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[Deleted member 17706]

I'm not going to argue the morality of the dropping of the atomic bombs, it's an endless discussion that goes nowhere. It's also pointless to this discussion. So I will just say this on the issue:
Whatever the U.S. did, it was in an attempt to end a war started by Japan, for the purpose of the expansion of the Japanese Empire. What land did the U.S. take from Japan as a result of the war? What nation did it enslave? None. Even if the United States' methods were wrong, their goal was far more just then Japan's.

And do you seriously believe what you wrote about the Japanese trying to protect Asia? Really? The Japanese government wanted more power for itself, and viewed the Chinese, Koreans, and other inhabitants of Asia as lesser then themselves. Nothing they did was for others' benefit, it was all for the glory of Japan. It was a racist, brutal campaign of expansion. Any other rational is just propaganda.

And you have actually just argued that the occupation was GOOD for these nations. At this point I'm starting to hope you're a joke character.

You don't know how to read. I didn't argue that the occupation was GOOD for the nations, I argued that there were people, from the colonized nations, who benefited from the colonization. Japan took Korea and Taiwan from the medieval age into the modern age in the course of about 50 years. The Japanese military did countless horrible deeds in the process, and whether the countries were better off when everything was over is debatable. The loss of innocent life at the hands of the Japanese military was definitely inexcusable, though.

No, I don't believe that Japan's "Great East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere" ideology was something good or righteous. I am just informing you that there were a lot of Japanese people who did believe in this concept. Ever since Commodore Perry came to Japan in 1854 and pretty much forced the nation open, the Japanese were afraid of Western invasion. They saw what was happening to China and the other East Asian countries at the hands of the Western powers and they knew it was only a matter of time before the same things happened to them. At least this was their mentality and justification for forming the Japanese empire.

If it is pointless to argue the morality of the atomic bomb droppings then why is it not pointless to argue the morality of the actions of the Imperial Japanese military? Why do you have different standards for the atomic bomb usage than you do, for example, in regards to the Nanking Massacre?

 

[Walshicus]

There is another way.

Do those bikinis stay on in the full version? Could the Roman's have learned something or two from the full version's mosaic skills?

 

[Matt]

You don't know how to read. I didn't argue that the occupation was GOOD for the nations, I argued that there were people, from the colonized nations, who benefited from the colonization. Japan took Korea and Taiwan from the medieval age into the modern age in the course of about 50 years. The Japanese military did countless horrible deeds in the process, and whether the countries were better off when everything was over is debatable. The loss of innocent life at the hands of the Japanese military was definitely inexcusable, though.

I know how to read just fine, thanks. Your argument, however, is vapid and pointless. Yeah, Japan modernized Korea to some degree during the occupation, but that argument is so out of place in this discussion that you even mentioning it just screams of grasping at straws in order to justify a viewpoint.

No, I don't believe that Japan's "Great East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere" ideology was something good or righteous. I am just informing you that there were a lot of Japanese people who did believe in this concept. Ever since Commodore Perry came to Japan in 1854 and pretty much forced the nation open, the Japanese were afraid of Western invasion. They saw what was happening to China and the other East Asian countries at the hands of the Western powers and they knew it was only a matter of time before the same things happened to them. At least this was their mentality and justification for forming the Japanese empire.

Yes, and Hitler honestly believed that the world would better off if it was full of Aryans and no one else. That doesn't make him any less wrong, or any less of a monster.

If it is pointless to argue the morality of the atomic bomb droppings then why is it not pointless to argue the morality of the actions of the Imperial Japanese military? Why do you have different standards for the atomic bomb usage than you do, for example, in regards to the Nanking Massacre?

I was referring directly to the atomic bombings, and only because most people have very strong opinions on it, and it's not central to this discussion. But even so, I fail to see a valid comparison between the bombing and the Rape of Nanking. One was done to try and force an end to the war, while the other was done because...why? Oh yeah. Because the Japanese Army wanted too.

