Venice Movie Festival-A Japan China Take

The 63th Venice Movie Festival opens, with two Japanese movies and two Chinese movies(from Hong Kong and Taiwain, none from Mainland China)join the race for Gold Loin. However, The Banquet, a heavy weight class movie made in Mainland China, will make a debut in Venice, too.

Staring Zhang Ziyi(Hero, House of flying diggers), Ge you(Farewell My Concubine, To Live) , Zhou Yun(star of Balzac and the Chinese Seamstress), The Banquet seems to be similar to "House of flying diggers", "Hero", is about love and conspiracy inside a Chinese emperior's palace. You can check a trail and photos here.

Tokyo is selected to bid 2012 Olympics

JOC, Japan Olympics Committee selected Tokyo over Fukuoka as Japan's representative to bid to host 2012 Olympics Games. However, As Japan is getting lonely in Asia, and Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara is wellknown for srongly supporting Yasukuni visit and critizing China and South Korea, It is unlikely Tokyo will gain support from Internatinal Olympic Committee(IOC) Chinese and South Korean members.(Yomiuri Shimbun)

China again voices concerns regarding Japan's request for China to stop gas exploration in East China sea, along sea lines bordering China and Japan.(Xinhua)

Japan's emerging thought police

Burndown of Kato Koichi's house because he publicly criticizes Koizumi's Yasukuni visit, Firebottles thrown into Yotaro Kobayashi's house for voicing concerns on Yasukuni issue, threat letters sent to a Keio University Professor for supporting female emperior.

The list goes on...

People can't help but wondering, how far the right wing in Japan will go to selence different voices? Threat such as these (火炎瓶、脅迫状、実家全焼) certainly has more effects than just silencing the different voices, but also impacting directly on how people will voice out their opinions or not at all.

A timely article by Steven Clemons, director of the American Strategy Program at the New America Foundation and co-founder of the Japan Policy Research Institute, titled "the rise of Japan's Thougth Police" (Washington Post)

You can email Steven to voice out your support on this issue.

Asian Stories

Here is a trail for Asian Stories, a movie filmed by Asian Americans. It looks to me a coming of age story in Asians in American. Have a good weekend!

Japanese cellphones usable in China, with a cost

Finally, Japanese cell phones can be used in China, a combination of Japan's Hi-Tech with China's cheap minute charge, sounds like a deal, except a Chinese who does this got arrested today in Tokyo.

For a foreigner, If you walk around in electronics district in Akihabara, Tokyo, one thing that surprises you is, How come so many brandnew, Generation-3 cell phones costs you Nothing? Yes, Tata, Free, period.

The secert is, Japan wireless carriers charge you nothing to own a phone, but charge more to use the phone. And, becuase of SIM card was locked, (SIM Lock), Japanese phones cannot be used in other countires, So the phone companies can reap the profits when you start using the phone.

At least one company, L&K, that have shops in both Tokyo and Shanghai, use software to delock the SIM card. The owner, Lu XiLin(陆锡龄）was arrested today for charges of violating property laws.

The biggest victim is Vedepone, who is said to lose 400 million Yens each month for the delock.

SinoJapan's Winter in the middle of the Summer

Mr. Koizumi's visit to Yasukuni Shrine again stirs up a debate , a debate not about The United States, not China or South Korea, but about Japan itself. How Japan is going to define its own role in International arena?

Japan's foreign minister proposed Japan to be Asia's Thought Leader, however, facing strong oppose from its two major neighbors, China and South Korea, Japan's leadership role in Asia no doubt faces challenges.

Last week, A prominent Japanese politician, Koichi Kato, well-known for speaking publicly against Koizumi's Yasukuni visit and focus on improve relations with China and South Korea, whose home and office got burned down by a self-proclaimed “rightist".

In the middle of summer, there are chills here and there. Even US scholars are concerned about the strings of worrisome incidents.

Today's SinoJapan Temperature

-10C. UP from -20C.

reasoning:
Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Aso vows to improve ties with China, in a press briefing to disclose his policy if he be elected next Prime Minister.

Does America really care Yasukuni Issue?

In a commentary titled Uneasy Sleep of Japan's Dead, written by a conservative Washington Post commenter, George Will thinks that to a easy sleep for Japanese is to go beyond Yasukuni.

However, I wonder how much America cares about the Yasukuni issues. After all, Mr. Will's commentary is 2nd piece appeared regarding Mr. Koizumi's Yasukuni visit on August 15, 2006, which has strained relationship among Japan, China and South Korea, in Washington Post, a national newspaper in the U.S.

