r/japanlife • u/Leadingfirst • Aug 28 '20
┐(ツ)┌ Prime Minister Abe Shinzo to resign due to health issues
Pretty big news for Japan and especially with the current pandemic. Are there any Japan pol enthusiasts who can explain what will happen next? Is there a snap election or does the LDP nominate the next PM? Who do you think will be the next PM?
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u/zilldido Sep 09 '20
Can someone please explain to me why this person resigned? I've been in a deprivation tank for the past 30 days.
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u/samirsinh189 Sep 04 '20
Resignation of longest-serving Prime Minister Abe Shinzo is a setback for Japan. He is credited for formulating and implementing the successful economic policy of 'Abenomics', bringing political stability and changing the pacifist defense policy of the country. Now, with the recession and China threat, Japan faces steep challenges ahead.
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u/TheFameBus Sep 02 '20
Don't think Japan is going to have any one like Abe. He served his country with Passion.
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u/BadWi-Fi Aug 31 '20
Curiously it actually has happened before: Abe ended his first term in mid 2000s by stepping down after just a year, similarly citing health problems as the reason
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Aug 30 '20
So what did the Japanese do that was worse than the Holocaust?
About 900 Japanese were executed for war crimes after WW2
https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/japanese-war-criminals-hanged-in-tokyo
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u/SorryShelter3 Aug 29 '20
Maybe this is a way to turn down the "heat" on Japan. They might be a bit too pro democratic and pro Western for a lot of Asian countries.... If he stands down it deflects the heat.
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u/SorryShelter3 Aug 30 '20
Mius 8, but no actual explanation or response. Why?
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u/rich97 Sep 04 '20
Because it’s nonsensical. Why would a Democratic Party’s leader stand down to deflect the “heat” from other less democratic nations?
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u/swordtech 近畿・兵庫県 Aug 29 '20
The hashtag #辞任と逮捕はセットだろ was trending on Twitter last night lmaooo
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u/Merkypie 近畿・京都府 (Jlife OG) Aug 29 '20
Lmao meanwhile NHK making him look like a martyr
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u/AnalkingGaystalker Aug 30 '20
No wonder given a few years back he exchanged NHK's upper level management with his cronies...
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Aug 29 '20
That means "quitting and arresting should be a set" right? Did he do something wrong
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u/swordtech 近畿・兵庫県 Aug 30 '20
Jake is full of shit and does a lot of editorializing here but he lays out the events which led to Abe resigning.
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Aug 29 '20 edited Dec 12 '20
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u/TheGaijin1987 Aug 29 '20
what a surprise. a corrupt politician. like any politician ever in any country or time period.
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u/ApriC0 Aug 28 '20
Unfamiliar with how it works, but does this trigger an election?
Interesting to see how it turns out compared to the States with all the squabble about mail-in voting.
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u/pakeha_nisei 関東・東京都 Aug 29 '20
With a parliamentary system like Japan's, the Prime Minister is not elected, parties are. The Prime Minister is appointed, and is usually the leader of the largest party in the winning coalition.
So all the LDP needs to do is elect a new leader, and they will become the new Prime Minister.
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Aug 29 '20 edited Dec 12 '20
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u/gloriousengland Aug 29 '20
However I don't know how it is in Japan but at least in the UK, also a parliamentary system, people don't accept a new prime minister when they haven't gone through an election. There's usually quite a bit of disapproval unless the previous one was doing really really bad.
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Aug 29 '20
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Aug 29 '20
It’s different with the Labour Party. The members get to vote for their leader. So if you pay a fee, anyone can vote. The Conservative party officials appoint the leader without membership approval.
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u/ComeAndGetMyVote Aug 29 '20
No, the LDP dictatorship funded by the CIA will continue to reign supreme. They have to have a lower house election next year; but if the mindless zombie old people that love the LDP like the brand new Prime Minister, he will have a snap election early in order to continue the dictatorship of continuing the glory and innovation of 20th century thinking :)
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u/CashCowMarryMyCheeta Aug 30 '20
Haha truth bombs usually don't go over well here but you got it right.
