After one of my readers posted a review in a number of parts in the comments here, he decided to gather them all up and make them into one big review, which Japan Probe has been kind enough to publish:
It puts my humble effort to shame. Thanks Scott for writing it.
UPDATE: Mr Arudou replied to the review on Japan Probe.
Far be it from me to accuse anyone of being a troll, but isn’t this going a bit far? It seems we are just piling on for the sake of piling on now.
Well, I suppose you could say that, but again it is just a recap of previously-said issues. The timing, however, is perhaps a bit too fast.
BTW, as I can barely organise a piss-up in a brewery, I didn’t know about it until it was published.
Hmm, I have another story in the queue; I’ll think about when or whether to publish.
Actually, the exact opposite.
I’ve written book reviews in the past and enjoy doing it. I realized that a bunch of comments on a less-than-neutral site was a) not really a proper review, and b) wasn’t really giving the book or the author fair treatment.
I spent a *lot* of time writing the review. I read and re-read the book multiple times. I tried to be as complete and as fair as I possibly could.
It was a good, and entirely fair, review. Kudos to you for that. I just wonder whether now was the right time, given that everybody is a bit tense.
The criticism leveled at debito on this site is deserved, including many of the more cynicism-laced comments. And yes, he does have that stupid “hands off” policy when it comes to receiving information from others. However it seems to me that he has been played by James Grey and wants to dial back the nastiness and focus more on the issues for a while. That’s a good thing and we should probably reciprocate. And he would see this review as added nastiness, despite the fact that it is fair.
Perhaps we should all just take a few deep breaths. Not saying we shouldn’t criticize the logic or lack thereof presented in his new posts, or anything. But as Level3 (I think) pointed out, we do all love debito and, more than his own commenters, want him to do better.
Well – I doubt Debito would think there was ever a ‘good’ time for my review ;-)
But you do have a good point about everyone taking a deep breath. Tepido Naruhodo, if you want to remove this thread from the site (for the time being), I’d be fine with that.
Of all the things one could worry about on this site in terms of propriety and being constructive, thoughtful reviews of Arudou’s novel such as this are not among them.
“In Appropriate” still takes pride of place in the marketing bars on the debito.org website. It was not a fitful one day rant, nor something spoken in the heat of the moment. Given this, the book is not simply “fair game” for a slagging, it’s out there to be criticised. It’s a public work.
Arudou’s actual private life, and its influence on his current activist work are questionable topics for public discussion. It would be a bigger tragedy than some appreciate if we treated such published fiction as if it was private business.
Well I suppose he is linking to the novel within the text of his new post….
Glad to see the “the characters are cardboard cutouts of stereotypes” line got left in
I thought the review was quite balanced and as fair as it could be given the material. Will Lord Haw-Haw see it that way though?
As an aside his latest post: http://www.debito.org/?p=8990 would be quite decent if he didn’t try to slip in an ad for the book. It doesn’t even involve an injustice being done to foreigners! And it’s something that laws and procedures ought to be changed on rather than discriminatory signs and suchlike. (Well, if the business owners really don’t want a tourist’s money…)
Yup, the blatant ad for his book and other articles really does leave the impression that he’s more interested in self-promotion than the actual case under discussion.
I agree with your points about the book review, but I’m not convinced about dialling back the nastiness; this reply doesn’t suggest to me that that he has reflected on the situation.
I obviously don’t approve of stalking…
“Obviously?”
Wonder how Mike Guest feels about that comment. And Ken and LB getting any “fan mail” from the debito commenters side recently?
Agreed. It’ll take a lot more human rights news, and a lot less (read: somewhere near zero) hypocritical comments/replies, for a significant period of time before I’m convinced debito has adjusted his MO. But I remain hopeful.
As for “nastiness”? Fine with me if it’s based on facts, and not based on double standards, a desire for revenge, or attempts to silence legitimate criticism.
Anyway, I don’t see why tepido should be walking on eggshells such that even the presenting of calmly reported criticism is felt to be a problem.
(I’m really looking forward to debito’s take on the prosecutorial confession about gaijin having no rights, and interrogation techniques like saying “We’ll fucking beat you to death, you bastard!” or holding an icepick in front of a suspect’s eyeball while making threats and extracting “confessions”.
I don’t see how any of us could disagree on this story.)
