TOKYO MASTER BANNER

MINISTRY OF TOKYO
US-ANGLO CAPITALISMEU-NATO IMPERIALISM
Illegitimate Transfer of Inalienable European Rights via Convention(s) & Supranational Bodies
Establishment of Sovereignty-Usurping Supranational Body Dictatorships
Enduring Program of DEMOGRAPHICS WAR on Europeans
Enduring Program of PSYCHOLOGICAL WAR on Europeans
Enduring Program of European Displacement, Dismemberment, Dispossession, & Dissolution
No wars or conditions abroad (& no domestic or global economic pretexts) justify government policy facilitating the invasion of ancestral European homelands, the rape of European women, the destruction of European societies, & the genocide of Europeans.
U.S. RULING OLIGARCHY WAGES HYBRID WAR TO SALVAGE HEGEMONY
[LINK | Article]

*U.S. OLIGARCHY WAGES HYBRID WAR* | U.S. Empire's Casino Unsustainable | Destabilised U.S. Monetary & Financial System | U.S. Defaults Twice A Year | Causes for Global Financial Crisis of 2008 Remain | Financial Pyramids Composed of Derivatives & National Debt Are Growing | *U.S. OLIGARCHY WAGES HYBRID WAR* | U.S. Empire's Casino Unsustainable | Destabilised U.S. Monetary & Financial System | U.S. Defaults Twice A Year | Causes for Global Financial Crisis of 2008 Remain | Financial Pyramids Composed of Derivatives & National Debt Are Growing | *U.S. OLIGARCHY WAGES HYBRID WAR*

Who's preaching world democracy, democracy, democracy? —Who wants to make free people free?
[info from Craig Murray video appearance, follows]  US-Anglo Alliance DELIBERATELY STOKING ANTI-RUSSIAN FEELING & RAMPING UP TENSION BETWEEN EASTERN EUROPE & RUSSIA.  British military/government feeding media PROPAGANDA.  Media choosing to PUBLISH government PROPAGANDA.  US naval aggression against Russia:  Baltic Sea — US naval aggression against China:  South China Sea.  Continued NATO pressure on Russia:  US missile systems moving into Eastern Europe.     [info from John Pilger interview follows]  War Hawk:  Hillary Clinton — embodiment of seamless aggressive American imperialist post-WWII system.  USA in frenzy of preparation for a conflict.  Greatest US-led build-up of forces since WWII gathered in Eastern Europe and in Baltic states.  US expansion & military preparation HAS NOT BEEN REPORTED IN THE WEST.  Since US paid for & controlled US coup, UKRAINE has become an American preserve and CIA Theme Park, on Russia's borderland, through which Germans invaded in the 1940s, costing 27 million Russian lives.  Imagine equivalent occurring on US borders in Canada or Mexico.  US military preparations against RUSSIA and against CHINA have NOT been reported by MEDIA.  US has sent guided missile ships to diputed zone in South China Sea.  DANGER OF US PRE-EMPTIVE NUCLEAR STRIKES.  China is on HIGH NUCLEAR ALERT.  US spy plane intercepted by Chinese fighter jets.  Public is primed to accept so-called 'aggressive' moves by China, when these are in fact defensive moves:  US 400 major bases encircling China; Okinawa has 32 American military installations; Japan has 130 American military bases in all.  WARNING PENTAGON MILITARY THINKING DOMINATES WASHINGTON. ⟴  
Showing posts with label Japan. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Japan. Show all posts

June 27, 2016

The Crow in East Asian Mythology



The Crow
In East Asian Mythology


JAPAN
  • crow historically cleaned up after great battles
  • symbolising renaissance after tragedy
[Information from Wikipedia, unless otherwise marked]

Three-legged crow
various mythologies
East Asia
inhabit and represent the sun
three-legged crow originated in China
earliest bird-sun motif or totemic:   5000 BC

China, severa versions of crows and crow-sun tales
Yangwu or Jinwu  = the 'golden crow'
 

Sanzuwu
Chinese mythology
3-legged crow
earliest depiction of 3-legged crow:  Neolithic pottery, Yangshao culture

Sanzuwu on 'Twelve Medallions decoration
of formal imperail garments ancient China

Most popular depiction:  'Yangwu'
depiction of a sanzuwu
ie. SUN CROW
commonly called:  Jīnwū (golden crow)
colour red rather than black

