Welcome home - now go to your room and be ashamed of yourselves!

[Svenskaflicka]

Freed From Captivity in Iraq, Japanese Return to More Pain
By NORIMITSU ONISHI

Published: April 23, 2004


OKYO, April 22 — The young Japanese civilians taken hostage in Iraq returned home this week, not to the warmth of a yellow-ribbon embrace but to a disapproving nation's cold stare.

Three of them, including a woman who helped street children on the streets of Baghdad, appeared on television two weeks ago as their knife-brandishing kidnappers threatened to slit their throats. A few days after their release, they landed here on Sunday, in the eye of a peculiarly Japanese storm.

"You got what you deserve!" read one hand-written sign at the airport where they landed. "You are Japan's shame," another wrote on the Web site of one of the former hostages. They had "caused trouble" for everybody. The government, not to be outdone, announced it would bill the former hostages $6,000 for air fare.

Beneath the surface of Japan's ultra-sophisticated cities lie the hierarchical ties that have governed this island nation for centuries and that, at moments of crises, invariably reassert themselves. The former hostages' transgression was to ignore a government advisory against traveling to Iraq. But their sin, in a vertical society that likes to think of itself as classless, was to defy what people call here "okami," or, literally, "what is higher."

Treated like criminals, the three former hostages have gone into hiding, effectively becoming prisoners inside their own homes. The kidnapped woman, Nahoko Takato, was last seen arriving at her parents' house, looking defeated and dazed from tranquilizers, flanked by relatives who helped her walk and bow deeply before reporters, as a final apology to the nation.

Dr. Satoru Saito, a psychiatrist who examined the three former hostages twice since their return, said the stress they were enduring now was "much heavier" than what they experienced during their captivity in Iraq. Asked to name their three most stressful moments, the former hostages told him, in ascending order: the moment when they were kidnapped on their way to Baghdad, the knife-wielding incident, and the moment they watched a television show the morning after their return here and realized Japan's anger with them.

"Let's say the knife incident, which lasted about 10 minutes, ranks 10 on a stress level," Dr. Saito said in an interview at his clinic on Thursday. "After they came back to Japan and saw the morning news show, their stress level ranked 12."

To the angry Japanese, the first three hostages — Nahoko Takato, 34, who started a nonprofit organization to help Iraqi street children; Soichiro Koriyama, 32, a freelance photographer; and Noriaki Imai, 18, a freelance writer interested in the issue of depleted uranium munitions — had acted selfishly. Two others kidnapped and released in a separate incident — Junpei Yasuda, 30, a freelance journalist, and Nobutaka Watanabe, 36, a member of an anti-war group — were equally guilty.

Pursuing individual goals by defying the government and causing trouble for Japan was simply unforgivable. But the freed hostages did get official praise from one government: the United States.

"Well, everybody should understand the risk they are taking by going into dangerous areas," said Secretary of State Colin L. Powell. "But if nobody was willing to take a risk, then we would never move forward. We would never move our world forward.

"And so I'm pleased that these Japanese citizens were willing to put themselves at risk for a greater good, for a better purpose. And the Japanese people should be very proud that they have citizens like this willing to do that."

In contrast, Yasuo Fukuda, the Japanese government's spokesman offered this about the captives' ordeal: "They may have gone on their own but they must consider how many people they caused trouble to because of their action."

The criticism began almost immediately after the first three civilians were kidnapped two weeks ago. The environment minister, Yuriko Koike, blamed them for being "reckless."

 

[ABSTRUSE]

Why do I sit here appallled by this? Because I can. Thanks Svenska.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Abs apalled.

My job here is done.

 

[Guest]

Not that I am defending the actions of the Japanese authroities, but you have to remember that different societies act differently. They are appalled by much that goes on in the UK and the USA, believe me.

Lou

 

[ABSTRUSE]

Abs apalled.

My job here is done.

If I didn't love you so much, i would relish hating you!!!!

 

[Svenskaflicka]

If I didn't love you so much, i would relish hating you!!!!

Why does everything people say to me today remind me of my previous boyfriends?