Completely agree with the book advert. Seriously, WTF? It has already been pointed out that the “facts” in the book are poorly researched and incorrect in numerous places. We should take such an ill-researched work of FICTION as an example of where we can find out about how screwed up the justice system is? Does that make any sense?
He could very easily have (and really should have) replaced that advert with the link to the f*ckedgaijin site. *THAT* would have been “Appropriate”
At least that site got a shout out in the comments but what is up with him asking for volunteer translators? 2 day a week class schedule and self-promotion getting in the way of actually doing some activism and research on his own?
You really get the feeling that he has become bored with this activist “hobby” of his and is just going through the motions out of habit and can’t get out of it anymore. Nothing but pot stirring nowadays for the sake of pot stirring. Some might claim he is a leader. But leaders tend to, you know, LEAD. All he has been doing is whip people into a frenzy of hurf-durfing and nothing over there gets done other than whinging about the “racism of the Japanese.” That isn’t leading, that is rabble rousing (and the rabble are only grousing rather than rousing!)
I’m not convinced about dialling back the nastiness
Okay, yeah, you are right. I thought we might be having a positive influence, abut it looks like he’s the same old prick. I’m willing to be shown otherwise but I guess now is not the time to spare the rod.
“At least that site got a shout out in the comments but what is up with him asking for volunteer translators? 2 day a week class schedule and self-promotion getting in the way of actually doing some activism and research on his own?”
This is actually a pretty salient point, and not just because he has the time to do it himself. According to his self-proclaimed job description he actually should be doing stuff like this because people are paying him to do so.
He has been anointed with a professorship, which I think is a little silly, but it is what it is. Professors don’t merely teach, they are supposed to maintain a fairly active research portfolio too. Debito claims his research is on Japan’s internationalism and the acceptance of foreigners in Japanese society or some such nonsense. Fine. A quick translation shouldn’t be too difficult then–especially in an academic system that actually counts translated works alongside peer-reviewed articles as contributing to a research agenda.
But no, we don’t see that. And speaking of peer review, where are all those articles? And where are all the references to peers who are actually working in this area of research? Part of being a researcher is having a place in the “community” after all.
As I have said before, note how many articles are marked “Courtesy of XYZ”; it suggests he just waits for someone to post something interesting.
As for not wanting to translate himself, as I and others have noted, his Japanese ability is questionable, and he of course may not want that questioning of his ability.
On the other hand, since Gary Schmidt pissed his business away surfing the net, perhaps life is imitating art?
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http://www.yomiuri.co.jp/atmoney/mnews/20110516-OYT8T00771.
「１年の収入失った」…放射性セシウム、足柄茶を直撃
神奈川県南足柄市に続き、小田原市と愛川、真鶴、湯河原町、清川村で採取された生茶葉からも、国の暫定規制値（１キロ・グラムあたり５００ベクレル）を超える放射性セシウムが検出された。
新茶の季節が直撃された形となり、関係者の間に動揺が広がった。県は１３日、新たに判明した５市町村にも、茶葉の出荷自粛を要請した。
県内で生産される茶葉は、県農協茶業センター（山北町）でブレンドし「足柄茶」として販売している。生産農家は５００軒以上。新茶の販売は６日に始まったばかりだが、同センターは全商品の回収に乗り出し、流通済みの約５１３キロ・グラムのうち、１２日夕までに３５０キロ・グラムを回収したという。
例年、足柄茶の新茶の出荷は約１２０トンで、この時期の生産量が年間の半分以上を占めるという。同センターは、規制値を下回った自治体産の茶葉を使って早期に販売を再開したい考えだが、出荷量は６０～７０トンにとどまる見込みで、損害額を６０００万～１億２０００万円と見込んでいる。
（2011年5月16日 読売新聞）
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「原発遠いのに」茶どころ困惑 土から取り込み？ 山から吹き下ろし？
2011.5.14 産経
セシウムがどのような過程を経て検出されたのかはこれまでのところ不明だ。ただ、各地の放射線量を観測している文部科学省では「神奈川県では４月４日以降、セシウムの降下は観測されていない。従って、それ以前に地表に降ったセシウムが茶の木に取り込まれ、生葉から検出された可能性がある」と推察する。