You never answered my question. Do you NOT see a basic difference between the Japanese campaign of conquest, and the Allies campaign to try and stop them?

 

[Walshicus]

Shouldn't the nice bouncing tits have been all the hint needed, you two?

 

[mintylurb]

Of course the infrastructure was intended to be for the sole benefit of the Japanese Empire, but it ended up becoming a base for economic development after WWII.

I'm not going to comment on taiwan, but in case of korea most of the infrastructure was pretty much blown up to pieces during the korean war. And let's not forget essential part of the economic development, factories, were built mostly in northern part of korea so south's economic development had to pretty much start from scratch after the korean war.

What Japan did was terrible, but its not like no one in Korea or Taiwan benefited from the colonization.

That's the same line of reasoning japanese apologists like to use to legitimize invasion/occupation of china/korea. Let's use that same reasoning for say, slavery in the u.s. I'm sure some africans benefited greatly from the slave trades..you get my drift. You are merely throwing in that some have benefited argument to soften japan's actions in china/korea during the early 1900's to 1945.

 

[Matt]

I'm not going to comment on taiwan, but in case of korea most of the infrastructure was pretty much blown up to pieces during the korean war. And let's not forget essential part of the economic development, factories, were built mostly in northern part of korea so south's economic development had to pretty much start from scratch after the korean war.

That's absolutely true, and a very good point I wish I had brought up.

 

[Mamesj]

There is another way.

"I give these my official seal of approval."

 

[mintylurb]

"I give these my official seal of approval."

same here.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Yes, and Hitler honestly believed that the world would better off if it was full of Aryans and no one else. That doesn't make him any less wrong, or any less of a monster.

I was referring directly to the atomic bombings, and only because most people have very strong opinions on it, and it's not central to this discussion. But even so, I fail to see a valid comparison between the bombing and the Rape of Nanking. One was done to try and force an end to the war, while the other was done because...why? Oh yeah. Because the Japanese Army wanted too.

You never answered my question. Do you NOT see a basic difference between the Japanese campaign of conquest, and the Allies campaign to try and stop them?

The scale of the Nanking Massacre is widely debated (anywhere from 100,000 - 300,000 innocent casualties). I really hope you don't believe Iris Chang's sensationalist book that is full of innacuracies. There are a lot better books out there that take a more objective stance on the situation.

Anyway, the Japanese army gave the city of Nanking 24 hours to surrender before invading. They received no response in the 24 hours so they invaded the city and killed any resistance they met. There was also a safety zone put into place where a lot of Chinese and a handful of remaining westerners fled to. This safety zone remained largely unharmed. The civilian casualties, rape, looting, etc... that was reported to have happened occurred in the rest of the city. On the other hand, in regards to the atomic bomb, the United States demanded unconditional surrender. They didn't get it immediately so they dropped the atomic bombs. Both the Nanking invasion, and the dropping of the atomic bombs were used to accomplish their respective nation's goals. You can argue that one was just a cruel an invasion, and the other was necessary to end a war, but I don't buy that. Both incidents were part of war, resulted in the deaths of hundreds of thousands and are unnacceptable. I don't think either incident has more or less "moral value".

I can see why you think that the culmination of thousands of cases of rape and murder at the hands of individuals, which amounted to the deaths of hundreds of thousands, is more "morally wrong" than the dropping of two atomic bombs that killed hundreds of thousands, but in the end the result is the same. Regardless of what methods were used, both resulted in mass-murder.

 

[Generalissimo]

That bolded I is the important one in that statement. And for every "apology" statements, you'll see a parade of jp politicians visiting yasukuni shrine which houses a museum that blamed the u.s. for starting the pacific war, suggests colonization/occupation was beneficial to chinese/koreans, etc. This along with the history text book issues can give impression that jp as a nation isn't exactly owning up to its past wrong-doings.

Okay, so "apologies" don't really matter, as it doesn't matter when somebody provides one, even if they're the Prime Minister. People should stop asking for apologies if they don't care when they're given.