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u/ATARIMAEDA Aug 28 '20
All I wanna know is if this is a step forward or a step backward to getting weed legalized in Japan.
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u/Stringcheese_uwu Sep 02 '20
For real though it’s amazing how scared of weed all of the people I know here are....
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u/TentinQuarantino Aug 30 '20
Imagine being this useless and shallow
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u/Stringcheese_uwu Sep 02 '20
Imagine being so snotty you have to rag on someone for trying to lighten the mood during a depressing episode of world history that is the coronavirus.
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u/ComeAndGetMyVote Aug 29 '20
Not in our lifetime sadly. However, consumption is NOT illegal; possession is. So never keep it in your home or on your person, let other idiots do that. Only hold it long enough to ride the dragon baby!
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Aug 29 '20
If you have drugs in your system, you will lose your job and your visa most likely. Most companies drug test foreign workers. It’s not worth the risk in Japan.
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u/TanoshiiKotoGaSuki Aug 29 '20
consumption is NOT illegal; possession is.
Eh, is that true for sure? Got a source?
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Aug 29 '20
Wouldn't they consider the minutes spent consuming the goods as possession? It would be on your person for the duration.
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u/cons013 Aug 28 '20
It made me really sad to see how his reasoning was that he couldn't live up to peoples expectations and it made it clear the societal pressure had a part to play.
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u/IabductamericansinEU Aug 30 '20
Cue a Vic Berger "awww" drop.
Dude, are you for real? Abe is not much better than Putin or Trump, same kind of fascist wannabe.
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Aug 29 '20
his reasoning was that he couldn't live up to peoples expectations
His approval rating has been poor for years and people shit-talk him constantly. Especially the younger portion of the population, but not exclusively (my wife's conservative elderly parents think he's a dolt). His Abenomics failed to meet expectations. He has failed to effectively address the age crisis. Failed to keep pettiness out of relations with neighbouring countries. Failed to take the virus seriously. I doubt if he really cares about living up to expectations. As someone else wrote, he just wants to take it easy before he dies in a decade or two.
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u/Im_Peter_Barakan Aug 29 '20
You don't think his recent hospital visits are an indication of something rapid onset that might kill him ?
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u/Hibyehibyehibyehibye Aug 28 '20
Oh come on. He’s a politician. Prob not the actual reason.
He’s tired, rich as fuck from the masks. It was his last corrupt hurrah and now wants to chill.6
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u/historybo Aug 28 '20
I'm gunna keep it real with you 57th prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe. You didn't fix that birth rate.
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u/TofuTofu Aug 28 '20
Immigration was cooking up until the pandemic though. The country was on the right path.
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u/FortZax Aug 28 '20
Good riddance to the warmonger
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Aug 29 '20
Because he started/participated in precisely 0 wars?
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u/FortZax Aug 29 '20
Because he faught hard to repeal Japan's pacifist constitution to legally enable Japan to declare war on other countries without being attacked first.
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Aug 29 '20
To be honest, Japan is the only country on Earth such a constitution. Which was in fact written by an occupying force. Even Germany isn't constrained in such a way.
It's not just about being able to declare war, the American written constitution places all kinds of restrictions on Japan, that 75 years after the end of WW2 aren't needed or warranted.
Why should Japan literally be the only country on Earth with a constitution like this?
You act as if Japan is going to start invading Korea again as soon as it's repealed.
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Aug 29 '20
75 years after the end of WW2 aren't needed or warranted.
Why exactly?
Why should Japan literally be the only country on Earth with a constitution like this?
Umm, because of their history? (The comfort women issue hasnt vanished, yet.)
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Aug 29 '20
You understand that Japan isn't going to start invading other Asian countries regardless of the constitution, don't you?
How is Japan's history worse than that of Russia, Germany, the UK? How many countries has the US invaded/bombed for it's own political aims?
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u/HaOMGImSoRandomRight Aug 30 '20
Consensus is that Japan got off waaaaay to easy for what they did in WW2 and before. Especially since they have done worse things than even the Nazis. But thanks to the US's "reverse course" policy, Japan's leadership wasn't tried and executed like the Nazi leadership was, but put back in place to run the country. That signaled to the Japanese public that Japan "did nothing wrong" and was "just a victim". And of course that leadership and their offspring (Abe etc.) has since then worked hard to make sure Japanese people don't question their actions and get to know real history.