農林水産省も「今回の測定は生葉を洗った後に行ったため、葉の表面に付着したセシウムが検出されたとは考えにくい」と話す。農水省では「木から採取される作物から基準値を超えるセシウムが検出されたのは初。速やかに原因を究明したい」としている。風が箱根山など神奈川西部の山地にぶつかり降下したため、足柄茶で検出された可能性を指摘する声もある。
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http://www.rri.kyoto-u.ac.jp/rb-rri/gimon.html#Q27
Q27 野菜や魚介類など飲食品の汚染が報告され危険度の目安として暫定基準値が使われていますがこれはなにですか？
A：我が国には、これまで野菜や水などの飲食物に対する放射性物質による汚染の明確な規制基準値がありませんでした。そのため、厚生労働省は、平成23年3月17日に、食品衛生法の観点から飲食物として摂取することが許される放射性物質濃度について暫定規制値を定めました(４月5日改訂) (参考資料)。。この値は、国際放射線防護委員会(ICRP)の勧告を受けて原子力安全委員会が策定した原子力防災指針の「飲食物の摂取制限に関する指標」(参考資料)を参考にして作られたものです。この規制値は、「１年間その放射能濃度の水や食物を摂取し続けたときに全身が被ばくする線量(正確には実効線量)が5mSv以下、ヨウ素の場合は甲状腺が被ばくする線量(正確には等価線量)が50mSv以下」という考え方に基づいて決められています。また、単一の食物ではなく、さまざまな食物を食べたときの合計値としてこの規制値以下になるように決められています。
Are they catching up with Japanese news?
They have time to translate a story by a corrupt ex-prosecutor but I wonder why they don’t have time to translate other articles to tell their readers what is going on on Japanese news.
Isn’t it just like a newspaper by a Japanese hate group which just focuses upon the crimes by foreigners in Japan and exaggerates the threat by China and edits and fabricates stories to fuel the fear and hatred?
There are problems with Japanese justice system for sure.
But this is not things that continues to be ignored. That is why this case was brought to light.
And all the major newspapers, from left to right, condemn the prosecutors.
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/kentanakachan/e/ecc667840fd107c800306dbabb180197
Again I wonder if they are really reading Japanese newspaper.
And considering the case of sugaya, I’m sure they will get public support,
It might be a good advice for anybody since this pretty much applies to any country. Google “false confessions”, “confession under duress” etc..
I personally think it depends. For instance, If you did steal a goods from a store and you were arrested, it is likely that the honest confession will release you sooner.
My 90% accurate translation of the article. Legalese is not my specialty, nor is the flowery language of remorse. Hopefully others will do better, but for now, here’s one version.
Stunning revelation from former prosecutor on the real situation of initial training, “We were taught that yakuza and foreigners have no rights”
The chief prosecutor in the Saga City Agricultural Co-op case, infamous for use of false charges, spoke at a symposium held in Tokyo on May 23, 2011. He gave a stunningly candid account of the reality of training for new employees. He disclosed that in his past experience, “We were taught that yakuza and foreigners have no rights.” and “Prosecutors are instructed to make up a confession on their own and then make the suspect sign it.” Further, he gave a chilling account of how under this warped training system, “While being trained in this way, I came to sort of agree that these kinds of things were only natural.”
The person bringing up accusations against his old training ground is former prosecutor Hiroshi Ishikawa. Ishiakwa was involved as the chief prosecutor in the Saga City Agricultre Co-op case that arose in 2000. In that case, during police questioning of the former union leader, a forced confession was obtained as police screamed, “We’ll fucking beat you to death, you bastard!” The union leader had been indicted on suspicion of breach of trust, but was found not guilty based on refusal to accept the confession was voluntary. As a result, Ishikawa received a harsh reprimand and resigned his post as public prosecutor.
Ishikawa spoke on that day as a panelist at a symposium on the theme “Prosecution, Public Opinion, and False Charges” held at the Graduate School of Communications at Meiji University. At first, he gave shocking testimony that, “I admit that public prosecutors, having committed errors unsuited to their position, must take the position of offering profuse apologies.” while also noting that, “I want to tell the whole truth, so we can know how many threat-spewing public prosecutors were created.”