 

[Guest]

I am not surprised (I know a lot about Japan, secondhand), I am surprised though, that the Japanese did not simply keep it underwraps. It is a culture very difficult for a gaijin (foreigner/westerner) to understand. We cannot comprehend their sense of honor.

not apologizing for 'em, just saying,

Perdita

 

[ABSTRUSE]

I am not surprised (I know a lot about Japan, secondhand), I am surprised though, that the Japanese did not simply keep it underwraps. It is a culture very difficult for a gaijin (foreigner/westerner) to understand. We cannot comprehend their sense of honor.

not apologizing for 'em, just saying,

Perdita

I'm like you P. facinated with japanese culture and trying to understand it. Very interesting people.
~A~

 

[Guest]

I am not surprised (I know a lot about Japan, secondhand), I am surprised though, that the Japanese did not simply keep it underwraps. It is a culture very difficult for a gaijin (foreigner/westerner) to understand. We cannot comprehend their sense of honor.

not apologizing for 'em, just saying,

Perdita

Oh, I can comprehend their sense of honour alright (having married into a Janpanese family - hubby's Mum is very much old-guard Japanese), whether I choose to go along with it is a different matter.

But, yes, as you said (and as I said above) their values are very different from us in the west. They look down upon us in disdain at times. It is a lot to live up to, not that I, personally, try very hard. His Mum does say she is proud of me, though, and that is high praise indeed.

Lou

 

[Colleen Thomas]

Japanese culture is complex and much of it is a kind of tapestry of ancient beliefes, traditions & mores, woven through a constituion imposed on them at the end of World War II by us (U.S.). It would be the work of a life time for a social antrhopologist to attempt to sort out the competeing and often contradictory tenets that to them seem natural now.

-Colly

 

[raphy]

I imagine they should have committed suicide whilst in captivity and died an honorable death, rather than bringing shame upon the Japanese nation.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

From what I've learned from Japanese culture, there is no such thing as "I understand your point, but I don't agree with you.

Either you agree, or you don't understand.

 

[Guest]

From what I've learned from Japanese culture, there is no such thing as "I understand your point, but I don't agree with you.

Either you agree, or you don't understand.

Good point, and it's a hell of a thing trying to argue that point. Oh, how I love to wind up the in-laws.

If only they knew...

Lou

 

[rgraham666]

I've studied Japanese culture a fair bit. One of the most influential stories in my life is from Japan.

But I regard them as completely human. And like most humans, they prefer tradition and stability to thought and empathy.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

...and that sums it up pretty nicely.

 

[Guest]

I'm not disagreeing with Lou, but I think one would find it very different actually living in Japan, vs. what one might learn from in-laws or any transplanted Japanese. One of my brothers lived in Tokyo for 18 years. We correspond voluminously; that plus my peaked interest that led to years of study (mostly re. culture, i.e., art, literature, Kabuki, some music) is where my sense of the Japanese comes from.

BTW, my brother chose to live in Japan because at that time of his life he wanted to be in a place utterly alien to what he knew (the states). He loved it there, and would not have left had he not fallen in love with an Austrian woman.

Perdita

 

[KarenAM]

I'm confused. If the Japanese are so mad at these people, why did their government make the effort to get them released?

 

[rgraham666]

I'm confused. If the Japanese are so mad at these people, why did their government make the effort to get them released?

Giri which roughly translates to 'duty'.

In my opinion, giri is also why the other Japanese are so pissed at them. Giri dictates that the people who were hostages should not have been there. Going to Iraq made these people stick out. And the nail that sticks out is the one that gets hammered.

What many Japanese forget is that giri must be balanced with ninjo, which roughly translates to 'human feelings' or perhaps 'empathy'. Wise people of all cultures realise that duty alone can be destructive.

 

[minsue]

And the nail that sticks out is the one that gets hammered.

I've never heard that phrase before. I like it!

 

[ABSTRUSE]

I've never heard that phrase before. I like it!

Maybe Svenska can put it on a t-shirt....lol
~A~

 

[Svenskaflicka]

Nah, I'd be against that. I'm for nails sticking out.

 

[ABSTRUSE]

Nah, I'd be against that. I'm for nails sticking out.

Damn it, I'm looking at sales and you're getting personal! Okay, you can use one of my lines......Come closer, I have a tack hammer.

 

[Svenskaflicka]

What's a tack hammer?

 

[Guest]

What's a tack hammer?

Isn't it a special Swedish Christmas treat? P.

 

[ABSTRUSE]

Isn't it a special Swedish Christmas treat? P.

ROFLMAO!!!!!!!! I can't even answer the question now, my eyes are tearing up...........lol.