Chinese myth:
originally 10 Sun Crows
settled in 10 separate suns
perched on red mulberry tree - called FUSANG (leaning mulberry tree)
mulberry tree had many mouths open on branches
Sun Crows would travel around the world on a carriage
driven by Xihe - mother of the suns
the Sun Crows would take it in turns to travel
one would set forth when the other returned
SHANHAIJING:  the sun crows ate mythical grasses of immortality (diri - 'ground sun')
Sun Crows would descend to feed on immortal grasses
Xihe did not like this & covered their eyes
2170 BC - all 10 Sun Crows came out on the same day
causing the world to burn
Houyi, celestial archer, shot them down
all but one

Shanhaijing
Shan-hai Ching - classic Chinese text (classic of mountains & seas)
written by sorcerers + Fangshi
based on the experiences they gained from their trips
[so it's like an early encyclopaedia]
fang-shi = 'method master'
a Chinese technical specialist
from 3rd Century BC to 5th Century AD
incl:  alchemist, astrologer, diviner, exorcist, doctor, magician, mystic
monk, occulist, etc
'fang' = place, region, formula, prescription, recipe & 'the way'
'shi' = scholar, intelligentsia, gentleman, officer, yeoman, soldier, technician

  • recorded over 100 diplomatically related realms
  • compilation of mythic geography & myth
  • versions since 4th century BC
  • present form not reached to:  Han dynasty (centuries later)
  • geographical & cultural account of pre-Qin China
  • collection of Chinese mythology
______________________________________________________

yeoman
Chinese nobility

social system:  Zhou dynasty = Chinese proto-feudalism
ordered by combination of:
1.  honours & awards ('Fengjian')
2.  clan law ('Zongfa')

ranks:

  • nobles – Zhuhou (zhū hóu),
  • gentlemen ministers (of the royal court) – Qing (qīng),
  • gentlemen bureaucrats – Daifu (大夫 dà fū) - incl. physicians
  • yeomen – Shi (士 shì)
  • commoners – Shumin (shù mín)

Zongfa (宗法, clan law) - applied to all social classes
order of birth & succession was of importance
eldest son of consort = inherits title & rank

  • other sons of consort, concubines & mistresses = titles one rank lower than father

Traditional Chinese political theory held that:
"All lands under Heaven belong to the emperor, all people under Heaven belong, are subjects of the emperor."


title of nobility, Ba Wang, hegemon
also used as courtesy title for extended Chinese royal family

Therefore:  foreign monarch subject to Chinese Emperor
referred to as Wang, implying that one was inferior in rank

modern Chinese
king:  Wang
emperor:  Huangdi

Queen Victoria styled:
1.  Nü-Wang (Queen) - Britain'
2.  Nü-Huang (Empress) of India
______________________________________________________

Shanhaijing
Shan-hai Ching - classic Chinese text (classic of mountains & seas)
written by sorcerers + Fangshi

[so it's like an early encyclopaedia]
  • 18 sections
  • over 550 mountains
  • 300 channels

descriptions of locations in the cardinal directions
descriptions: medicines, animals, and geological features

includes:   famous ancient Chinese myth:  Yu the Great
who spent years trying to control the deluge


______________________________________________________

Japan
raven or 'jungle crow'

is represented in mythology
called:  YATAGARASU
(ie eight-span crow')
evidence of will of Heaven or divine intervention
mentioned in Shinto
depictions on Edo wood art

Japan
crow historically cleaned up after great battles
symbolising renaissance after tragedy


Yatagarasu
crow-god symbol of guidance in travels of Emperor Jimmu
Yatagarasu is incarnation of 'Taketsunimi no mikoto'

"Kamo Taketsunimi no Mikoto, the founder of the Kamo-Agatanushi clan, saved the people by turning into a great crow and thus ending the war. The Kamo Ataganushi, which still exist today in Japan, were called the descendants of that kami.

Yatagarasu is still worshipped today in many Japanese shrines."  source | narutoforums
Otherwise, Yatagarasu appears as 3-legged crow
______________________________________________________

Samjok-o
3-legged crow, Korean mythology
symbol of sun
3-legged crow lived in sun
turtle lived in moon
Samjok-o, highly regarded symbol of power
superior to dragon & to bonghwang

Bonghwang - aka Fenghuang
(known as:  the Chinese Phoenix in west)
in ancient China over 8000 years
earliest:  on jade & pottery
good luck totem, possibly
symbol of virtue & grace
symbolises union of yin & yang (opposite forces)
mythological birds of East Asia
rule over all other birds
'Feng' were the male & 'Huang' was the female gender
eventually blurred into single feminine entity
paired with Chinese dragon (male)
known as Adarna in Malay Philippines

