Japanese to freed Hostages: "you are Japan's shame"

[Must_B_Free]

"You got what you deserved, you are Japan's shame"

WOW. Just saw on Aaron Brown.

Folks its over. No matter what they say tjudgement has already been passed. Iraq is a colossal failure. Media has turned.

[wtmusic]

1. Say wha?

The only line I understood of that was, "Iraq is a colossal failure."

[Must_B_Free]

3. The Japanese hostages were freed and finally returned to Japan

Instead of welcoming them home, they were told "You got what you deserved, you are Japan's Shame". I read that as that they shouldn't have been in Iraq in the first place. Here it is confirmed:

Japanese are cold to freed hostages

TOKYO The young Japanese taken hostage in Iraq returned home this week not to the warmth of a yellow ribbon embrace but to a disapproving nation's cold stare.

You got what you deserve!" one Japanese had written on a sign at the airport where they landed.

"You are Japan's shame," another wrote on the Web site of one of the hostages. They had "caused trouble" for everybody.

http://www.iht.com/articles/516600.html

[wtmusic]

8. That's just weird

There are Japanese troops in Iraq--what kind of homecoming do they get?

:silly:

[sir_captain]

13. You have to remember that Japan is a shame-based culture

that is rather preoccupied with saving face, and this incident did not help much in that regard. In WWII, Japanese soldiers were expected to kill themselves before they allowed themselves to be taken prisoner.

[The Traveler]

2. Say again, over?

Static. I couldn't have heard that right.

[KurtNilsen]

4. You do realise that the hostages were Anti-war activists?

[Must_B_Free]

11. Havn't found anything to confirm this

"The three were ostensibly there to help repair water purification equipment." http://www.cooperforpresident.com/id181.html


From the AP, via The Australian :

Three Japanese hostages were released today in Iraq in good health, the pan-Arab television station al-Jazeera reported.
The station, monitored in Cairo, said the two aid workers and a journalist were in Baghdad and free as “the guests of Muslim scholars.” It gave no further details.

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5744,9292769%255E1702,00.html

[KurtNilsen]

14. Let me have a look... I think I have read something about it on the

web before, but they did talk about it during the CNN International morning broadcast a couple of hours ago.

[Kanary]

5. It may be more that the militaristic side of Japan

doesn't cotton to being taken hostage...... some of them still think in terms of killing yourself rather than being aken prisoner.

Japan is big into shame.

I suggest this may be more of a cultural thing, rather than a "media has turned" thing.

Kanary

[RoyGBiv]

6. Paying Up

It could have been one of the many nightmares I've had recently, but I think I read earlier today that some are calling for the freed hostages to pay for what it cost the government to negotiate their release.

This is just sick.

[KurtNilsen]

10. The government is calling for this....

In the case of the first three hostages with the dramatic Al Jazzera video, not the two who where captured later.

In Japan, there is speculation that the kidnapping of the first three was an organised Anti-war PR stunt. Playacting.

I have no idea. I think such charges are so serious, so I will not say anything until the investigations are concluded.

But, there is a marked difference in how the first three are treated compared to the last two.

[AgadorSparticus]

7. I'm at a loss for words. What do you say to something like this?

Is this really true??? Maybe if we had another source. I just can't wrap my brain around this......

[Djinn]

9. An Australian anti-war activist copped this from our PM

Donna Mulhearn who was in Iraq distributing aid to Iraqi's in Fallujah and had been a vocal member of the anti-war movement copped belittling abuse from our Prime Miniature and Foreign Minister

"If you behave in a foolhardy fashion in an unsafe environment, then the likelihood of you being hurt, captured or even killed is the greater," PM

"she's gone into a war zone . . . I'm not sure what an Australian would do wandering into that area, it was very reckless," Foreign Minisiter - who also claimed she was there for "political"

I can guarantee that any Australian who takes up a mercenary drivers contract who ends up getting kidnapped will be praised by our idiot government - the difference would be the mercenary would be delivering food to the US forces and Donna was delivering food to Iraqis.

[SoCalDem]

12. I am very happy that they escaped , but

SoCalDem (1000+ posts) Thu Apr-22-04 04:28 PM
Response to Original message

1. I am very happy that they escaped


I hope their experience sheds some light on the nature of a war zone.. There is a place for NGO assistance, but when people who just want to help, wander in naively , they do create problems for the combatants and their countrymen at home..

I am surprised at the harassment by fellow citizens.. Japanese people are generally very polite..


On a smaller scale, we have a similar situation EVERY year in Calif..

Snowboarders, skiiers, & hikers who love the "adventure" and end up getting themselves lost in the wilderness..Lots of times they ARE rescued, but at a pretty high cost to the state (financially).. They have started to bill people for their own rescues.. At first there was some grumbling, but what is a life worth, anyway??