12. Japan in the future and " Black Steamships "

Japanese version is here.

1. " Recently Japan is a little strange. "

In essence
　　 Japanese have very good qualities. They are intelligent, clean, diligent, mild, active and so forth. They have
　　imported culture and ideas from foreign countries and have adopted them to Japanese society wisely. A good
　　example of it is the prosperity　of Japan after World War II. They made one of the most peaceful, loving countries
　　in the world.　　But, whenever any good thing continues for a long time, it might tear at the seams and might
　　sometimes become rotten. I think a little strange Japan are caused mainly out of this reason; the long time
　　 prosperity of Japan.

• How, who, what is a little strange in Japan ? Everyone,old and young, men and women, is a little strange now. Recently
  Japanese are always in pursuit of full enjoyment:: tasteful gourmet, much shopping, cheerful "Karaoke-bar", enjoyable
  university like "Leisure-land" and so forth. Much entertainment are full enough to let them enjoy in Japan.
  
  Anyway," Be fully enjoyable " is the most important and valuable standard for them.If there would be little enjoyable, it would be useless, valueless, bad and would be sometimes immoral for them. This is no exception 　even in education and there is little
  feeling of desire to help society.
• The right of being reported exactly to the people is very powerful, too in Japan.
  The news of " How much .. cc. of the late-Emperor's Melena, yesterday " shall be reported exactly to the Japanese by mass
  media, for it is the right of the people, and such a report shall be guaranteed for any Japanese.
  And sacred Shintoism ceremony shall be opened in public, and taking pictures at any sacred place shall be allowed to them. They usually demanded it severely and got it in fact. " Sacred ? " It's old-fashioned, stubborn, bad, close-minded, they say. Like these," Being reported exactly to the people " is so powerful and overwhelms everyone.
• The opinion of " Invasion by Japan ! " is also very powerful, too.
  The opinion overwhelms any other opinion, and some Japanese say that we shall not explain the global points of the
  historical flow in 18 century or in 19 century in the world, and shall not tell of the weakness of self-controled power in some
  countries at that time.
  Anyway condemn all of the past of Japan, and let them apologize fully. Japan has often invaded Asian countries and have
  accumulated a lot of bad activities there. Don't tell similar activities of the western powers at that time.
  Any sensible politicians, any bright history teacher shall be the person who is always condemn Japan. Don't you think it
  is hypocrisy ?
  
  As I described now, the opinions of "Be fully enjoyable", "The right of being reported exactly"and "Invasion by Japan" are so
  powerful in Japan now.

• Like this, no matter of desire or not, "Black Steam-ships" will come to Japan soon or later, again. What is the "Black Steam-ships" at the next time ?It is wars that are covered with blood.
  Now there are a lot of problems in the world, particulary in North East Asian Area around Japan; Taiwan, Korean Peninsula,
  Senkaku-Islands, Takeshima, Kunashiri-to and three other islands. We have some difficult problems there, and the roots of
  these causes are becoming deep.
  If a war happens in some hotspots, the Japanese have to deal with a lot of issues; the defense of Japan, relief of Japanese
  residents, real team up in cooperation with the aliances, maintenance of transportation routes and so forth.
  At that time abstract ideas will be in vain. Of course, some countries will negotiate among them sincerely and may make some agreements about them, but they might break away some day.
• I will foresee the war, and it will cause a lot of confusion in the world. Of course it will not be on the same level of Korean
  War in 1950.
  We, human beings are studying the instruction from history, but they are not so wise as the gods. . When the balance
  of power of the powerful countries would be going to be unbalanced badly, they might fight in spite of having reasonable
  reason or not.
• As you know, Meiji Restoration of Japan about in 1860 was one of very few examples in the world history, for "Bushi";
  "Samurai" destroyed their own classes by themselves. At that time they observed the situation of China and Asian countries
  that had been invaded by European countries and the U.S.,and thought as the following :
  If our country would have continued the system of Shogunate which appreciated the Bushi-class at the most , Japan
  would be invaded by the foreign countries like them. So, they destroyed their own systems by themselves, and studied a lot of knowledge, culture, civilization from European countries and the U.S. and built a new modern country rapidly.
  Before Meiji Restoration, "Black Steam-ships" made the Japanese so confused, but they awoke up with a steady gait, and
  didn't miss the best way for them to go on.
  But as I described before , good Japan had continued for a long time and after that, it caused Japan to be worse a little by a
  little.
• The defeat in 1945 was a big " Black Steam-ships " for the Japanese, too.
  I think people usually are dreaming something even in the war, for if not, they would not want to fight any longer. Japan
  was the same till the end of World War 2 in 1945. The defeat caused much confusion in Japan, but after that the Japanese
  awoke up with a steady gait again, and have built a wonderful country till now, and unfortunatley a little strange Japan is the
  results of this wonderful Japan.
• Repeatedly I say, " Black Steam-ships " will come to Japan sooner or later.
  Someone may say that is a radical, somewhat dangerous opinion, but I will foresee it. Confusion would be a little different on
  the points of my opinion from some others.
  
  Japanese are wise in essence, so after much confusion they will awake up with a steady gait and will be able to adopt to the
  neccesities of the future.

Described in April 1997