China and Japan - Fenghuang
a symbol of imperial house
represented "fire, the sun, justice, obedience, and fidelity"


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Three-legged_crow

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fenghuang

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_nobility#Fengjian_and_Zongfa_of_the_Zhou_Dynasty


______________________________________________________

3-legged crow

Yatagarasu

adopted from mythology of China
Japan was heavily influenced by Chinese culture in its early period

In China 3-legged crow is red and associated with sun

The crow was the soul of the sun (mythology first developed southern China to 5000 BC)

Some other Chinese mythology associations that are not clear to me ('child-sun').

Crow Tengu play tricks on evil-doers


http://thejapanchronicles.blogspot.com/2012/02/crows-in-japan-menace-or-guide-of-gods.html

*something is either wrong with the online dictionary, or there's two ways to spell 'occultist'.  I'm going with 'occultist'.

COMMENT

I wanted to know where the Japanese were re the crow (re my recent video editing fun).

Found some cool stuff I didn't know about.  

I've only just sort of skimmed all of this, so I probably don't know a whole lot more.  ;)


June 25, 2016

Planet Tokyo - Asahi Breweries




Planet Tokyo




SAMURAI
[CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE]
 Samurai - Satsuma clan
Boshin War period, circa 1867
[source wikipedia]

Samurai
military nobility & officer cast
medieval & modern Japan
originally 'bushi' (to attend upon)

  • middle & upper echelons of warrior class
  • usually associated with a clan & their lord
  • trained as officers in military tactics & grand strategy
  • followed rules, known later as:  bushidō
  • samurai numbered less than 10% of Japan's pop.
  • their teachings in today's Japanese martial arts & modern life

Kabukimono
or hatamoto yakko
1573-1603 AD
'Strange Things' or 'the Crazy Ones'
from 'kabuku' - to slant or to deviate

composed of:  ronin or samurai
  • or men who worked for samurai families in peaceful times
who formed gangs
ronin
'wave man' - 'vagrant' - 'wandering man'
term originated re serf who fled master's land
later used for samurai who had no master
samurai with no lord or master
Japanese feudal period:  1185 - 1868 AD
masterless from death or fall of his master
(or upon loss of master's favour or privilege)

Samurai
Bushido Shoshinshu  

(the Code of the Samurai)
eg. to commit seppuku
Japanese ritual suicide - disembowelment

  • upon loss of master
one who chose not to honour code was on his own
meaning:  to suffer great shame

Ronin, like other samurai, wore two swords
also carried bo (to 6ft staff), & walking stick (yumi)
weapons, depend on ryu (martial arts school they are from)

in Edo period
shogunate rigid class system & laws
large increase in ronin
in prior ages, samurai able to move b/w masters
& have occupations
could marry b/w classes
but in Edo period samurai were restricted
forbidden another master without master's permission

samurai could not legally take up a new trade
looked for other ways to make living with swords


ronin who sought steady employment became:

  • mercenaries
    guarded trade caravans; or
  • bodyguards for merchants
Others became criminals, highwaymen, or joined organised crime
  • served as hired muscle for gangs, gambling rings, brothels, protection rackets
  • petty thieves, muggers
  • thugs, bullies, cutthroats, vagrants
Kamakura & Muromachi periods
warriors held lands that they occupied
whereas, ronin was warrior who had lost lands
small-scale wars in Japan in this time
opportunities for ronin to serve new masters

Later Edo period
bond between lord and samurai was loose
some left masters & sought new lords
many served a succession of masters
some even became daimyo (powerful feudal lords
dai 'large' - 'myo' for 'myoden', private land
subordinate only to Shogun
most powerful feudal rulers 10th Century to mid 19th Century

Shogun
general - ie military commander
hereditary military dictator in Japan 1192 to 1867
shoguns were de facto rulers of Japan
although nominally appointed by Emperor as formality
held almost absolute power over territories, via military means
shogun's office or administration = shogunate
known as 'bakufu' = tent office / government
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shogun

kabukimono
flamboyant dress, vibrant colours
short kimonos with light weights in hem
velvet lapels
wide obi (sash)
elements of European clothing

or women's kimono used as cloaks

kabukimono
uncommon hairstyles & facial hair left to grow long



 katana




katana
traditional Japanese samurai swords
curved, single-blade, slender, circular or squared guard
long grip to accommodate two hands
thrust in belt-like sash (obi)
victory depended heavily on fast response times
sharpened edge facing up
intended to: strike target in a single motion
usually paired with smaller companion sword
pairing is known as: the daishō
only samurai could war daishō
representative of: social power and personal honour of samurai
companion swords: smaller wakizashi
traditional Japanese sword cases = koshirae
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Katana