Ishikawa was first appointed to the Yokohama District Public Prosecutor’s Office in 1993. In his first year there, he claims his superiors taught him that, ‘Yakuza and foreigners have no rights’ “That superior said on that point, ‘Foreigners don’t understand Japanese, so if you speak Japanese, you can heap as much verbal abuse as you want on them.’” Further, that superior said, “Once when we were interrogating a foreign suspect, we thrust an awl right in front of his eye and shouted abuses at him in Japanese. That’s how you get confessions!” as Ishikawa recounted his personal experiences.
In his third year, a superior instructed him on methods to take confessions. That being, the prosecutor rattling off a made-up confession and then thrusting the confession form at the suspect and making them sign it. If the suspect refused to sign, what should be done? “If the suspect resists, tell him, ‘This is not your confession form, it’s just [you acknowledging] what I’m saying.’” , Ishikawa recalled of that period.
“When being trained in such a manner, you come to sort of believe that these things are only natural. In my eighth year, even I verbally abused suspects, totally unsuitable for to my position. The case had a not guilty verdict, and it ended up with my resignation.”
In 2005, Ishikawa quit the prosecutor’s office altogether and is now practicing as a lawyer. On the day before the symposium (May 22), he appeared on the Asahi Broadcast Network news program “The Scoop – Special” to give a much talked-about televised apology to the family of the former labor leader he had once verbally abused. The Meiji Univ. symposium was live-streamed on NicoNico Douga where he gave his reason for making these statements in a public forum as, “To atone for my terrible mistakes, I thought, ‘Isn’t it my duty to tell what I have seen and what I have heard?’”
Many errors, I know, “false charges” should probably be “false confessions”. Plus many other such word choice issues. Please let me know of cetain subtleties that affect the meaning.
But one caveat does appear. The speaker is a discredited ex-prosecutor. He would have motivation to blame the system for his errors instead of himself. But it doesn’t seem like he is trying to dodge his own responsibility.
Will other prosecutors step forward with similar stories? Have they already?
just submitted above to debito
nice work. Good job!
The other tricky part is the common omission of the subject 主語 in Japanese, so I made assumptions about who said what “I..” vs. “We..” vs. “He..” is very likely wrong in some places.
Debito’s reviewed his review!
Heh, I noticed he complained about Scott focusing too much on the author – a couple of his five-star reviews on Lulu commit the same crime…
You know, and I was trying to cut down on Dave, a part of me wants to go write something on JP in response to his response to the review…
Level3, you beat me to the punch with that translation! After having told Debito that I’d do it, I sent it to him last night only to find that you’d stolen my thunder!
Let me post mine here anyway just so that nobody thinks I skipped out on my promise to do it. If you think any of what I’ve written sounds better than yours does, feel free to replace it, and feel free to ignore it otherwise.
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“I was taught that yakuza and foreigners have no human rights”: former prosecutor reveals how he was educated to begin his career
A former prosecutor involved in the Saga Nokyo [agriculture co-op] case, now known to be a frame-up, offered a revealing discussion of the surprising reality of the education he received when he joined his department at a symposium held in Tokyo on May 23, 2011. “I was taught that yakuza and foreigners have no human rights,” he stated, and “public prosecutors were taught to make up confessions and then have suspects sign them.” Describing how terrifying this warped training system is, he added that “after being taught in that way, [he] began to almost believe that this was natural.”
The person making the statements about his erstwhile workplace was former public prosecutor Hiroshi Ichikawa. Appointed to handle the 2000 Saga Nokyo case, he coerced a confession from the former union head that he was interrogating, using violent language such as “Bastard! I’ll kill you!” The association head had been indicted for breach of trust; his confession was deemed not to have been voluntary, and he was acquitted. Mr. Ichikawa was severely reprimanded over the indicent, and quit his post as public prosecutor.
Mr. Ichikawa took the podium as a panelist at the symposium
“Prosecution, Public Opinion, and False Convictions”, sponsored by the Information Communication department at Meiji University’s graduate school. “I have done things that no public prosecutor should do,” he said. “I want to tell the truth about how it is that a prosecutor could say such things.” This was a shocking statement.
Mr. Ichikawa was appointed to the post of Yokohama prosecutor in 1993. He said that in his first year, a superior prosecutor taught him that “yakuza and foreigners have no human rights.” “‘Foreigners don’t understand Japanese,’ my superior said, ‘so you can use whatever threatening language you like if it’s in Japanese,’” he continued, describing his experiences. The same superior also said that “when investigating one foreign suspect, [he] held a senmai-doushi (pointed metal awl-like stick) in front of the suspect’s eye and shouted abuse at the suspect in Japanese. That’s how you get them to confess.”