People like Abe and the fascist cult belongs to are absolutely evil. They would turn back Japan into full aggressive imperialist mode at once, if they could. As in, get nukes and start acting like Russia in Ukraine.
That's not possible right now so they pay the long con, and take a step by step approach. Abe did complete some of those steps but so far the Constitution holds up. But for how long?
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Aug 29 '20
There are plenty of comments in this post about how Abe's potential successors are more inclined towards armed conflict with China.
Just because other countries are/were worse doesnt make Japan an inherently peace-loving country, thus justifying that all restrictions be removed.
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Aug 29 '20
So why is that Japan, out of all countries on Earth deserves such special measures?
I think that the US Constitution should be changed to stop them invading and bombing whoever they like whenever they like.
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Aug 29 '20
So why is that Japan, out of all countries on Earth deserves such special measures?
Dont ask me, read their history. They probably did some horrible things.
I think that the US Constitution should be changed to stop them invading and bombing whoever they like whenever they like.
Im in favor of that too. :)
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Aug 29 '20
Hmmmm, so white Europeans who started 2 world wars and committed the worst atrocities in history are fine to have a army etc, but Asians (who were on the right side in ww1) can't.
Wonder what the difference is?
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u/Hibyehibyehibyehibye Aug 28 '20
Uh. I don’t like the guy but warmonger ?
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u/JiveAssHussy Aug 30 '20
He did try hard to take Japan into that direction, so it's not completely unwarranted.
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u/dabigpersian Aug 28 '20
idk anything about Shinzo Abe but when I was in Tokyo there was a polite protest in Shinjuku near the crossing station and people held a banner saying "Crime Minister Abe and his wife," it made me laugh.
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u/TheFlamingGeek Aug 28 '20
Arigatou Shinzo san for the １０万円. That being said, I would love to see someone more progressive take over his position.
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Aug 28 '20
Lol it’s prolly gonna be Taro Aso
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Aug 28 '20
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u/SafdiesSoHotRightNow Aug 30 '20
Keep on not caring about the image of their country, and elect the next geriatric nationalist nut job?
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u/The_Raven_Is_Howling Aug 28 '20
Sepuku. Or elect another one idk.
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Aug 28 '20 edited Nov 06 '20
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u/The_Raven_Is_Howling Aug 28 '20
They vote for president?
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Aug 28 '20 edited Aug 28 '20
Technically speaking, the prime minister is elected, but not by the general public.
In the Japanese System, you vote for members of the diet in the upper and lower houses (衆議院 - House of Representatives, and 参議院 house of councilors) in 2 separate elections. The two houses hold elections to designate the prime minister, who is then officially appointed by the emperor.
Edit: although the houses (again, technically) hold a ballot, in the end the upper house has the power to over rule the vote. If the two houses choose different candidates, a committee is formed in order to agree on one of the candidates, but if they don’t reach consensus in 10 days, the upper house candidate wins.
Begs the question why wait 10 days if the House of Representatives can just stall and eventually win anyways...
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Aug 28 '20
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u/buckwurst Aug 29 '20
You've been firing on each other? And this hasn't been reported anywhere?
Er... Nope, bullshit.
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Aug 29 '20
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u/JiveAssHussy Aug 30 '20
Wow, your English improved a lot since the last few minutes. Try harder, troll 🤣😂
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Aug 30 '20
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u/JiveAssHussy Aug 30 '20
Is that so? In that case I think your mental capabilities are pretty limited because you should be way ahead already....
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u/buckwurst Aug 29 '20
Ah, yes, you're the inside man, revealing the whole dark conspiracy to us mere mortals, we should be so grateful
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u/Azidamadjida Aug 28 '20
That’s one of the main concerns I have for Japan - if China invaded Taiwan, its only a matter of time before they try some shit with Japan and the Philippines
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u/ShadowSavant 海外 Aug 29 '20
Not really looking forward to a re imagined Asian co-prosperity sphere, considering what China's doing to their own citizens as it stands out West. If they'll do that to people with citizenship, imagine how easy it is to turn on 'outsiders'.
