Gomen nasai to the rest of Asia.

Surprisingly, I have very few things to complain about today. I don't think I even know what's going on anymore. I went to a three day long wedding over the weekend, and I feel like exhaustion. Note to self: the only good reason to have a Jewish wedding is that people will carry you around on chairs.

Yesterday, I read about a rare feat which basically never happens: North and South Korea had a moment of harmony where they commemorated together the surrender of Japan that ended World War II. The surrender of Japan is a big thing in Asia. There are still anti-Japan sentiments that are widespread among the population. A famous movie/pop star once walked down the street in China wearing a Japanese flag on her shirt. Yep. She got feces thrown at her.

Understandable. Consider what Japan actually did to China, Korea, and various other parts of Asia. While Hitler was gallivanting about in Europe, targetting non-Aryans as he took over some countries, the Japanese were just indiscriminately killing and raping everything in sight. While Hitler was insane and crafty about his murdering, the Japanese were just doing it the old fashioned way.

They were these horrible, calculating people who were killing in cold blood until a couple of atomic bombs were dropped on them (What happened was horrible and cruel, something that no civilian deserved in the least bit, though it may have been necessary to win the war). Suddenly, they were humble. They wanted help from the West. They were willing to comply like good little victims who were just looking to rebuild and live in peace. And now they've taken on this pompous position as the most advanced and Western Asian country.

Should I be disgusted? Yes. To turn on your own people and become the lackey of some white nations is incredibly low. There should be peace, agreement, and constant communication between the East and the West always to ensure us a world which is diplomatic and cooperative, but to play off being some second-rate pseudo-Western nation is actually superior to all other countries who aren't doing that is just bad. Stop being European wannabes. It's not very attractive.

The preservation of culture as a whole has taken a giant blow with the onset of globalization. Japan had a beautiful heritage deeply rooted in Asian values. With this complete economic, social, and spiritual surrender to the West, Japan has mangled their own culture into something quite... weird. It is both a nation of extreme customs and a nation that worships the West. It's unsettling at best since it's now "Japan-ifying" Western ideas and selling it back in forms of ridiculous shows such as Iron Chef (love it), Extreme Elimination Challenge, and Bonzai.

Japan would do well to remember their place and pay some homage to their Asian brethren. After all, they are just a tiny island nation rapidly running out of land. If size matters for anything, most Asian countries could squash it like a bug. But we won't because essentially, I think we all have the intention to aim for a future where we can all work with each other like good little kindergarteners.

So Japan, perhaps taking the protests and bitter celebrations into consideration will do you some good. If we have truly made peace, then where is all this resentment coming from? As many Asian parents have said to their Americanized children with love and despair: You are Asian; don't forget where you come from.