Kabukimono
or hatamoto yakko
1573-1603 AD


fancy hilts
large square tsuba
rounded or squared grip on sword
round thing that would probably steady the grip / it is at base of sword grip, before blade
look like a big button with a hole in the centre (for the sword)
have pretty, ornate designs


red scabbards, longer than normal

  • scabbards are sword holders
  • they're beautiful - many different designs, depending on culture
some kabukimono (ronin or samurai)
extremely long kiseru as weapons
kiseru = Japanese smoking pipe
traditionally used for smoking kizami
finely shredded tobacco resembling hair
rod with metal ends, extremely long kiseru could be carried as weapon
status symbol for the owner, elaborately engraved
commoners were prohibited to carry sharp weapon
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kiseru

  • often very violent, rude
  • cutting down people to try a new sword
  • incidents of violence common
  • eg. in cities Edo & Kyoto
  • wrestling & dancing in streets common 
  • fighting with other gangs at night

thought modern yakuza originated from groups of kabukimono


others believe yakuza origins in:  machi yakko (private police)


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kabukimono

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Daimyo

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R%C5%8Dnin


Bushido
'the way of the warrior'
way of samurai life
anologous to concept of chivalry in Europe
samurai code of conduct

  • frugality
  • loyalty
  • martial arts
  • mastery
  • honour until death
Bushido from Neo-Confucianism
influenced by Shinto & Zen Buddhism
allowing violent existence of samurai to be tempered by wisdom & serenity
developed: 1500s to 1900s
possibly dating back to 10th Century


Nabeshima Naoshige
daimyo of Hizen
1538 - 1618
proved himself in battle
1570 assisted Takanobu at Saga Castle
which was surrounded by 60,000 Otomo clan army
versus Naoshige only 5,000
suggested night raid on enemy camp & successfully routed them
inherited position from Takanobu (on death)

"... it is shameful for any man to die without having risked his life in battle, regardless of rank ..."

Seppuku
(stomach cutting)
Japanese ritual suicide / disembowelment
originally reserved for samurai
part of bushido honour code
  • either voluntary, not to fall into enemy hands (torture)
  • or as capital punishment for serious crime or bringing shame/dishonour
  • performed as part of elaborate ritual before spectators
plunge short blade (tanto) into abdomen
from left to right, slicing abdomen open
ritual standardised 17th century
prior to standardisation, ritual much more painful
on standardisation, kaishakunin ('second') appointed
duty of kaishakunin to behead the ritual suicide agent at moment of agony
kaishakunin is called 'kaishaku' ('nin' is person)
suicide ritual agent spared prolonged death

ritual is preserved in modern martial art:  iaido
ritual varies, depending on fencing school
all have steps in common:
1.  sit or stand close enough with katana to strike
2.  if seated, movements are ritualised
3.  when samurai performs seppuku he returns tanto dagger back to its place

kaishakunin
uses katana to strike back of neck
of dying samurai

Katana double handed grip for:
  • precision & strength to cut
  • must be precision controlled, cutting only half neck of samurai
Intent to:
  • leaving skin to hold head attached to body
  • in single slash of katana
Kaishakunin
slowly, silently shakes blood on blade of katana
movement known as:  chiburi

katana returned to scabbard (movement called noto)
while kneeling towards samurai corpse
remains kneeling position as sign of deep respect to samurai
in state of zanshin (total awareness)
before standing & bowing to samurai corpse

Execution
Seppuku - some rituals no disembowelment
just movement of dagger, stick or fan across stomach
followed by beheading
kaishakunin then becomes execution & seppuku becomes beheading
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kaishakunin


jigai = suicide

modern Japanese for suicide:  jisatsu

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nabeshima_Naoshige

[ALL SAMURAI INFO FROM WIKIPEDIA]



Last Samurai
Samurai Class Abolished 1867




I'm liking all this samurai stuff. 

It seems brave and admirable, but I don't think I'd make a good samurai. 

I couldn't do the seppuku and I'd probably run away if attacked, but it must be really exhilarating to handle beautiful weapons quickly and effectively.