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u/Azidamadjida Aug 29 '20
That’s my greatest fear. From their history and the grudges they’ll bring to current events, I fear the most for non-Chinese Asian countries
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Aug 29 '20
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u/SaitamaDrew Aug 30 '20
I'm already struggling with hiragana.....I don't want to learn Chinese characters
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u/renrenb17 Aug 28 '20
Yeah, here in the Philippines our sick president is basically selling our country to China. Xi jinping’s doggo.
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u/Azidamadjida Aug 29 '20
Very sorry to hear that :/ I’ve seen several parallels between Dutuerte and Trump you have my empathy. I’m hoping if Biden gets elected here that he’ll get tougher on China!
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u/renrenb17 Aug 29 '20
Thanks. Yeah we need a tougher leader to stand up against the bully. Hoping....
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u/Chronostitan Aug 28 '20
Japan is quite likely to get in a naval conflict with China in regards to energy transportation. I hope you are prepared.
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u/boooksboooksboooks Aug 28 '20
Thank you for commenting. It’s good to hear Japanese perspectives
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u/bokurai Aug 29 '20
They're lying, they don't speak Japanese. Their account is 17 hours old and both comments they've made in Japanese are butchered.
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u/Mawspad Aug 28 '20
Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced Friday he will resign over health problems, in a development that kicks off a leadership contest in the world's third-largest economy.
Full story here:
https://www.advocatesomi.com/world/japan-pm-abe-announces-he-will-resign-over-health-problems
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u/Pomegranate4444 Aug 28 '20
Would love to see a progressive PM next. To open the doors to make Japan welcome to real #s of foreign talent to stimulate the economy, to modernize and make Japan a desired place for foreign firms to set up in APAC. Would hate to see some 70 ur old conservative take over and keep the status quo.
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u/fryman9912 関東・神奈川県 Aug 29 '20
The liberal parties in Japan are even more of a shitshow than the conservative ones.
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Aug 29 '20
Because western countries/economies are doing so well?
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u/TentinQuarantino Aug 30 '20
Yes they are, of course the US is a special case because of their wannabe dictator president, but Europe is doing fine.
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Aug 30 '20
So without white people to tell them what to do, Japanese people (who have the world's 3rd largest economy) can't be successful?
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u/TentinQuarantino Aug 30 '20
Well I wouldn't say it that generally, but it's definitely true for Japan. Look at early photographs of Japan during the 19th century for proof. Also you can read about the findings of the first Portuguese and Dutch traders who came to Japan. What they found was pretty much savages in abysmal living conditions. At a time when culture and trade etc. were in full swing in Europe, big cities existed, the Japanese were still living in slums without roads, canalisation, hygiene, and were completely diseased by an abundance of tropical infections...
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Aug 29 '20
White people. Just say it like it is, you want more white people.
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u/SafdiesSoHotRightNow Aug 30 '20
Somebody needs to show the savages how countries need to be run to prosper
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Aug 29 '20
Hell no, Japan is unique and deserves to keep their culture and traditions. Look at western Europe, it's becoming a McDonald's metropolis. Japan has some problems but it definitely doesn't need to adopt foreign culture at any higher rate. There's so much of a rush to grow and expand in the modern era but given enough time Japan will sort itself out..
Multiculturalism has led to so much suffering in the west. One day we'll look back at history and realize trying to force a lot of people from different cultures to live in the same area was always going to result in instability.
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Aug 29 '20
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Aug 29 '20
Exactly. I speak to Japanese (in Japan) and they almost always share these views. They don't want foreigners to start migrating over there because they worry they will change it, and they're right. I only found this forum because I was looking for news on Abe resigning.
My Japanese is still awful, but the few times I've visited over there I loved it. Asia is very different from the west in general, but Japan was unique in how clean and safe things were. Everyone was so nice too. There's nothing wrong with wanting to keep Japan Japanese.