A mechanism that will push both Japan and China to go beyond Yasukuni seems to have stopped too, with Mr. Abe seems to be certain to succeed Koizumi, and he himself spoke publicly to go visit Yasukuni if elected. China, on the other hand, shows no signs of willingness to hold talks with Japanese leaders without them stopping visit Yasukuni first.

Aso joins the race, New bar in China

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso, who is known for proposing Japan as Asia's Thought Leader, offically joins in the race to succeed Koizumi as Japan's next Prime Minister. (Yomiuri Shimbun)

A bar, or a prision cell, or both? A new bar opens in Suzhou, a city one hour drive distance from Shanghai.(Xinhua News)

吴倩&Jesse:East meets West Wedding

Contiune our Chinese related wedding series, Today brings a wedding ceremony held in Nanjing, a city north to Shanghai, Nanjing is a city that is both beautiful and easy to approach.Want to take a look at their VERY traditional(literally, I mean even Chinese rarely practise it today) Chinese Systle Wedding Ceremony? Here is a Youtube Video Clip.

Beyond Yasukuni: Bush,Please throw the ball to Koizumi

Even most optimists will be heartbroken by now, as new weave of cooling water pour over already frozen Sino-Japan relations, the bad news comes in double, with Mr. Koizumi has not even tried to show a gesture to improve ties with China, the almost certain will-be next Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, not only said that he would go to visit Yasukuni Shrine when he becomes the Prime Minister, even before he becomes one, he already visited Yasukuni this Aprilin a secretive trip.

Let’s back off a little bit and look at the issue from a cross-cultural person’s point of view. No one will question that even there are similarities between Chinese and Japanese cultures, however, they are like day and night. Put into the lack of communication between two countries leader, deep rooted distrust towards each other, and no gestures showing mutual concerns being considered, you just got the formula for a extremely harsh, if not dangerous relationship.

Have you seen two women fight? Compared to a fight between two men, the fight between two women seem to be less violent and aggressive. However, that doesn’t mean the fight will be peaceful and civiziled, quite the other way around, it only indicates that the fight will last to the end of the day, and both sides will hate each other to their bones and will not talk to each other for the rest of their lives.

Both China and Japan are feminine societies. I know it is in direct contrast to Geert Hofstede, influential crosscultural expert. "masculinity vs femininity"- refers to the value placed on traditionally male or female values. Masculine cultures value competitiveness, assertiveness, ambition, and the accumulation of wealth and material possessions, whereas feminine cultures place more value on relationships and quality of life. Japan is considered by Hofstede to be the most "masculine" culture, so does China" The U.S. and U.K.are moderately masculine.”(Wikipedia)

Let’s the men step in, let’s the United States play a role here, not only Bush can say something to his dear friend, Mr. Koizumi, but he certainly knows that a -20C degree between China and Japan is much colder than the U.S. bears to carry, the U.S. interests certainly has a stake here.

Koizumi surprises no one, didn't Beyond Yasukuni

Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi, with all eyes on him, amid 2-day protests in Tokyo, with both strong indication to go and later silence, surprises no one by indeed going to Yasukuni on August 15th, the day that Japan declared to be defeated 61 years ago.

China and South Korea's reaction surprise no one, too. With strong warning from South Korea's President Noh, amid tightened security at Japanese embassy in Shenyang, China, even with some cautious voices inside Japan's LDP party, Japan indeed further agonize her two close neighbors, further downgrade bilateral relations, and further isolate herself.

This posting is Beyond Yasukuni's 201 posting, From today, we will have a new feature, Called Beyond Yasukuni: Sino-Japan Relation Thermometer(中日关系温度计). Today's temperature is -20C.

Amid Mid summer heat waves, Sino-Japan's Winter has come, however, it also means that the Spring will not that far either. At least, both Japanese and Chinese view themselves Optimists. (乐观论者,楽観論者)

Protesters made Koizumi silent

Two day in a row protest over Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi had one obvious effect, silence. When being asked if he plans to visit Yasukuni Shrine on August 15th, Mr. Koizumi, unusually didn't put out his statment that He would make his own judgement, but prefer to ignore the question.

The time I write this post, (by the way, it is also the Beyond Yasukuni's 200th posts, what a coincidence!), Both Japan and China has entered August 15th. China has tigthed security around Japan's embassy in Shenyang, and South Korea's President Noh put out a strong warning, when people wake up, they will see whether Mr. Koizumi will go to Yasukuri or not.