Not sure how much samurai info I'll remember.  Don't yet have a feel for Japanese. The names of things are difficult for me.

But I'll remember:   katana.


Normally, I don't drink (even socially) ... which is just as well, because alcohol and me is not a good mix.

Felt like I drink today, when I saw one being cracked open.  Looked inviting, and I like bubbles. 

Having an Asahi Breweries beer (apparently, one of 4 largest Japanese brewers, founded in Osaka in 1889).  

Tastes very light, even to a non-drinker.  Nice, though.  
I'd planned to watch a heap of videos, but I'm not sure I can catch up with everything I want to watch.

Attention span isn't what it should be; I can only handle small bits of info ... and I like pictures a lot.  LOL

Dinner's easy, so it doesn't matter if I wind up pissed:  Thai Chicken Green Curry pre-cooked (frozen).  Just need rice and it's good to go after defrost and heat, and dollop of my fabulous home-made yoghurt. 


December 14, 2015

GIF - Hiroshima & Nagasaki & WWII Propaganda


Fujiyama

Mama | 1957

 Wanda Jackson


---------------------- ꕤ ----------------------

Bilingual USA
WWII Propaganda

US-ANGLO
ATOMIC BOMBINGS
Hiroshima & Nagasaki Japan
August 6 + August 9, 1945

1950
estimate:  230,000 killed

only use of nuclear weapons
 in history


6 August 1945
Hiroshima
first atomic bomb
bomb bears name 'Little Boy'
initially kills 70,000
{20% of 350,000 inhabitants}
Giant shock-wave flattens city centre

End of 1945:  further 60,000 die (Hiroshima alone)
Result of:
 radiation exposure, burns & severe injuries






9 August 1945
Nagasaki
{original target Kyoto}
second atomic bomb
bomb bears name 'Fat Man'
22,000 tons of TNT
est 70,000 killed

Mitsubishi Steel &  Munitions Works
{torpedo construction
- used Pear Harbour  (2,403 killed)}

shipyards & port

1950 estimate:  230,000 killed


US-Anglo Atomic Bombings
est. 230,000 killed
in two deadly strikes
WAR CRIMES
Many historians regard the US-Anglo attacks on Hiroshima & Nagasaki as war crimes.




Source |  here

---------------------- ꕤ ----------------------


FUJIYAMA MAMA
"It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit."
— Harry S Truman

US-Anglo Atomic Bombings

President Harry S. Truman
Winston Churchill
USA
(with British consent)
as per Quebec Agreement
Anglo-American
re nuclear energy & weapons
Signatories: 
Winston Churchill
Franklin Delano Roosevelt
1943
initiated by British
UK handed over all material to USA
Britain received all copies of US progress reports
British atomic research subsumed under Manhattan Project
until after WWII

Post WWII 
large team of British & Canadian scientists moved to USA

Agreement intent:
  • not to nuke one another
  • to nuke third parties (with each other's consent)
  • to hoard info re Atomic Bomb
  • (codenamed 'Tube Alloys')
[wikipedia]
---------------------- ꕤ ----------------------


The End.


---------------------- ꕤ ----------------------





August 04, 2015

Machiavellian USA Spying on Japan - Consistent With US Bid for Total Control on Economic & World Stage



http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-08/02/c_134472389.htm

Commentary: U.S. spying on Japan proves it has never treated allies as equals
English.news.cn 2015-08-02 16:37:13 [More]

BEIJING, Aug. 2 (Xinhua) -- The recently exposed U.S. spying on Japan, one of its most loyal "allies," has once again proved to the world that U.S. foreign polices are still based on realpolitik and it only sees other countries as objects to control, no matter whether they are "friends" or foes.

The Wikileaks website on Friday posted National Security Agency (NSA) reports and a list of 35 Japanese targets for telephone intercepts of senior Japanese government officials including the Japanese Cabinet Office, the Bank of Japan, the country's finance and trade ministries and major Japanese trading companies.

However, the world is not completely caught off guard when the Wikileaks websites posted NSA reports revealing the United States is also spying on Japan.

The United States is often criticized for applying double standards on various issues, but the world's "freedom leader" has been very realistic and consistent when it comes to eavesdropping: from the potential rivals such as Iran and Russia to close allies such as France and Germany. So there is no reason to believe it should treat Japan differently.

The United States has been trying to maintain its dominance in global politics, economy and military power. And one of the most important reasons for the United States to spy on other countries is that it wants total control -- to be in total control. Namely, it needs to be "omniscient."