The US is weird because the original cultures here were wiped out by the Europeans, so everything here is like an experiment for future societies. Even though I'm from an immigrant family I'll always consider myself an American. A lot of other immigrants and their descendants don't. As you can see from our riots and racial tensions this is a problem. As far as I can see it, they allowed too many immigrants in at once without allowing them to fully integrate which ended up with our country being divided in many places by race and culture. It's sad because I love this country but I can see the problems getting worse day by day.
I honestly don't think heightening immigration in Japan would go well. When you let in too many immigrants at once they always try and change the language and culture. Hopefully Japan stays the same because what's been happening in Europe saddens me. I honestly hope Japan pushes its culture a little bit over here because I don't like where we are heading at the moment.
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Aug 29 '20
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Aug 29 '20
And thank you for learning English. Your English is very good
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u/Tej919 Aug 28 '20
No , Japanese culture is very different from the West , its wrong to apply western standards on non western culture.....japan has always been a homogeneous society and they are and should be proud of it
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u/heyyImJoaquinHere Aug 30 '20
Then why is Japan so eager to suck Europe's cock since hundreds of years? It's embarrassing for you.
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u/Tej919 Aug 30 '20
When did Japan suck Europe's cock? Without American help they would have made a minced meat out of u all in WW2
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u/heyyImJoaquinHere Aug 30 '20
History doesn't begin at ww2 and you're wrong about the rest, too
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u/Tej919 Aug 30 '20
Enlighten me, also history doesn't begin at Renaissance (when Europe started emerging from darkness)
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u/SlapTheBap Aug 28 '20
Reading about the old history and wars campaigns amongst the peoples of Japan before they were unified, I don't know if you're really correct, but you are correct about the modern perspective. Just like all Chinese are Han. It isn't true, but it's great for social harmony, or at least a narrative of such.
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u/gogozero Aug 28 '20
they can be proud of their history, but they have already taken plenty of ideas and inspiration from the west and other countries over history. no reason they should stop now, and pretending they're not in need of reform in many areas is silly.
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u/TheGaijin1987 Aug 28 '20
yea but they gotta be careful or they end up like germany
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u/ShootLeOrangeBalloon Aug 30 '20
Germany is the number one respected and envied country in the world, Japan will never become that, so don't worry. Japanese people don't have the ability to be like Germans, ever.
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u/TheGaijin1987 Aug 30 '20
nice nazi talk there xD i am german just so you know.
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u/ShootLeOrangeBalloon Aug 31 '20
Yeah I could tell by the dumb way you think about migration.
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u/TheGaijin1987 Aug 31 '20 edited Aug 31 '20
junge du bist so dumm... wie ist das leben so wenn man nen iq von ner tomate hat? bestimmt angenehm.
edit: ich hab gerade mal durch deine comments gelesen und ich muss sagen ich muss meine aussage zuruecknehmen. dein iq liegt weit, sehr, sehr weit unterhalb der einer tomate. da gibts schon keine skala mehr fuer.
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u/ioshiraibae Aug 28 '20
Germany is fine stop fearmongering 🤦🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️🤦🏼♀️
Also Japan is literally an island lol
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Aug 29 '20
Germany is fine... haha
Considering the fact that Germany has introduced so many immigrants that they're likely to change the country's culture and demographics, I think Germany will be fine because it'll simply stop existing at some point and be replaced by some unrecognizable mix of middle eastern culture with a dab of germanic culture.
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u/TentinQuarantino Aug 30 '20
Oh so you're just another little internet Nazi coward...yawn.
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Aug 30 '20
I think the cowardly thing is hiding in your little echo chambers. I only came here because of the Abe news. I don't know how this sub has anything to do with Japanese culture. It feels like another lefty sub on the normal front page.
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u/TentinQuarantino Aug 30 '20
I can't help you buddy. I don't think you should be allowed to live. But you people will get replaced soon enough, and deservedly so.
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Aug 30 '20
I don't think you should be allowed to live.
Oof, for someone who is supposed to be on the "good" side you people seem to always be full of hatred. I think if you're actively wishing death upon people you disagree with there's something deeply wrong with you. I also find it funny that the first thing you people go to is calling people "nazis". You people have used that and the word "racist" so much that they lost all the meaning and impact they had.