 

[genjiZERO]

Wow.

Germany was FORCED into fascism? No on forced the Germans to put Hitler into power, no one forced them to begin the Holocaust. Yes, they had a economic crisis after WWI, but that does not give them the right, or even then need to invade and slaughter millions of people.

As for the U.S. "deliberately provoking" Japan into bombing Perl Harbor, you know WHY we stooped selling the Japanese oil and scrap metal, right? It was because of Japan's brutal war of expansion in China. Was it WRONG for the United States to refuse to support such actions with materials?

Trust me, I would bet I've read many more "upper level books" then you have. And nowhere did I say that other nations of the world haven't committed great crimes themselves. Of course they have, the U.S. included. Imperial Japan just happens to have a particularity disgusting history, with the blood of millions and millions on their hands, and some of the finest example of human brutality known to man. Hell, what Japan did during the war would make Nazis blush.

When your economy is dead, people are starving and your more successful neighbours are rubbing it in your face you tend to turn to (to use a terrible post-modern term) extremeism - case in point the current Jihadist movement in Middle Eastern civilisation.

Do you really believe the US/UK oil policy towards Japan was motivated by altruism, that US/UK policy makers were so concerned for the lives of Chinese that they decided not to support Japanese expansion? Or is it far more likely that they were protecting their own colonial interest in the region, and that a powerful hegemonic, non-European posed a threat to this? Because if you do then why the fuck doesn't the US or Western Europe give a shit about Africa in modern times, but is far more concerned about destabilising the Middle East?

Again, I'm not saying what Japan did was at all not evil. Japan is responsible for the deaths of 6 to 10 million people. The CCP is responsible for 20 to 40 million because of the Great Leap Forward and 3 to 4 million because of the Great Proletarian Cultural Revolution alone. This doesn't even take into consideration the KMT which has numbers ranging from 5 to 10 million and who were torturing with the same methods as the Japanese and committed atrocities equal to that of the Raping of Nanjing. And while I don't have any data on how many (total) people were killed by the US, for Japanese people alone, it's at 2 to 12 million.

Again I restate my original point: every nation was wrong in WW2, every nation was a bad guy and every nation had 'evil', ulterior, near-sighted nationalistic motivations. Whether is be Britain, Germany, the USSR, China, Italy, France, the US, or Japan.

 

[cvxfreak]

You guys are seriously not on the same page. I've never seen a passionate argument that had everyone making very good points.

 

[Andrew J.]

Again I restate my original point: every nation was wrong in WW2, every nation was a bad guy and every nation had 'evil', ulterior, near-sighted nationalistic motivations. Whether is be Britain, Germany, the USSR, China, Italy, France, the US, or Japan.

It's obvious that England, the US, etc. had national security goals in mind during the war, and that they did some things that were morally questionable or outright wrong in the pursuit of those goals, but the scale and intent behind the actions of Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany is so different that any attempt at equating them is nothing more than transparent apologism.

 

[monoRAIL]

A government is not responsible for the actions of the previous government of the same country.

There is no reason for anyone to apologize for the actions of another. There is no point in talking about a nation or race as if it acts with a single purpose.

All people, races and countries are equally capable of doing nasty things to each other, and themselves. Trying to determine responsibilities, demand apologies, or characterize cultures is entirely pointless, IMHO.

Back on topic - Microsoft own Xbox Live, they are entitled to ban whatever words they like. Anyone who doesn't like it can choose to not participate in Xbox Live. There are far more annoying aspects of Xbox Live anyway - like not being able to change your billing region or associated passport account.

 

[Fixed2BeBroken]

Did you even read the post you quoted? It doesn't look like it...

To sum it up for you: I dislike a lot of things done in Korea and by Koreans. However, I do not think all Koreans are the same and I judge people on an individual basis. I realize the territory disputes are multi-sided issues where both sides think they are right.