Spying on the telephone conversations and emails of other countries' leaders is not only immoral but is also in violation of international law. But the United States did it anyway, because it knew perfectly well that even if it got caught, no one would be there to punish the only super power in the world.

The United States' licentious spying on other countries once again proves how hypocritical its course of defending freedom and democracy is. The truth is that the United States has never treated its "allies" on an equal footing, but sees itself as their superior, having the right to do whatever it wants on them.

It is also noteworthy that stepping up of espionage activities against other countries actually coincides with the rise of emerging markets and the unification of Europe, which, in the eyes of the United States, is gradually encroaching upon its dominance over economy as well as other fields.

The United States is afraid of losing its status as the single pole in the present unipolar world, and the almost reckless spying means, however futile it would be, that it attempts to turn the tide around.

But no matter how much the United States has benefited from knowing other countries' secrets, it will always lose more for the distrusts and mutual suspicions it has stirred up among countries.

Seeing how the United States treats its "allies," the world can have a better measurement of the values it actually "upholds."  [Ouch]

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2015-08/02/c_134472389.htm

Realpolitik =
"politics or diplomacy based primarily on power and on practical and material factors and considerations, rather than explicit ideological notions or moral or ethical premises."
"Realpolitik is sometimes used pejoratively to imply politics that are coercive, amoral, or Machiavellian." [wikipedia]
 ---------------------
COMMENT

I love articles from alternate sources.

So all that insane spying is to keep the US in control economically and otherwise.

But having been caught out, although the US is in violation of international law, there's nobody to sanction the US because the US (Wall Street, Federal Reserve, IMF, World Bank etc) is in financial control, I guess.

'Machiavellian' is a description that definitely fits the US.  Think fake WMDs, Gulf of Tonkin, coups, supporting terrorists etc.



July 24, 2015

Japan Hyping China Threat


SOURCE
http://www.ecns.cn/2015/07-23/174137.shtml

Chinese ambassdor to Japan warns against hyping China threat

2015-07-23 08:50   Global Times Editor: Li Yan

Ambassador Cheng urges Japan to face history with right perspective

The Chinese ambassador to Japan on Wednesday warned against Japan's attempt to hype up "China threat" while adjusting its security policy to a path away from its post-War pacifism.

In an exclusive interview with the Global Times on Wednesday, Cheng Yonghua, Chinese ambassador to Japan, said China is alarmed by Japan's recent move to portray China as a "security threat" in its latest defense white paper while mustering support for a defense bill that seeks to expand Japan's military role overseas. "We resolutely oppose the Japanese government using China as an excuse for pushing its security policy. It is dangerous [for the Japanese government] to make up and exaggerate 'China threat,' as it would lead to escalation and confrontation, in particular because China and Japan are neighbors," Cheng told the Global Times.

In the defense white paper released Tuesday, Japan's defense ministry said China has continued "attempts to alter the status quo by coercive measures" in the South China Sea.

Cheng, however, pointed out that China has historically held sovereignty over the South China Sea.

"We have to look back into history, as China since the Han and Tang dynasties become the first to discover, name and manage the islands and reefs," Cheng noted, "During World War II, Japan occupied the islands of Nansha and Xisha. But after the war, the Potsdam Declaration stipulated that these islands be returned to China."

The neighboring countries in the region never declared sovereignty over these islands until the end of 1960s, Cheng said.

Having worked in the Chinese Embassy in Japan for over 20 years, Cheng has observed a promising development in Sino-Japanese relations, from the four-point principled agreement reached between Japan and China in November 2014, to the increasing economic exchanges between the two countries.

But he pointed out that the historical problems have for long cast shadow on the Sino-Japanese relations. This year, which marks the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII, offers Japan an opportunity to, based upon the reflection of the past, turn a new page in history and move forward.

As the world commemorates the 70th anniversary of the victory of the World Anti-Fascism War this year, and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe prepares to make a statement in August, Cheng urged the Japanese leader to face the history with a correct point of view. "Without a right view of history, the future path will be dangerous," said the ambassador. "Japan must demonstrate sincerity of a perpetrator to the victims, and guarantee through action that history won't repeat itself," he said.

With a series of events planned in the country in September to mark the end of the war, China has invited the leaders of all the relevant countries to those events. Whether or not Abe will attend the events in Beijing has not been decided, according to the ambassador.

SOURCE

http://www.ecns.cn/2015/07-23/174137.shtml

--------------------- 
COMMENT

Why isn't anyone concerned about the Japanese breaking the pacifist position?