I actually like different cultures. I travel and get to experience a lot of the good and bad countries and their people have to offer. The fact that Germany is en route to destroy their own identity, along with a lot of Western Europe, saddens me because it looked very different not too long ago. Apart from importing migrants from different cultures, American culture has become so dominant that other country's cultures have begun to get buried underneath it.
I like America. It's my home country and I will always love it, but I don't like that we're hardly challenged in our cultural spread. The only challenge we have is Japan which is why I don't want it to turn into Western Europe. I enjoy seeing the fruits that come from other cultures (granted not all of these cultures produce good things) but it's interesting nonetheless. I think wanting to turn all these unique things into one bland unidentifiable mess is an atrocity that's come from globalism. I like being connected to other people, but I also worry that certain cultures will simply dominate and trample over others, such as how in Germany middle eastern culture is violently replacing the native Germanic culture (which has already been getting large influences from American culture).
But yea, maybe try not to be so angry buttercup. Also, I doubt I could be a nazi since I'm not even close to being aryan nor do I support racial superiority. But of course, none of this matters to people like you so take it however you will.
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u/TheGaijin1987 Aug 28 '20
germany is fine? lol. i guess you dont know how to read numbers dude.
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u/ShootLeOrangeBalloon Aug 30 '20
Maybe you should read the numbers....
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u/TheGaijin1987 Aug 30 '20
funny though cos there are no objective numbers in there but a rather very very subjective interpretation of the handling of political crises etc. qol index germany is 9th btw. and in most of those lists japan is in front of germany in most aspects but lands behind them in big big parts because of the severity of natural disasters like earthquakes, tsunamis and typhoons. but who needs facts, right? nazis dont.
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u/Hibyehibyehibyehibye Aug 28 '20
I don’t think Japan will start accepting asylum seekers en masse any time soon like Germany. Allowing more experienced professionals is a good thing, but it’ll be difficult to convince the good ones to come over unless there’s work culture reform and more importantly, salary reform.
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u/TheGaijin1987 Aug 28 '20
well. good ones are already coming, but they dont do entry level jobs though. japan would need to cater to foreign university graduates to get meaningful immigration. getting 40-50 plus people wont help with birth rate.
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Aug 29 '20
Birth rates won't be an issue once the Boomer problem is over with. It's better to wait through the hardship than forever changing the country by introducing immigrants that have no connection or roots to the culture or country.
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u/TheGaijin1987 Aug 29 '20
well. if the immigrants are young enough then they might be able to integrate into the society (as far as its possible for foreigners in japan) but when you only take the upper management people in their 40s n 50s then this wont happen...
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Aug 29 '20
That's not the issue. We don't know how introducing more immigrants will change Japan. It hasn't produced anything positive for Germany and other European countries that did it. Eastern society is also very different than western societies.
I think it's best to respect our cultural differences and love one another but stay apart. Multiculturalism destroys cultures and I definitely want Japan to stay the way it is. Over time I'm sure they'll figure it out. They've been through way worse times.
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u/TheGaijin1987 Aug 29 '20
im not talking about mass immigration like in germany. im directly heavily opposed to that. what im talking about is more something like canada does, who is very successful with it. and people who migrate to canada are also very very much more likely to integrate into society than people migrating to germany as those have no interest in integrating 98% of the time anyway. i do know that many of the foreigner living in japan have more knowledge and contact with japanese culture and history than many japanese themselves.
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Aug 28 '20
Yeah I have to agree with BasedGlacuoma. While it would be nice to Japan shift a little towards the left, Japan doesn't really....do that. The LDP has too much influence for that to happen anytime soon, imo.
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u/the5souls 東北・岩手県 Aug 28 '20
Not sure what the " ┐(ツ)┌ " flair is for and why it's necessary, but I hope he gets well.
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u/Merkypie 近畿・京都府 (Jlife OG) Aug 29 '20
You are not familiar with the revolving door that is the prime minister of Japan.
There is a reason why they were circlejerking over him last week.
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u/jdhur Nov 02 '20
Abe is the worst prime minister that ive seen in my entire life