Does that help you understand? For someone who says "no one cares", you sure cared enough to take the time to respond (and demonstrate your lack of reading skills I might add.)

no one cares

 

[Deleted member 17706]

It's obvious that England, the US, etc. had national security goals in mind during the war, and that they did some things that were morally questionable or outright wrong in the pursuit of those goals, but the scale and intent behind the actions of Imperial Japan and Nazi Germany is so different that any attempt at equating them is nothing more than transparent apologism.

I disagree here. You are being just as much an apologist by saying that the other nations did horrible things, but they weren't as bad as what the Japanese and the Nazis did, so they aren't comparable! A bad thing is a bad thing no matter the quantity. A bad thing is also very subjective and is definitely not the same to everyone. I'm sure Hitler and his close followers thought they were doing the world a favor by killing the Jews whom they viewed as the root of all the worlds' problems. If they had won the war, they would have been in the right (which would have been a horrible thing), but thankfully they lost and are now considered one of the most evil groups in human history. My point is that the winning side gets to decide who is right and who is wrong.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

A government is not responsible for the actions of the previous government of the same country.

There is no reason for anyone to apologize for the actions of another. There is no point in talking about a nation or race as if it acts with a single purpose.

All people, races and countries are equally capable of doing nasty things to each other, and themselves. Trying to determine responsibilities, demand apologies, or characterize cultures is entirely pointless, IMHO.

Back on topic - Microsoft own Xbox Live, they are entitled to ban whatever words they like. Anyone who doesn't like it can choose to not participate in Xbox Live. There are far more annoying aspects of Xbox Live anyway - like not being able to change your billing region or associated passport account

You are entirely correct! However, that doesn't give Microsoft a free pass to avoid criticism as a result of their actions. When an international company like Microsoft jumps into a dispute beween two nations, people are going to get angry. I'm sure after the news coverage of what they did, a lot of people are choosing not to participate in Xbox Live or the Xbox at all. That certainly isn't going to help their already dismal sales in Japan.

I totally agree with you about not being able to change your billing region or associated passport account. It's extremely annoying.

 

[Fixed2BeBroken]

its obvious that zefah is so biased in his ways that you can't really hold a discussion about the issue between japan and korea because he is only gonna see it his way.

anime and gundams or bust.

thats life to zefah. rock on dude.....rock on.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

its obvious that zefah is so biased in his ways that you can't really hold a discussion about the issue between japan and korea because he is only gonna see it his way.

anime and gundams or bust.

thats life to zefah. rock on dude.....rock on.

Please learn how to read and write before posting on forums.

I am really curious where you got the anime and gundams thing, though. Considering this is the second time you mentioned them, it makes me think that you believe they are relevant to this thread somehow.

 

[Fixed2BeBroken]

Please learn how to read and write before posting on forums.

I am really curious where you got the anime and gundams thing, though. Considering this is the second time you mentioned them, it makes me think that you believe they are relevant to this thread somehow.

I am sure that I know how to read because I am obviously comprehending your agenda and bias. Whether you disagree with that opinion or not, doesn't mean I cannot read.

secondly, I know how to write, however I do not see what writing has to do with posting on an internet forum. Secondly, I do not know what method you are using to judge my writing skills as I have not shown you any of my writing yet. So, It is logical to conclude that your thoughts on my writing skills all derive from pure assumptions with no justifiable evidence.

lastly, the anime and gundam thing is a joke. Judging by your posts, you seem to not have a full understanding of the term so here is the definition.

Joke:

1. Something said or done to evoke laughter or amusement, especially an amusing story with a punch line.
2. A mischievous trick; a prank.
3. An amusing or ludicrous incident or situation.
4. Informal.
1. Something not to be taken seriously; a triviality: The accident was no joke.
2. An object of amusement or laughter; a laughingstock: His loud tie was the joke of the office.

