the only good thing I have to say about them.
They suck
Thursday, October 18, 2001 at 00:11:54 (PDT)
Japan's economy: Japan's economy is in decline because of its shrinking population. Its simnple as that. This has been pointed out in number of business articles, but they were all low profile. 1999 had the smallest entering 1st grade class since Japan started keeping such records.
Japan's politics: What does everyone expect Japan to do? I think they do a better job than any with non-interference. They get along well with most of the world with of the exception of the US (trade) and some east asian countries (middle school history textbooks). And for the most part they get along well with the US/east asia.
Japan's men: well, I don't know what to say about this. They need to relax and stop studying so much. Go surf!
korean guy
Wednesday, October 17, 2001 at 19:40:31 (PDT)
This is such BS. Japan rocks.
bull
Wednesday, October 17, 2001 at 17:15:38 (PDT)
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