In his third year, a superior taught him how to obtain a confession; this consisted of the prosecutor taking a document filled with whatever the prosecutor chose to say, threatening the suspect with it, and obtaining the suspect’s signature. What if the suspect refused to sign? “If the suspect resisted, my boss said, I should say that the investigation document was mine, not his,” said Mr. Ichikawa.
“As I continued to be educated this way, I began to think that these methods were normal. By my eighth year, I was saying things I definitely shouldn’t have; the [Nokyo] case resulted in an acquittal, and I ended up quitting.”
Mr. Ichikawa quit his post in 2005 and is currently practicing as an attorney. On May 22, the day before the symposium, he drew attention by apologizing to the family of the union head that he had verbally mistreated on television, appearing on the TV Asahi program “The Scoop Special”. This Meiji University symposium was also broadcast on Nico Nico Douga, where Mr. Ichikawa explained why he made these statements in public: “I think it is my role now to tell about what I have seen and heard in order to atone foe the terrible mistakes I have made.”
—
One thing I was a little unsure on: the word tsuki-tsukeru can be used literally to mean “point [something at someone]” and also figuratively to refer to threatening someone with something. I get the impression that the first instance of this word in the article is figurative, whereas in the second instance, the prosecutor is physically pointing that stick at the suspect’s eye. Could be wrong, though.
I think in the interests of full disclosure you should have mentioned in your review that you contribute to a website set up by a complete loon whose sole purpose is to trash the author whose book you’re reviewing. Wouldn’t that have been fair?
Something like..
“Please ignore my criticism of debito’s work because I’m a critic of debito’s work”
Does this full disclosure also apply to debito’s loyal contributors? Wouldn’t that be fair? If not, why not? Please explain.
Let’s stick to just ONE standard please.
Sorry, hadn’t even noticed, that article was just burning in my brain and I took a stab at it as soon as I had a free hour.
Looks great! You have better phrasing on a lot of the points.
I was iffy on just who yelled “I’ll kill you” Ishikawa himself or police under his guidance? I think I got that wrong. It was just my bias that I imagine a (scrawny?) lawyer is less likely than the thuggish cop to be able to say that kind of thing, unless it’s a collective “We’ll kill you” ?
Disturbing either way!
Thanks!
And someone made the same point as me, but in much more detail:
http://www.japanprobe.com/2011/05/25/book-review-in-appropriate-a-novel-of-culture-kidnapping-and-revenge-in-modern-japan/#comment-212322450
I really think Mr Arudou should send hoofin a signed copy for all the firefighting he’s doing on Japan Probe.
Ken Tanaka Chan (空)
Not sure who you are referring to about “they” catching up with the Japanese news. I actually wrote that. I heard it from a Japanese friend of mine and at first did not really believe it so I looked into it myself and posted to get comments.
So instead of saying “they” you can refer to me.
I am not sure what your point is. I think it is newsworthy and I am personally interested in finding out why such levels of radiation reached Kanagawa, and what the risks are, if any.
Nothing more, nothing less. If you have comments on this I would like to hear them.
Thanks
He needs to firefight to keep people away from all of his straw men.
It really is a shame. He does write good things on occasion.
Question was for the reviewer, not you.
This website is a cess-pit.
So, you can’t answer it. Is this because you don’t want to admit your double standard, or just because you don’t have a justifiable reason?
Game. Set. Match.
Logic always beats insult.
Try thinking things through a bit, not just reacting. It’s part of growing up.
PS “cesspit” doesn’t need a hyphen.
No double standards here. If you have a beef with any other reviewers, you should take it up with them.
My own review – which you might have seen on the Lulu site – was written from the standpoint as someone who is on record as both criticizing and supporting Debito in the past. But not exactly frequently, and certainly not through the portal created by some complete psychopath with a grudge.
I’ll await Urista’s own response to my question
Hi Steve, nice to have you on board. I’m pretty much convinced that anybody who thinks debito’s crusade is just simply hasn’t thought things through, so even the notion that there are other blogs with other opinions, even those whose sole purpose is to undermine your man, will eventually turn debito’s followers off of him. That’s a good thing, because frankly, the fellow is not a good sport when it comes to robust debate.