Caption this: Wedding in China

Wedding is a happiest thing on earth, and is celebrated everywhere. Last week, Beijing saw a bicycle wedding, today, Beijing has a BMW wedding. Take a look!

Yomiuri Survey: 65% Japanese distrust China

Japanese's attitude of distrust towards China reaches to a new record. According to a Yomiuri survey, 65% surveyed Japanese said, they can't trust China. a 10 percentage increase from the last time of survey in 2002, at the same time, 30% Japanese people say, they trust China, a 8% decrease from 2002 survey.

When being asked which country will become economic power, 70% people choose China. 44% Japanese think China poses a military threat to Japan, next to North Korea(78%).

The Japanese marine self-defense officer, who was investigated for going to China multiple times to meet a Chinese lady in Shanghai, and a suspect of disclosing classified information, was found hanging himself dead in Nagasaki, Japan.

Koizumi indicates Yasukuni Visit on 8/15

In answering a question regarding his intention to go visit Yasukuni on August 15, the date when Japan decleared defeat and end of World War II, Koizumi said, He will keep his promise (visit Yasukuni)made in five years ago. (Asahi Shimbun)

"いかなるものについても、皆さんも公約は守るべきものと思っているんじゃないですか."

Regarding history issues, according to a new book about former Chinese President Jiang Zemin's foreign visits, brother of Japanese Showa emperior apologized for Japanese Emperior Army's invasion in China, during Jiang's visit to Japan in 1998. (Yomiuri Shimbun)

Hiroshima Carp Ball Park

Talking of sports, Japan's national pastime, Baseball is a summer favorite for millions of fans in Japan. Certainly another summer favorite will be Hanabi, (fireworks), however, nothing beats watching a ball game in a stadium while watching fireworks at the same time on a humid, hot summer night in Japan.

In a Washington Post article, reporter David Nakamura, a JET(Japan English Teaching) alumni writes about the local baseball team, Hiroshima Carp's recent game with Tokyo Yakult Swallows.

Two years to Beijing 08/08/08

Two years from today, Beijing is going to hold first ever Olympics to be held in China, in August 8, 2008. (8 is a luckiest number in Chinese, and there are already three 8s in the openning, I wonder Beijing is going to open the games at 08:08:08 on 08/08/08?)

Even there are still more than 700 days to go, Beijing already attracts attention from the worldwide. Japan's Yomiuri Shimbun reported progress of the construction of main stadium, nicknamed as "bird's nestle".

Yasukuni: Shinzo Abe visited in April

The leading candidate to be next Japan's Prime Minister, current Japanese cabinet secretary Shinzo Abe visited Yasukuni Shrine in April.

Even it was found out recently, it certainly stirs up the hot debated Yasukuni issue again, just before the August 15th, when all eyes will be on Yasukuni Shrine, the date when Japan was officially defeated in the WWII, and push the Yasukuni issue further become a topic when voting for next prime minister to succeed Junichiro Koizumi.

China hasn't put out a statement regarding this news, which is unusual considering China's strong position against Japan top three officials(PM, FM, and Cabinet Secretary) visit Yasukuni Shrine.

U.S. Focus on Teaching Mandarin Chinese

Today, temperature in Washignton DC again reachs 100 degree F (32 degree C), Two events are going on related to China and Japan,

1.U.S. Department of Education in Washington DC holds a two-day workshop for American teachers on how to teach Mandarin Chinese, along with critical foreign language such as Arabic. Secretary Margaret Spellings deliver remarks on "critical foreign language instruction." It is in a sharp contrast to Japanese language education in American schools, which is undergoing a lack of funding and shortage of teachers. Chinese language is gaining grounds.

2. The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC) holds a public forum titled, "China's Role in the World: Is China a Responsible Stakeholder?" And a Panel will discuss China’s Activities and Diplomacy in Asia. It will be very interesting to find out how China-Japan's winterlike relationship will be reviewed. (you can click here to find out panalists' bios and transcirpts)

New Info on Japanese Diplomat suicide in Shanghai

A Yomiuri article disclosed a new piece of information on the Japanese diplomat in Shanghai who committed suicide.

The Chinese women who alleged to have a affair with the diplomat, and made a news headlines as Japanese government accused Chinese intelligence authority used the relationship and tried getting information.

The women, who worked at a Karaoke bar in Shanghai, obviously had talked with more than one Japanese man. This time, a Japanese marine self-defense officer was investigated for bring intelligence to Shanghai to see her.