Is Japan proposing to attack China along with USA and its allies after provoking some kind of confrontation over the South China Sea dispute?

---------------------
LOOK-UPS

Potsdam Declaration

Terms of Surrender of Japanese, WWII conflict - here.

Japan didn't immediately act on surrender, so USA dropped atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki.




September 03, 2014

Japan $35 Billion Investment into India - joint Indo-Japanese military industrial complex.


Modi's Japan visit is soaked with infra-speak
Pramit Pal Chaudhuri, Hindustan Times
New Delhi, September 02, 2014
First Published: 18:55 IST(2/9/2014)
Last Updated: 18:59 IST(2/9/2014)
Prime Ministers Narendra Modi and Shinzo Abe were always expected to get along. They’ve known each other for years. Both are driven by a domestic vision of national rejuvenation. And both see each other’s countries as offering a means to accomplish their goals on the home front.

But Modi is known to be a hard-nosed man of business. The true test of a foreign relationship is less the geopolitical element than how much a country can deliver on key, largely domestic, policy objectives.

At the top of the list of this is providing India a world-class infrastructure on which he can then build smart cities, a revived manufacturing base and so on.

What has come out of the Japanese visit is soaked with infra-speak. The key part is the “partnership for prosperity” section and the lines “Abe affirmed a broader and stronger Japanese partnership” for Modi’s “vision for accelerating inclusive development in India, particularly by transforming the infrastructure and manufacturing sectors.”

Modi’s praise of Japan as the country that “has done more for modernising India’s infrastructure” than any other is about as fervent as it gets in his foreign policy vision.

Even Japan’s “intention” to funnel $35 billion of investment into India targets “next generation infrastructure, connectivity, transport systems, Smart Cities, rejuvenation of the Ganga and other rivers, manufacturing, clean energy” and so on. Greenfield factories and the like don’t get a mention.

Modi took a swipe at China, without actually mentioning the country. And he embedded it in a vision of Asia moving down a path of co-prosperity -- inviting Beijing to say that it wants to do the same and allowing him to then say, "Show me your money."

My sense is that he wants evoke a sense of competition between Tokyo and Beijing -- because nations see the India $1 trillion infrastructure market as something that could lift their domestic economies for decades and give their huge pile of savings a place to get a decent return.

So he’ll play one against the other a bit, even if he trusts Japan a lot more. As one official in his office said, "We have to avoid having the Japanese believe we are desperate for their investment, which sometimes comes through in our talks."

China has and will say little about being called "expansionist" and "18th century." Xi Jinping will land in New Delhi in mid-September and he accepts the trust deficit with India will require some work to bridge.

In any case, China was always more worried about Indo-US relations than any other, and that bilateral tie-up is a road under repair.

The joint statement and fact sheet had a lot of talk about defence technology and manufacturing cooperation between India and Japan. Again, the foundation of this is the Chennai-Bangalore corridor which notably got more mention than the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor.

This is partly because the southern corridor will be the infrastructure base for what may prove to be a joint Indo-Japanese military industrial complex.

None of this will be easy. Balancing between Japan and China will be diplomacy at its most hair-raising. And while lining up foreign capital for Indian investment is clearly doable, cutting through the thicket of regulations and godawful legislation that holds back infrastructure in India has brought almost everyone who's tried it to their knees.

One reason Japan and China are taking Modi seriously is that they sense that in him, unlike Manmohan Singh (who’s vision of Japan was similar), they have an Indian leader who can deliver on his promises. That is the deliverable that will become tangible in time.





This struck me as rather big news.

Note also, the US has been hanging around India and India recently visited US.

So the US probably want a piece of the action.

Also, the US big ally in the Asia region is Japan ... so I wonder if there's any quiet investment by US???


August 08, 2014

US - SHALE GAS - JAPANESE and CHINESE MARKETS



Why Japan Will Drive Global LNG Growth


There is little reason to expect Japan’s reactors will offset its voracious new appetite for LNG.

By Clint Richards
August 08, 2014
...
A look at Japan’s LNG consumption since 2011 ... Japanese use of LNG has increased by almost 20 million metric tons, or about 8 percent of global demand in 2013. The Wall Street Journal writes that this increased demand has led to more than 50 LNG export terminal proposals worldwide. However, despite surging demand for LNG in Japan (and China) recently, there are reasons to temper expectations. The Wall Street Journal speculates that a possible Japanese return to nuclear power and China’s staggeringly large new deal with Russia to import regular, piped natural gas should cause LNG speculators to hedge their bets somewhat[Yeah, hedge those bets in Europe.]

