{"id":12215,"date":"2014-03-28T05:16:13","date_gmt":"2014-03-28T15:16:13","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.debito.org\/?p=12215"},"modified":"2014-04-14T09:35:51","modified_gmt":"2014-04-14T19:35:51","slug":"jt-motley-crew-of-foreigners-backing-japans-revisionists-basks-in-media-glare","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.debito.org\/?p=12215","title":{"rendered":"JT: Motley crew of foreigners backing Japan\u2019s revisionists basks in media glare (with UPDATES)"},"content":{"rendered":"

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NATIONAL \/ MEDIA| BIG IN JAPAN<\/strong>
\n Motley crew of foreigners backing Japan\u2019s revisionists basks in media glare<\/strong>
\n BY MARK SCHREIBER<\/strong>
\nTHE JAPAN TIMES MAR 22, 2014, Courtesy of the author<\/strong><\/p>\n

In the war of words \u2014 particularly with South Korea and China \u2014 over World War II-era issues that has intensified over the past 18 months, foreigners \u2014 both Westerners and Asians \u2014 have also waded into the fray. And some have even sided with revisionist positions, raising questions over the Japanese military\u2019s alleged recruitment of sex slaves (\u201ccomfort women\u201d) and other contentious wartime topics.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

For these individuals, preaching to the Japanese choir does appear to have its rewards. At a gathering in Tokyo last autumn, veteran British journalist Henry Scott Stokes commemorated the 70th anniversary of the showpiece meeting of the Greater East Asian Co-prosperity Sphere, Japan\u2019s short-lived effort to align Asians against European colonial powers.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cJapan is a country of rising sun,\u201d he told his audience. \u201cJoining hands together with the fellow Asian people who desire truly Free Asia, I sincerely hope that Japan will play a vital role for realizing democratic Asian unity.\u201d<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Soon thereafter, Shodensha published Scott-Stokes\u2019 book \u201cEikokujin Kisha ga Mita Rengokoku Sensho Shikan no Kyomo\u201d (\u201cFalsehoods of the Allied Nations\u2019 Victorious View of History, as Seen by a British Journalist\u201d). The book, whose third chapter echoes the speech in its description of Japan as \u201cAsia\u2019s light of hope,\u201d has gone through 11 printings and sales have shot past 80,000. Last week it was rated Amazon Japan\u2019s 32nd best-selling title…<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

Rest of the article at:\u00a0http:\/\/www.japantimes.co.jp\/news\/2014\/03\/22\/national\/motley-crew-of-foreigners-backing-japans-revisionists-basks-in-media-glare\/<\/a><\/p>\n

COMMENT<\/strong>: \u00a0In light of the recent Nazi Swastika flags appearing in right-wing marches<\/a>, it’s pretty wrong-headed for anyone who wants to keep a good reputation to publicly align with people like these. \u00a0But it’s within character. \u00a0I’ve heard plenty of pretty unflattering things about Mr. Scott-Stokes through the grapevine over the years. \u00a0But another NJ bozo mentioned in the article as being in the pocket of Japan’s revisionist right is Tony Marano, a YouTube Vlogger (a sample video of his is up at the JT site; follow above link), who has in the past ignorantly commented on the “Japanese Only” signs<\/a> issue — by blaming NJ (i.e., the “ugly Americans”) for the signs’ existence. \u00a0Particularly one “liberal” foreigner (guess who; and I’m not a foreigner) who sues “them” and “messes up their legal system<\/a>“:<\/p>\n

<\/object>
\nCourtesy https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=N6vCjqJ9U7k#t=16<\/a><\/p>\n

I wonder if Marano will ever get over his ignorance by actually doing any reading up on the issue<\/a>. \u00a0Probably not. \u00a0Critics of his ilk rarely do<\/a>\u00a0— it makes the maintenance of their world view that much simpler. \u00a0And, clearly, as the JT article establishes, more profitable. \u00a0ARUDOU, Debito<\/p>\n

UPDATE APRIL 1 (No, this isn’t an April Fool’s prank): Marano gets a regular column with tabloid weekly Asahi Geino. Now all he has to do is spout off, and it gets translated into a language and culture he doesn’t understand. I love how they try to directly translate his “god bless” at the end of the article. \u00a0Marano has no idea what he’s getting himself into.<\/em><\/strong>
\n\"Texas_Oyaji.1\"<\/a>
\n=================================<\/p>\n

UPDATE APRIL 2: Henry Scott-Stokes, mentioned in the JT article above, also admits that he can’t even read his own revisionist book, let alone write it:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

Oddly, perhaps, he admits to not knowing exactly what\u2019s between the pages of the book that carries his name \u2013 he says he reads little Japanese and an English translation has yet to be produced. It was dictated over hundreds of hours to another FCCJ member, Hiroyuki Fujita, then brought to publication by Tony Kase, an old friend of Henry\u2019s with connections to the LDP. \u201cTony Kase had the most to do with this,\u201d he explains, but adds: \u201cI have to accept responsibility for it since it is in my name.\u201d<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

From “The Revenge of History”, FCCJ’s Number 1 Shimbun, April 1, 2014<\/strong>
\nhttp:\/\/www.fccj.or.jp\/number-1-shimbun\/item\/332-the-revenge-of-history.html<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

So like Marano, Scott-Stokes has no idea how he’s being rendered in Japanese. Seems like for some, Japanese language fluency and apologist\/revisionist stances are inversely proportional.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

=================================<\/p>\n

UPDATE APRIL 3: \u00a0Now a second Marano column has appeared in daily tabloid Yuukan Fuji, this one dated April 4 and apparently out every Thursday… \u00a0<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

\"Marano_YF.4Apr\"<\/a><\/p>\n

=================================<\/p>\n

UPDATE APRIL 6: \u00a0Debito.org Reader Don MacLaren responds to Marano’s accusation that litigious NJ are in Japan “messing up their legal system”. \u00a0According to MacLaren, despite numerous attempts on numerous fora, Marano has not responded to him publicly. \u00a0MacLaren’s video, then his comments accompanying his video, follow:<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n