I propose an exercise for you. Play the devil’s advocate and start questioning debito on his facts, even if such an exercise is in your head. When you start to notice big gaping holes in his arguments, that is the time to let him know on line that you disagree with him. However, you will need either to wait at least a month or two before you do, because debito is reading this comment right now (hi, dave! love the new shirt!), and he will be wary of new criticism. You’ll also need a new computer, or some kind of fancy router to disguise yourself, because he has indicated on several occasions that he checks ISP addresses.
Once you think you have your ass covered, adopt an avatar and try and pose arguments against debito’s point of view on a regular basis. If you do one a week, he might let them through, but after initially easing your way into the good graces of his on line persona, try doing four or five a week. No matter how reasonable you are, you will be banned in about two weeks if you constantly try and press your point. If you are lucky, a minor effusion of vitriol will accompany the start of your exile.
Then you will see why a cesspit like this is necessary.
By the way, never, ever give him your real email address.
Hello everybody this is my first time commenting and the purpose of it is completely off topic but would like to ask for opinions regarding professor Takeda Kunihiko.
I don’t know if this topic has already been discussed but I have heard this person runs a blog and he expose the lies among other things regarding the government and their lack of actions and proofs around the Fukushima nuclear plant and its consequences that may be causing.
Is anyone here mind to share a little information if there is not too much trouble, I would be very appreciated.
P.S. Here is the blog (Japanese) http://takedanet.com/
July D.
I have done what you describe. I’ve criticized Debito on his site before, and I did it under my real name, as I am doing here now. You can see several posts I made during the early days of the Fukushima crisis on his website – run a search under my name on his site, you’ll find what I’m talking about. He knows me, and I know him.
Guess what? We’re still friends. And I can still view and post on his website.
He isn’t the ogre you’re making him out to be.
“complete psychopath”?
You do know what an ad hominem attack is and how it makes you look just a bit biased? Why not just go all the way and say Ken Y-N is Hitler?
Is everyone who has a different opinion from you a “psychopath”?
Is aynone who has a website that criticizes a public figure a “psychopath”, or only if they’re criticizing someone you like?
If someone who runs a website that criticizes a public figure is a “psychopath”, what does that make someone who runs a website that criticizes an entire country?
Again, one standard please.
What are the traits of a psychopath?
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hare_Psychopathy_Checklist
But everyone probably can tick of some of those items.
Some more than others.
Steve:
I (like others) post here because our comments at debito.org get heavily censured or are out-right deleted.
I wrote up a full review because in retrospect my initial comments were too one-sided and probably weren’t very nice. I wanted to do a proper review on a neutral site that was more complete. I took *great* pains to avoid making the impression that I was equating the author to the main character.
And I signed the review with my real name. Do you have a reason for thinking that my review was biased because I post here? Do you think I have some nefarious purpose for posting it?
Stepping away from the review – I’ll repeat: comments on debito are heavily censored and/or deleted. That’s an undeniable fact. I have decided to be a bit more even-handed in my posts here, and yes, things do get a bit nasty – but I don’t disagree with the reason the site exists.
Since you’re questioning my review, allow me to do the same. I note on your Lulu review that there is nothing to suggest you actually read the book. I quote: “It’s a well-constructed story which highlights a number of important issues regarding the rights of Non-Japanese in Japan, with more than a few pointers for anyone considering setting up here”.
a) The protagonist is not a non-Japanese. He’s naturalized.
b) Care to touch on what points the book talks about that would be ‘pointers’ for people setting up in Japan?
Hitler… no. Complete Psychopath, yes.
that’s the way all this comes across as. Obsessive, creepy, and weird.
That’s just how it looks to me. Sorry if that’s not what you want to hear but, there it is.
That Japanese girls will love you even with your Buddha belly? That was my take-away lesson.
Do you find all critical websites “obsessive, creepy and weird”?
I could see an argument for “obsessive”, though others would call it “staying on topic”. Would you call debito “obsessive” about gaijin issues in Japan?
One standard please.
Creepy and weird?
If you find this site creepy and weird, but do not find quite a bit of the debito.org posts/actions of late “creepy and weird”, then I only have to again say…
Stick to one standard please.