 

[kazuo]

just out of curiosity, are you Japanese zefah? 'cause if not, massive lulz

just out of curiosity, are you Japanese zefah? 'cause if not, massive lulz

just out of curiosity, are you Japanese zefah? 'cause if not, massive lulz

just out of curiosity, are you Japanese zefah? 'cause if not, massive lulz

.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

I know how to write, however I do not see what writing has to do with posting on an internet forum. Secondly, I do not know what method you are using to judge my writing skills as I have not shown you any of my writing yet.

I don't really want to take this too far with you, but in case you haven't realised it yet, you are writing when you make a post on an internet forum. I am judging your writing skills based on your posts, which you, well, wrote.

 

[Fixed2BeBroken]

I don't really want to take this too far with you, but in case you haven't realised it yet, you are writing when you make a post on an internet forum. I am judging your writing skills based on your posts, which you, well, wrote.

no, I type my posts. you must have some sort of neat pen that is connected via usb on your pc/laptop that lets you actually write your posts out. I didn't know those even existed, either that, or your comprehension level is actually the thing that should be in question.

also zefah, why do you keep avoiding the "are you japanese?" question?

"massive lulz"

anime and GUNDAMS FO LIFE YO

 

[Deleted member 17706]

no, I type my posts. you must have some sort of neat pen that is connected via usb on your pc/laptop that lets you actually write your posts out.

 

[Blackace]

You don't know how to read. I didn't argue that the occupation was GOOD for the nations, I argued that there were people, from the colonized nations, who benefited from the colonization. Japan took Korea and Taiwan from the medieval age into the modern age in the course of about 50 years. The Japanese military did countless horrible deeds in the process, and whether the countries were better off when everything was over is debatable. The loss of innocent life at the hands of the Japanese military was definitely inexcusable, though.

No, I don't believe that Japan's "Great East Asian Co-Prosperity Sphere" ideology was something good or righteous. I am just informing you that there were a lot of Japanese people who did believe in this concept. Ever since Commodore Perry came to Japan in 1854 and pretty much forced the nation open, the Japanese were afraid of Western invasion. They saw what was happening to China and the other East Asian countries at the hands of the Western powers and they knew it was only a matter of time before the same things happened to them. At least this was their mentality and justification for forming the Japanese empire.

If it is pointless to argue the morality of the atomic bomb droppings then why is it not pointless to argue the morality of the actions of the Imperial Japanese military? Why do you have different standards for the atomic bomb usage than you do, for example, in regards to the Nanking Massacre?

Not you again. While I have heard the we were at war side before in regards to the Nanking massacre, there is nothing that can excuse it. Nothing. The Japanese government could have avoided the Atomic bombs if they had you know, given up, like they did after the US dropped the bombs. While I have been very vocal about my feelings of Nagasaki as being un-needed, evil, and used as a message more than anything meaningful. I think Hiroshima saved more lives than it killed. While the Nanking slaughters had no purpose besides killing Chinese "dogs". And again you blast Chang's book, but in her own words she has said the numbers are unconfirmed and gave a range and her opinion about it.

And while you are talking about what Japan did, what about Unit 731? Or do you omit that they exisited like Japanese school books?

As for the occupations of Korea and Taiwan... I believe they started with decent intent... but after Mutsuhito died and his slightly retarded son, Yoshihito took the crown. All dreams of a united Asia went out the window and Japan went about with a plan to pretty much destory Korea and make them forever a bootlicker in the Japanese empire.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Not you again. While I have heard the we were at war side before in regards to the Nanking massacre, there is nothing that can excuse it. Nothing. The Japanese government could have avoided the Atomic bombs if they had you know, given up, like they did after the US dropped the bombs. While I have been very vocal about my feelings of Nagasaki as being un-needed, evil, and used as a message more than anything meaningful. I think Hiroshima saved more lives than it killed. While the Nanking slaughters had no purpose besides killing Chinese "dogs". And again you blast Chang's book, but in her own words she has said the numbers are unconfirmed and gave a range and her opinion about it.

And while you are talking about what Japan did, what about Unit 731? Or do you omit that they exisited like Japanese school books?