While the question of China’s future LNG consumption may not be clear, demand will surely rise over the short to medium-term, even if that growth ends up being less pronounced than the increase in natural gas demand. Even with the prospect of a slowdown in China’s economy, it is simply too large not to diversify and increase the weighting of LNG in its energy mix, especially as the environmental impact of coal becomes much more problematic in its mega-cities.

Japan’s future demand for LNG may also be difficult to gauge, but there are indicators as to what direction the industry in Japan will take. First of all, there are the $10 billion in loans put together by major private banks like Sumitomo Mitsui Banking and Mizuho Bank, along with the government’s Japan Bank for International Cooperation, to fund LNG projects in North America slated for delivery between 2017 and 2018. Additionally, by 2020 Japan is expected to order roughly 90 LNG ships worth $19.3 billion.

However, the location of the investments is important, as that will signal the long-term viability of LNG imports for Japan. Overall Japanese investment in North America has increased substantially since 2011, going from roughly $15 billion to more than $45 billion in 2013. A significant portion of that investment is being funneled into the emerging shale natural gas industry in both the U.S. and Mexico. Once U.S. shale gas is online, it is expected to be 20 to 30 percent cheaper than Japan’s other suppliers.

EXTRACT ONLY - FULL @ SOURCE
http://thediplomat.com/2014/08/why-japan-will-drive-global-lng-growth/



That's just the Japanese / Chinese market.

* China will be largely natural gas reliant (Russian deal) ... but some diversity expected.

* Japan is a big market ... but they *could* revert to nuclear, so market not assured?

Don't forget Europe needs energy, too.  Hello Europe.


July 30, 2014

USA - War or Bluff?

Former Kremlin advisor gives Russia's view of the crisis in Ukraine

Chris Uhlmann reported this story on Tuesday, April 15, 2014 07:19:43

[ Alexander Nekrassov, a former adviser to the Kremlin -]


... the economic situation in the European Union and America.

Now, if you look at the G7 countries, they are all insolvent. They are all bankrupt. Their total debt is about $30 trillion and growing. And of course we understand that when countries are in a desperate economic situation and they don't really know what to do with it, they try to stage all sorts of spectacular foreign policy stunts, which we are witnessing now.

Now America is facing default in two years time, and America is very aggressive across the world and in Europe as well. Now, the cynics in Russia are saying that America needs a big war. I think that the best possible way to solve this situation is for everyone to take a step back, because all this rhetoric does not help, all this aggressive rhetoric does not help anyone.


http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2014/s3985549.htm


G7


Canada
Prime Minister Stephen Harper

France
President François Hollande

Germany
Chancellor Angela Merkel

Italy
Prime Minister Matteo Renzi

Japan
Prime Minister Shinzō Abe

United Kingdom
Prime Minister David Cameron

United States
President Barack Obama

European Union (2014 Chair)

Council President Herman Van Rompuy
Commission President José Manuel Barroso

The European Union is also represented within the G7.
The G7 are the seven wealthiest major developed nations by national net wealth, representing more than 63% of the net global wealth ... (2013).

The IMF's Managing Director usually participates.

[source - wikipedia - here]



Although this dates back to April 2014, it's useful to bear in mind the economics mentioned.

How's the remark about US need for a 'big war'?

Some blog I was on said it was a toss between Japan, China or Russia. 

Not sure why Japan was mentioned, as it's got very close ties to the US (as I understand).

I'm guessing Russia is 'it', although the US looks to be a 'challenger' in the Pacific region, given it's reportedly planning on focusing it's aircraft carrier naval fleet (I think it was) in the region over the next decade.

So what's going to happen?  Is the US going to go to war?  Will it be with Russia or with China?

Most likely Russia, I reckon.  China's where US probably produces their cheap goods, so they're probably not bent on disrupting that.

Russia is singled out for constant Ma-look-what-he-did! (but got no proof) accusations, vilification as an 'aggressor', singled out for sanctions, singled out for a press smear, singled out for 'shunning' and so on -- so it's 'henpecked' by the US-NATO mob as well as the EU arm of this 'thing' that seems to call the shots on a collective, bullying basis.

It's like a form of international 'mobbing' behaviour, that's usually confined to toxic organisations and workplaces.

So is this all bluff or is Russia 'it'?