I assume this is a typo, but incase it wasn’t, ISP address ≠ IP address. MY ISPs address is… Actually I have no idea what it is, as I never need to mail them anything
Cheers for getting back to me, Scott. In answer to your questions:
“Do you have a reason for thinking that my review was biased because I post here?”
Yes. The fact that this site exists primarily to denigrate and traduce the name of another person, and you endorse that by supportively posting here, gives me reason to believe that you would be biased in your review of the book by the author of the person this site trashes.
“a) The protagonist is not a non-Japanese. He’s naturalized.”
He became a Japanese citizen during the course of the story. A large percentage of the book describes Gary as a non-Japanese. But we’re into semantics here.
“b) Care to touch on what points the book talks about that would be ‘pointers’ for people setting up in Japan?”
You took a different message from the book than I did. I think you’re under the impression that the reader is supposed to ‘like’ Gary. My impression that his character, and quite a few of his actions, are things to be avoided in Japan. To succeed in Japan (anywhere outside your own country, really) you need patience, flexibility, cultural sensitivity, and a sense of long-term commitment. Gary showed very little of this, and what I took from the book was that you can succeed in Japan and avoid much of what Gary went through if you don’t act like a prick.
On top of that, there are some useful pointers in what to avoid when getting married, raising kids, setting up a business and joining a Japanese family.
You’ll notice my review notes that Gary’s experience doesn’t match my own. Doesn’t mean it won’t match others.
I see. Do you believe the book overall is generally accurate and authentic?
Would you care to note specific scenes in the book where Gary doesn’t show ‘patience, flexibility, cultural sensitivity and sense of long-term commitment’ and how it prevents him from succeeding in Japan? Scenes where Gary should have avoided acting like a prick? What specific pointers for stuff to ‘avoid’ when getting married or raising kids in Japan? Specific scenes with page numbers please.
Hi Doug
日本人のお友達は、日本のメディアではありませんよね。
つまり、他の人、他の有道ブログの投稿者もーー日本の新聞記事について指摘していない、ということから、They という代名詞を使ったわけです。
うーん。ご質問が意味がとりにくいのですが、神奈川にあのレベルといっても、放射性物質は、均一に拡散するものでないですから、神奈川のあの地域にといった方が正確でしょう。
それとなぜ、ということですから、福島原発からの放射性物質が拡散し、普通考えたら空気そして、降下物によって、ということになるでしょう。
記事にあるように、「４月４日以降、セシウムの降下は観測されていない。」ということですから、「それ以前に地表に降ったセシウムが茶の木に取り込まれ、生葉から検出」というのは妥当な推論だと思います。加えて、なぜ、あの地域にということに関しては、風が箱根山など神奈川西部の山地にぶつかり降下した」という特殊事情があるのかもしれません。
危険性については、基準値以内のものに関しての政府の見解は危険はない、ということでしょう。私も同意します。
有道ブログの投稿者からの投稿を歓迎します。
（できれば、該当するReply ボタンを使うと、議論が集約できて好都合です。）
有道ブログで有道氏に守られながら、こそこそと投稿したい人達はどうぞあちらで投稿して下さい、なお、コメントはーーーこちらでもあちらでもあるいは私のブログでもーーー平仮名でも結構です、と皆様にお伝えいただければ幸いです。
You want what, a powerpoint presentation on the thing?
You’re coming across as prickly and as thin-skinned as you accuse Debito of being. There’s no way I’m trawling through a novel just to try and win an internet argument with you, sorry. I’ve critiqued your review, that’s it. This isn’t a courtroom.
My point is this: This site is creepy, obsessive and mean-spirited. Your endorsement of this site taints your review of the book, in my opinion.
Steve, while I do disagree with your criticism of Scott, I agreed with these comments when you made them.
http://www.debito.org/?p=8642#comment-242516
http://www.debito.org/?p=8642#comment-242541
http://www.debito.org/?p=8642#comment-242858
http://www.debito.org/?p=8692#comment-243078
Do you think these would have been published if you submitted them anonymously?
Also, wasn’t one of your comments the one that Debito responded to and said that he would amend the post? IIRC, the bold text first indicated he would do it in the morning, then it was changed to indicate it would take longer, then the note seemed to have disappeared, or am I just missing it.
Dude, that’ll be this incident:
http://tepido.org/anti-flyjin-hate-versus-anti-nihonjin-hate/389