As for the occupations of Korea and Taiwan... I believe they started with decent intent... but after Mutsuhito died and his slightly retarded son, Yoshihito took the crown. All dreams of a united Asia went out the window and Japan went about with a plan to pretty much destory Korea and make them forever a bootlicker in the Japanese empire.

Japan was in the process of working with the Soviet Union to act as a mediator to the other nations for their surrender before the first bomb dropped. And besides, it's not like the United States gave Japan any warning that they were about to use nuclear weapons on them. In fact, any mention of the atomic bomb was specifically left out of the Potsdam Declaration.

I am not trying to excuse the Nanking Massacre in any way. I agree that nothing can excuse it. However, I think the same logic should be applied to the atomic bombs and all the other mass-murders throughout history. I only "blast" Chang's book, because it is completely sensationalist, full of fallacies and historical innacuracies, yet it is the only "popular" piece of literature on the subject in the Western world. The mere fact that she took pictures from old Japanese newspapers and publications and completely changed their titles and explanations to fit her agenda just destroys any credibility she may have had.

I haven't brought up unit 731, but you are welcome to discuss if you think it is relevant. The horrible deeds committed by that unit and others are of course inexcusable as well.

I'm not sure if Emperor Yoshihito had bad intentions or not, but he was only in charge of things from 1912 - 1919, so I do not know how much influence he had. Most of the atrocities in Korea occured during the war period of 1939 - 1945 anyway, so if any of the emperors deserves blame it would be Emperor Hirohito, in my opinion.

 

[numble]

Hey Zefah, are you Japanese?

 

[USC-fan]

what the hell is this thread about?

I thought i clicked on the COD5 WWII thread for a second.... :lol

 

[Diablos]

:lol

Fucking awesome :lol

 

[Mamesj]

.

Hey Zefah, are you Japanese?

so, does silence mean "no" in this case? I assume he'd answer with an emphatic "yes" judging by the nature of his posts....

 

[tak]

Hey Zefah, are you Japanese?

according to his gamertag he is from the US.

http://live.xbox.com/en-US/profile/profile.aspx?pp=0&GamerTag=Zefah5

 

[Death_Born]

every nation was wrong in WW2

anime and gundams

you must have some sort of neat pen that is connected via usb on your pc/laptop that lets you actually write your posts out.

what the hell is this thread about?

 

[Mamesj]

according to his gamertag he is US.

http://live.xbox.com/en-US/profile/profile.aspx?pp=0&GamerTag=Zefah5

well, there are japanese people living in the U.S., ya know :lol

 

[Fixed2BeBroken]

well, there are japanese people living in the U.S., ya know :lol

THIS THREAD RULEZ

 

[ethelred]

This thread is ten different kinds of awful. Jesus christ, people.

 

[tak]

well, there are japanese people living in the U.S., ya know :lol

he'll let us know if his gamertag does not tell the whole story.

 

[Fixed2BeBroken]

he'll let us know if his gamertag does not tell the whole story.

well, he hasn't manned up to it for like 5 pages.

hence, he's a caucasian with asian persuasion (japanese style)

 

[Zoe]

well, he hasn't manned up to it for like 5 pages.

hence, he's a caucasian with asian persuasion (japanese style)

Why does that even matter? All but one of the Japanese History professors at my university are white (and the remaining is half). Does that somehow lessen their expertise or credibility?

 

[ThirdEye]

While I have been very vocal about my feelings of Nagasaki as being un-needed, evil, and used as a message more than anything meaningful. I think Hiroshima saved more lives than it killed.

Saved lives of American soldiers at the cost of many many Japanese civilian people. Does it compute?

 

[Mamesj]

Why does that even matter? All but one of the Japanese History professors at my university are white (and the remaining is half). Does that somehow lessen their expertise or credibility?

you're right, it doesn't undermine his posts, it's just a curiosity of mine. It would put an odd spin on his posts that I would find funny. I just don't get why someone not from Japan would openly admit to a racist view of Koreans from the perspective of a Japanese person in regards to the history surrounding WWII. His answer wouldn't give or take away credibility from his posts in my eyes, it would just fill out a little more about the interesting, somewhat fascinating character that is Zefah.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Why does that even matter? All but one of the Japanese History professors at my university are white (and the remaining is half). Does that somehow lessen their expertise or credibility?

