It would appear that foreigners in Japan are getting angry. Well, those that care or read the papers. So, this is just a small number. Anyway, just incase the Japanese authorities are reading this blog looking for clues about the next foreign terrorist event (give up there's never been any non-japanese attacks in Japan, ever) I am going to write this blog in a language they will not understand. hmmm... let's call it English.
I am actually one of the lucky ones. I kind of have employment rights and I have health benefits. Yay me and the 6,000 other JETs. But, most of the others do not. This has led to some hefty articles in the Japan Times newspaper. This English paper, unlike the Yomiuri Shimbun, is not written by a bunch of right-wing politicos.
In yesterday's paper there was an article by Debito Arudou about the Authorities and their total disregard for the rights of non-Japanese. Above it was a cool cartoon by Chris Mackenzie which had some foreigners being attacked by "Xenophobots."
What a cool name and of course with my love of Transformers this could not go without a new short story. So, after spending the morning planning a short story based on Tutankhamun called "Simoom" I turned my attention to parody and giant robots of destruction. Michael Bay has nothing on me. So, hopefully at a publication near you or just on this site you'll get to read "Xenophobots: The Short Story" featuring the pulsating rivalry of the honest Japanese bots known as Automorons and the fantastically evil foreigners known as Deceptajins. Its two pages in already and its positively dripping with sarcasm. So much so that I may have to end this blog so I can wipe the computer.
Do Americans know the name of their President? Do the British know the name of their Queen? Do Belgians know the name of their most famous export? (Tin Tin). Do the Japanese know the name of their Emperor? Well, no as it turns out. They ain't got a clue.
Japan runs in regnal eras. So, each Emperor is given a name at birth but adopts an era name when he becomes Emperor. Btw, it must be a he because as all good Japanese historians point out Emperors have always been male (except those 5 empresses of course but dont tell them that). Anyhow, so Hirohito was known as Showa (peace) and now Akihito is called Heisei. So for some reason no one, including most teachers do not know Heisei's real name. It reminds me of an article in the Telegraph a few days ago that mentioned Charles as King and how he might be. The writer styled him as Charles III. But, if my memory serves me rightly, he wants to change his name to George VII or is it VIII in honour of his grandfather.
This afternoon we continue to clean up the school. In the morning I taught my last 2 classes of the year. They went well and we had fun with the Jeopardy game. Time for more writing.
Xeonophobots: More Than Meets The Eye Scan (And Fingerprints).
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