I don’t “feel sorry” for Japan anymore.

It was pretentious and ignorant to have that feeling initially, although it came from a genuine place, and I’m relieved that it’s finally all gone, because I got my own problems.  Japan, much like America and Europe, all are on the same team as it is, is rocketing toward the edge of a cliff.  This cliff, once reached, introduces one to a grand BASE jump like experience as you scream willy-nilly, plummeting away from things like personal freedom, economic balance, sustainability and the general feeling of safety that the Japanese so deeply need, and which so many pussified ex-pat liberals blow their horns about.

What does “safety” matter if all it means is declining wages, a stagnant economy and a government taking armfuls of more power as they march the people of a tiny little country with no natural resources to war with a Goliath?  I’ll tell you what it means: jack-shit.

Wing suits are really cool and it must be one hell of a ride, until you slam into a fucking bridge…


…”Weeeeeeee BOOOOOM.”

This is the Japanese government as they realize that the people are completely neutered, unarmed, and generally scared of their own shadows.  They can do whatever they want, until well, they slam into something immovable and that clearly won’t be the Japanese people.

So, this is a list of some of the ways the government is giving the Japanese citizens the finger, and just doing whatever the hell they please.


5. Japan is increasing its military spending

Despite literally everyone, every common punk-slut-idiot on the street, knowing from day-to-day life that the Japanese economy is not doing well, and despite the international consensus that “Abe-nomics is a hilarious failure, the Japanese government is increasing its military spending.

“Because…North Korea!”

Truly, advanced tractors, pro-gay marriage and damned fabulous about it all.
Truly, advanced tractors, no food and damned fabulous about it all.

North Korea is the convenient whipping boy for, well, the world. It’s a destitute shit-hole, ruled by a maniac, full of maniacs who can’t figure out how to grow cabbage properly, but they’re going to kill us all?  Negative.  Also, good old saber rattling has been NK’s (can I call you guys NK) modus operandi for years and years.

Need more rice?


“Thank you for rice, dogs.”

Need medicine?


“Thank you for medicine, scum.”

Need some money?


“Thank you for the loan, white devils.”

Same old, same old.

The only reason, plain and simple, that North Korea is still a place is because the powers that be want it to remain one.

Oh and the other big threat, China. Evil, angry, commie China; an ancient beast which is rearing it’s malevolent head stealing valuable territory from Japan in the South/East China sea.  Oh, the great islands China has stolen…

Critically important, empty rocks, in the sea, far far away from Japan. Did I mention they are empty?
Critically important, empty rocks, in the sea, far, far away from Japan. Did I mention they’re empty?

So, is Japan really going to start a fight with its big, big brother over some deserted rocks really far away from what anyone would realistically consider Japanese territory?

What’s more, the increasing of the military budget, when the economy is in the crapper and the 2020 Olympics is looming, now estimated to cost 4 times the originally anticipated amount, is equal parts useless and irresponsible because in the end, who pays?

Not these guys.
Not these guys.


It'll be these guys.
It’ll be these guys.

Unless Abe is hoping entangling Japan in endless wars will create a weapons manufacturing boom…?

4.Pacifist constitution is being dumped

Article 9 of the Japanese constitution is pretty straight forward, or so many people thought. But, taking a page out of Obama’s play book, PM Abe is “re-interpreting” the article in new and exciting ways.  Essentially, Japan is going to get in the mix, from now.

Now, this isn’t really new-new, Japan deployed “troops” in a support role in 2003 and the Japanese air force has been running auxiliary operations alongside the USA for years, but now, the likelihood of the Japanese military spearheading, or even operating unilaterally is increasing.

Nothing says "We love peace." Like things called DESTROYERS.
Nothing says “We love peace.” Like things called DESTROYERS.

In addition to all the super-duper mecha kakkoii robot laser weapons everyone hopes Japan will finally develop, the official voting age has dropped from 20 to 18 years old. Many question this and have asked “But are 18-year-old kids old enough to vote?”

Thing is, you can’t start drafting 18 year olds into mandatory military service if they can’t even vote.

But…Japan doesn’t have a draft.

At the moment.

3. Orwellian State Secrets law

Blow a whistle in Japan, and Abe could put you away for up to ten years. Similar to the USA, although not yet on such a ridiculously large-scale, Abe and his goons have successfully, after ignoring massive protests, enacted the State Secrets law allowing them, essentially, to hide the dirty shit they do from the public.