This is exactly why I am avoiding answering. If I said I am not Japanese then I would probably be called a Japanophile and have my opinion disregarded. On the other hand, if I were to say that I am Japanese then I would probably be called a crazed nationalist and have my opinion disregarded all the same.

I just don't see how my being Japanese or not being Japanese has any relevance to the discussion.

 

[Fixed2BeBroken]

This is exactly why I am avoiding answering. If I said I am not Japanese then I would probably be called a Japanophile and have my opinion disregarded. On the other hand, if I were to say that I am Japanese then I would probably be called a crazed nationalist and have my opinion disregarded all the same.

I just don't see how my being Japanese or not being Japanese has any relevance to the discussion.

i knew it.

anime and gundams 4 life.

 

[sprsk]

Fixed, stop being an ass. His nationality is irrelevant.

 

[speculawyer]

Well, I find this interesting.

And it is pretty pathetic that two modern nations are fighting over uninhabited islands. And it is even worse that young kids in both nations with absolutely no connection to the islands at all would argue about it. It just shows how prone stupid humans are at creating pointless disputes

That should only happen when oil is discovered in the dispute region.

Does Japan also have such a dispute with Russia with some other uninhabited islands? Perhaps that will generate some banned words too? Well, if Xbox live existed in Russia which I don't think it does.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Well, I find this interesting.

And it is pretty pathetic that two modern nations are fighting over uninhabited islands. And it is even worse that young kids in both nations with absolutely no connection to the islands at all would argue about it. It just shows how prone stupid humans are at creating pointless disputes

That should only happen when oil is discovered in the dispute region.

Does Japan also have such a dispute with Russia with some other uninhabited islands? Perhaps that will generate some banned words too? Well, if Xbox live existed in Russia which I don't think it does.

Japan has a different dispute with Russia over the populated northern islands that Russia pretty much invaded and stole from them at the end of World War II. Russia has offered to give one or two of the islands back in the past, but Japan wants them all back and has thus refused such offers.

The Takeshima / Tokdo islands are important, not only for their symbolic value, but for the fact that it will extend the borders of whichever nation owns it. There are valuable fishing resources and natural gas deposits, etc... in the ocean surrounding the area. Also, Japan and South Korea are both pretty small nations in terms of land mass. They both need as much land as they can get, whether its just some big moss-covered rocks in the middle of the ocean or not.

In Japan I don't think there are many young kids arguing about Takeshima. Most of them probably don't even know what it is. However, across the sea in South Korea, they make sure to teach their kids in school that Tokdo is their land! Here is a nice compilation video of what a lot of Koreans think about Tokdo. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JG5JxyibaHo&feature=related And here's another one of a Korean television show where a guy says that whenever he is overseas and does something bad, he claims to be Japanese. He gets a nice round of applause from the other guests and the crowd for his excellent display of patriotism! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TNyG_WGmWjE&feature=related I don't mean to say that all Koreans are like this, because that definitely is not the case, but this kind of stuff does seem to be pretty widespread within South Korea.

 

[ThirdEye]

And it is even worse that young kids in both nations with absolutely no connection to the islands at all would argue about it.

Young kids in Japan buy Wii & DS, 360 owners are relatively mature people

 

[Fixed2BeBroken]

Fixed, stop being an ass. His nationality is irrelevant.

sp0rsk has saved you for now zefah...but mark my words...one day...ONE DAY!!!!

 

[GDGF]

I acually think that this is interesting. I'm interested in this stuff, though.

 

[kassatsu]

Dunno if this was posted, but this thread made it on futaba.

http://jun.2chan.net/31/res/861589.htm

 

[sprsk]

Haha, that's awesome.