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!