Blamegame goes on...where the pesticide got into the dumplings?

A big war of word is ongoing between China, who claims that there is no possibility whatsoever that the pesticide found in the doomed dumplings was in there where they are in China's turf, and Japan, who has said that as far as the investigation goes, a very low possibility of the poison was put in where the dumplings arrived in Japan, one of the evidence Tokyo police presented to the Chinese is that the use of the type of pesticide has been long discontinued in Japan. Not only the police of the two sides, now even Tokyo governor Shintaro Ishihara steps in, who has expressed displeasure towards the Chinese attitude.

Who should to blame?

Let's take a step back here, since the both sides have expressed a desire for a quick solution, and everyone realizes that as the issue drags on, more people will stop using more products from China, Made in China reputation goes down the drainage, and Japanese government, who has been facing a mounting inflation headache, suffers along with the consumers.

It takes two to dance, the solution should be a two step dance--one is to get into the bottom and identify the source of problems by presenting evidence clearly, exchange information on any clues, and take between door, intensive and collaborative works between all related parties from both sides. No questions are harder to ask, no suspects are left at large. Only through detailed hard work. Words are cheap and usually serve no good for no one.

Second step is to take a quick measure to ensure a complete root out of the problematic areas. Wherever it is, responsibility has to be taken. In today's globalized world, a local protectionism is simply not working, more protection invites more rotten wounds, to have a health back to the system, the affected area has to be taken away promptly.

A blame game is easy to play, however, a solution takes patience, hard working and more importantly, cooperation, are China and Japan ready to play along?

In Japan, Where News is News Again

When the news is not news anymore in China, it is a BIG news in Japan.

Something like food poison, anyone in China can tell you the tap water is not drinkable, as it is not treated, and without boiling the water, it can cause you a forced diet therapy. It is nothing new as most developing countries have the same thing. But how about vegetable vendors wash their merchandise in nearby polluted river, and orchid farmers spray pesticide on the apples. (My college classmates whose family runs a orchid, told me never eat an apple without peeling it).

Then there was the dumpling incident, meat buns incident, Pork cutlets incident, and related news appears on every Japanese media outlet every day and night, still no sighs of unwinding, far more coverage than Beijing Olympics.

Today, there is a news about a Chinese student in Japan who profits from making and selling fake diplomas from well-known Japanese universities, such as Tsukuba, Keio, etc.

Again, this won't make a news in China, especially in Shenzhen, where people from all over China come to get a job, diplomas are priced to sell, semi-underground, or a public secrete, and there is even a discount for a less known school's diploma compared to one from Beida or Qinghua.

More toxic foods found

Again, pesticides were found from a package of dumplings in Japan, MIC (made in China) this time, even more toxic.


Different kind of imported food from China also found out to contain pesticide. The Japanese importer has started a recall of frozen cutlet.


China national soccer team lost to Japan, on its own turf. However, this time, the whole atmosphere was peaceful and rational.


Still remember toxic tooth brush scary from MIC products? Japan now makes a more strict regulation regarding tooth brush.

Cows and Fish fillets, Make me Want to be a Vegetarian

A distributing video show circulates between Japan and the U.S., strange enough, in which a slaughter house in Southern California uses handheld electric bar to force old and weak cows to stand up, and uses forklift to lift them to slaughter stations. I first found it from Japan's TBS news website a few weeks ago, now the video has made rounds and rounds, and it makes such a wave that USDA makes a largest recall of beef in American history. I wonder how many people will be further turn off by the inhuman treatment to the so-called "hamburger cows" and turn into a vegetarian, and how Japanese will even take pride in their Kobe beef and turn back on Kansans beef? Take a look at the video and Japanese news here.

Japan finds more products contains pesticides from China, this time in fish fillets.

Kaabe-A movie worth wataching

Berlin Movie festival is undergoing, one movie from Japan draws my attention. Kaabe is a nickname for a mother of two daughters and whose husband was put into prison for his critic about the War in 1940. The mother, played by award winning Sayuri Yoshinaga, was alone to deal with all the family tragedies , and at the same time, like everyone else then had to show support for the government to wage the War in China. Yoshinaga said, she played the role with the wishes of never repeating the history again. The director, famed Yoji Yoshida, summarized the story in a best way. he said, Japan must learn from its past, especially at this critical moment, the more Japanese learn from history, it has become the priority for the motivation of the production. (TBS News story)

Should it be allowed?

Traditionally, There is no such day called V-day in Japan, however, there is all kinds of Festivals all over the island. And around this time of a year, it is usually a big time for Naked Man festivals. Dont't make me wrong, the "Naked" usually has the name only, because every men will be dressed like Sumo wrestlers, with a white cloth strip to cover up. However, this year, there are some brave souls who want to test waters and it has stirred up a quite wave in media and public, in Tokyo, three were arrested. Should the Naked Man Festival be allowed to go naked at all?

It's Valentine's Day...

If you are local in Washington DC area and feel like to taste a little bit of Japanese arts and culture, you are lucky and the love is in the air, Head to Kennedy Center where a Japanese culture and Hyperculture festival is going on. Click out the festival info here.

Dumplings, Dumplings, more dumplings

A mouthful of dumplings, besides millions and millions of Chinese are enjoying their dumplings with families, China and Japan's inspectors are exchanging their difference on where the poisonous dumplings are from. Chinese said, it is man made and someone outside China did it, aiming to damage Sino-Japan Relations. Japanese side kept it quite and only saying it is still under investigation.

Poisonous Dumplings not only hurt Chinese, two Japanese companies had to cancel their Merge agreement because of it.

Chinese also more than dumplings to worry about their reputation in Japan, One Japanese importer of Chinese made Bed has to repair all beds because of a death caused by remote control malfunction.

While Chinese made dumplings made the Japanese national news round and round, most Chinese seemed not knowing about it at all, and they are not worried about their dumplings, either.

Happy Chinese New Year!

I wish you a Happy Chinese New Year!

The year of Rat is also the start of a new counting circle of 12 years. No matter of where you are, consider the year of Rat to be your start too, starting to make more money or starting to make more goods, or both, whatever your dream is, Start it!

Who put the poison in the dumplings?

Just when Chinese frozen foods were thrown out everywhere in Japan and outside, in London as well in NYC, Japanese police found out holes in one of the packages from the poisonous dumplings. All in a sudden, the whole thing took a turn, the attention now turns to who? Whodidit?

Have you even heard that Chinese leaders apologize to people for something horrible? First time ever, they lowered their heads, even a little, but a big step forward.

Maybe the next in line to apologize is the Japanese?


NYC opens a fashion show featuring all red, it is supposed to support the heart disease patients in America, however, I found that is very appropriate color for the coming celebration of Chinese New Year.(Photo source: Yomiuri Shimbun)

Have a great weekend!