Transparency; out the window. 

Accountability; America doesn’t need it so neither does Japan.

And if, say, some rogue reporter finds out that Fukushima, is in fact, leaking massive amounts of radiation poisoning millions, well, if the Japanese government has dubbed that a “Super duper Staty Secret“, then said rogue agent could be enjoying ten years of cold rice and mental torture in a prison near you.

2. Still way, way behind on standard human rights issues

This is a long, long list and I’m getting bored.  But essentially it goes as follows:

  • Discrimination of Ethnic Minorities.  No-brainer. Go walk around town for ten minutes and find the “GAIJIN DAME” signs.
  • Refugees and asylum seekers.  2014, they let in…wait for it…11. Total. 11.  More on this in closing.
  • Fags have no rights here, period, UNLESS you’re fabulous and live in the Shibuya area. Suteki!
  • Girls just have it kinda bad here. discrimination, violence, groping and stalking.
  • Free speech has been scrapped, see above #3.
  • They can still lock you up for 23 days, for no reason, essentially torture you, and then dump you back on the street without so much as a “oops”.
They must live in Saitama.
They must live in Saitama.


1. Overlord Abe will have as much time as he needs.

The grand Overlord of Japan, Shinzo Abe, has decreed (probably), that he will ignore the law and will extend his term limit to 9 years, not 6.  This is of course, good for all the loyal and hard-working and ganbatteru Japanese who will enjoy a life of peace (well probably not peace) and abundance (probably not this either, his “three arrows” all missed).  But never the less, all must bow before the subarashi Overlord of Japan and all things Gundam.


Why I don’t care

Over the years I’ve watched from far and away as the United States and Europe, both places I grew up in and love, eating themselves alive through wars, a complete disregard for the environment, religious like idiotic “progressivism” and horrid economic policy, begin to fall apart.  It’s been tough to watch, I must say.  What’s more, those of you who live there, you can’t even see it; your perspective won’t allow it.

Living in Tokyo, but never being accepted as someone who really lives here, forever the perpetual guest, I’m always on the outside looking in, and events in the last few years have been dark.  But, darkness alone is not enough to make someone not care, however, watching an entire country march in lock step toward wildly darker times, all the while pleading ignorance despite this being the information age, it’s numbing as hell.

An acquaintance of mine, early 30’s, Japanese.  He and I had spent long hours over two years discussing his personal and professional lives, both of which were in a shambles.  He’s smart, multi-lingual and young, with years of experience at a major chemical company under his belt. Well, when his company turned on him, driving him to the edge of both quitting and losing his mind, he was at an incredibly low point. We spent so much time talking about the world, options, lifestyles, and this bullshit consumer matrix like reality they try to keep us all trapped inside.  His mind literally opened before my eyes and he devoured literature and his ability in language, he speaks four, flourished and I was impressed. Deeply impressed, in fact; he motivated me.

His company had humiliated him.  They had sent him to a psychiatrist and relegated him to the lowest depths possible, literally forcing him to take out trash and replace the phones for those who used to be his peers.  He was passed over for promotions while his peers advanced.  He was told, flatly, “You will never work in management.  But you can continue till retirement in a support role, only.”

He was utterly humiliated and it had become clear that if he left the company, within a month he would be hired by one of many other attractive options.  Things looked bright with possibilities.

What did he do? He stayed with the company which had fucked him for years.  He decided it was better for him to “be a hard-working bee” and support this company, out of loyalty, loyalty to an organization that did everything in their power to make him quit.  Once I heard this, he and I stopped talking.  For me, he is a metaphor which clearly illustrates Japan, painfully.

They have all the tools, all the information, but nobody does shit while their country heads toward a really shitty place.  Can’t feel sorry or care about that anymore. What’s the point?  It’s the constant hypocrisy: We love peace! But your government is moving clearly toward war. Brexit is so tragic! But you aren’t interested in a hard and fast version of the EU here in East Asia because, China= gross.  Oh why won’t Trump let in the refugees? Why can’t we all help the refugees? But fuck those refugees coming to Japan you let in 11 and that was 11 too many.

The list goes on and on but really, who cares now?

Pray for Japan? I did.  It didn’t work. And it wasn’t God’s fault, it was Japan’s fault.
