mytest
Well, here’s the ultimate in government greenmailing: Get a real pitcher to pitch the system. Check out this chucklehead:
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FINGERED — TV celebrity Kazutomo Miyamoto tries out the new foreigner fingerprinting system at Narita Airport. As a Japanese national, Miyamoto will not need to have his fingerprints taken when the new system comes into operation from Nov. 20. (Mainichi)
Celebrity uses fingerprint photo-op to call for cut in foreign crime
http://mdn.mainichi.jp/national/news/20071114p2a00m0na030000c.html
NARITA — TV celebrity Kazutomo Miyamoto urged immigration officials during a photo-op to use a new process to fingerprint inbound foreigners to fight foreign crime, not terrorism as the government claims the system will be used for.
“I think it’d be best if we could cut the amount of crime foreigners are committing and make Japan a safer place,” Miyamoto said at Narita Airport, where he was serving as the Tokyo Regional Immigration Bureau Chief For a Day as a promotional event for the fingerprinting process.
Starting from Nov. 20, Japan will follow the United States to become the second country in the world to implement individual recognition software for foreigners entering and leaving the country.
With the new system, nearly all foreigners will have to have fingerprints from both hands and a picture of their face recorded. Fingerprints will be verified with a list in what the government says will be an attempt to prevent terrorists or known criminals from entering Japan.
Japanese nationals will be able to pass through Immigration via an automated gate instead of waiting in line to be processed by officials if they have applied for permission and submitted fingerprints in advance.
Miyamoto, 43, was once a pitcher for the Yomiuri Giants.
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COMMENT: Anything for a photo-op–even if it’s at the expense of Japan’s NJ residents (whom Kazutomo-kun probably knows next to nothing about). He isn’t going to be fingerprinted under any circumstances anyway, so I guess this is his only chance.
Pity he thinks that it’s for stopping foreign crime (which is, in fact, falling). Sorry chum, it’s allegedly for preventing terrorism and disease; and if you think it will make Japan a safer place, your publicist is as uninformed as you.
Then again, profiteering helps. According to a reliable source, these photo-ops run JPY 300,000 to 500,000. Nice bit of pocket change to get your fingers on afterwards.
Let Kazutomo-kun know your feelings at his official site:
http://www.m-bravo.com/
Steve Koya below also notes that Mr Miyamoto’s manager’s office number is Tel：03-3224-1681 Fax：03-3224-1682 for anyone else who would like to make a complaint.
Arudou Debito in Sapporo
ENDS
10 comments on “Former Giants pitcher tarento promotes Narita Fingerprinting NJ system as “Anti-Crime” measure”
Pay attention to the phrase:
“Japanese nationals will be able to pass through Immigration via an automated gate instead of waiting in line to be processed by officials if they have applied for permission and submitted fingerprints in advance.”
And in the Japanese version “Gaikokujin ryokyaku” – so any foreigner is only a traveler…
What is this supposed to mean?
Elena
What a disgrace this is!! Pure propaganda.
I guess I’m glad they didn’t get some gaijin monkey talent to do that promotion and say things like “We foreigners should just be nice and accept it.” Or maybe they should have gotten Tom Cruise to do it. That would have been shocking.
I can’t believe that.
petition still here:
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/fingerprints-japan/index.html
————-Forwarded Message—————–
Date: 14/11/2007 22:01 PM
Dear Sir ,
To date all terrorist acts in Japan have been committed by Japanese –
the Red Army Brigades , Aum Shin Rikyo – or did you think they were
Foreigners ?
Do you know the content of the amended immigration law ? I doubt it .
Separate immigration queues for International couples even when one
spouse is a permanent resident – so the young children watch their Mother
or Father being treated like a terrorist or criminal suspect every time
they enter the country !
Truly disgusting .
Do you have small Children, Sir ?
What about permanent residents who have lived here for up to 50 plus years-
fingerprint and photograph them every time they re enter the country ?
Pure racism – you should be ashamed of your Government not just be a
paid puppet .
Martin Issott
Chairman Foseco Japan Ltd
Hello Hello,,,,
I just finished a nice phone call with Miyamoto’s manager, and I let it be known, I was not a happy chappy. I advised him that he should have a really good look at how this law is going to affect the daily lives of tax paying residents. I also advised him to look how his fellow foreign sports players will be treated, and to ask what they think of the law.
Most crime in Japan is carried out by Japanese, [including] the Zainichi, both of which are excluded from the Law.
By the way, Mr Miyamoto’s office number is Tel：03-3224-1681 Fax：03-3224-1682 for anyone else who would like to make a complaint.
–VERY IMPRESSIVE, STEVE. YOU APPROPRIATED ONE OF MY TACTICS–GIVE THEM A PHONE CALL. WELL DONE! IT DOES HAVE AN IMPACT.
MIYAMOTO’S BLOG HASN’T BEEN REVISED MUCH RECENTLY. I WONDER IF THIS WILL OCCASION ANY SORT OF ONLINE RESPONSE. DEBITO
I sent a nice letter to his BBS too, pointing out that by far the majority of crime in Japan is committed by Japanese, and [also] by the Zainichi Koreans, both of which are of course excluded from this procedure.
Steve Koya
SORRY, STEVE, TO KEEP EDITING YOUR POSTS, BUT YOUR KEEPING ON SINGLING OUT THE ZAINICHIS AS PARTICULAR IN THEIR CRIMINALITY IS COUNTERPRODUCTIVE. AND NOT GROUNDED IN THE STATISTICS. DEBITO
Came across this:
http://fakekazu.blogspot.com/
“SECRET DIARY OF KAZUTOMO MIYAMOTO”
I have to say it’s hilarious, and probably much more likely to get attention than a petition or other stuff that makes no news amongst Japanese.
“SECRET DIARY OF KAZUTOMO MIYAMOTO”
“I have to say it’s hilarious, and probably much more likely to get attention than a petition or other stuff that makes no news amongst Japanese. ”
Yes, sure. A three entries blog in English much more likely get attention. You bet.
After reading the SECRET DIARY, one understands that one might easily expect that children witnessing their parents treated like this will be much more easily taught the Shikata-ga-nai response to any abuse they will have to face in future – and that’s exactly what the people in the government will be very glad to see! So of course, they know what they are doing! And all appeals to dignity and respect that maybe seen in the comments left by people who have signed the petition, are actually above their heads, as they themselves do not have any dignity or self-respect – otherwise how could them have treated other people like this?
Which means that humanitarian ways to deal with them are not going to be sufficiently effective, but, of course, what else can self-respecting (and consequently – respecting others!) people come up with when having to deal with this sort of treatment?
We should really think very hard about this!