Potato shortage forces Japanese McDonald's to downsize sizes even more http://t.co/FdZ8HvsNCU pic.twitter.com/eBioUhgMIo
— DramaFever (@dramafever) December 16, 2014
I highly recommend that anyone with an interest in World War II history to take a read of the below posting that translates a Mainichi Shinbun article that shows how ineffective and incompetent the Kamikaze attacks were for the Imperial Japanese military during World War II:
One of the defining symbols of the vicious struggle between the US and Japan in the Pacific War, this word always conjures up a conflicting mix of emotions inside me. The very word “kamikaze” has become a synonym for “suicide attack” in the English language. The way WW2 was taught in school (in America) pretty much left us with the impression that kamikaze attacks were part of the standard strategy of the Japanese Imperial Army and Navy throughout the entire war. However, it was only recently that I was surprised to learn that the first time the Japanese introduced this strategy was on October 25, 1944 during the second Battle of Leyte Gulf. The Mainichi Shinbun here in Japan put together a wonderful collection to commemorate the 70th anniversary of this strategy. It features data that has not only been debated and analyzed from a number of angles, but it also provides statistical evidence that underscores the utter failure of this strategy. The title of the article is “Did the divine wind really blow? ‘Special strikes’ claim lives of 4000,” and it is the second part of a three part series called “Numbers tell a tale—Looking at the Pacific War through data”. The first part was posted in mid-August, and the third and final part is due to be put online in December. The original Japanese version for this special can be accessed here. The slides I refer to numbers “1” to “5” listed at the very bottom of each page. The current slide is the one highlighted in blue.
In this post, I will provide an overview of the information on this site while occasionally inserting my own analysis and translations of select quotes. I hope it helps to paint a clearer picture of a truly flawed strategy that is still not properly understood by both sides. [TheFairJilt.com]
Click the link to read the full article, but some of the interesting facts are that only 11% of attacks were successful compared to much higher percentages for dive bomb attacks. The Kamikaze tactic also caused Japan to lose many skilled pilots and advanced aircraft that led to them having to quickly produce inferior pilots and aircraft to replace them. Very interesting read.
Japan launches the #Hayabusa2 asteroid explorer to retrieve materials from remote asteroid. pic.twitter.com/qGewdgNyzP
— CCTVNEWS (@cctvnews) December 3, 2014
It is too bad that people in Japan and Korea cannot get past harsh history like these US vets are able to do:
HEIWAJIMA, JAPAN — Bill Sanchez looked out over the canal. “That’s where the geisha girls used to be,” he said, pointing at the opposite bank, now lined with modern apartment buildings. “They used to wave at us.”
Was that a twinkle in his eye or just the reflection of the water?
For most American servicemen held as prisoners during World War II, returning to Japan is a complicated thing. But 96-year-old Sanchez, who spent 42 months doing back-breaking work here, said Thursday that the war was bad for everyone. He’s heartened at the way America’s former enemy has emerged from the ashes.
“I went through all that suffering, and the Japanese went through all those bombings,” he said, standing on the waterway that runs alongside what was once Camp Omori, where he was held prisoner.
Now, the camp site is a venue for boat races along the canal, complete with Jumbotron and betting windows. The neighboring mall features huge signs declaring “Big fun”and “Game panic.”
“I take a bit of pride in all of this. What they have done is unbelievable,” said Sanchez, who was brought to Japan on a “hell ship” in 1942 after U.S. forces surrendered in the Philippines, where he was stationed.
He was wearing a crimson garrison cap with “American ex-prisoners of war” on it.
Sanchez, a retired trader in steel and other commodities from Monterey Park, Calif., is one of seven former POWs visiting Japan on a trip organized by Japan’s foreign ministry “to promote mutual understanding between Japan and the United States through encouraging a reconciliation of minds.” (Washington Post)
You can read more at the link.
Why don’t Japanese People wear Wedding Rings? http://t.co/0IbkuqKWQ6
— JamesTurnbull (@JamesTurnbull) October 27, 2014
They have some really weird fetishes in Japan:
Three men in Japan were arrested Thursday for operating a prostitution ring in which clients paid to sniff the bodies of teenage girls, Now News reports.
Authorities charged the men for violating the labor standards law.
The trio set up their business in an apartment in Tokyo. They recruited some 30 teenage girls aged between 16 and 18 and had them dress up in school uniforms, bathing suits other costumes. Customers would pay to sniff their bodies. [Korea Times]
You can read more at the link.
There has been some pretty dramatic images coming out of Japan from the eruption of Mt. Ontake in Japan in recent days and now the US military is warning servicemembers stationed at Yokota Airbase to take precautions in case the ash falls on the base:
Military officials are warning personnel at Yokota Air Base, the headquarters of U.S. Forces Japan, to be prepared for ash fallout from an erupting volcano.
Central Japan’s Mount Ontake erupted shortly before noon Saturday, stunning more than 200 hikers who were on the popular 10,062-foot peak at the time. At least seven are listed as missing and another 40 people were injured.
The eruption spewed large white plumes of ash high into the sky. Two Jetstar flights headed to Tokyo’s Narita International Airport diverted to Kansai International Airport in western Japan as a precaution, The Associated Press reported.
Watch video of hikers overtaken by ash cloud
Yokota resdents were advised Saturday by base officials to remain indoors with pets to avoid breathing any ash that might fall.
They also were told to minimize vehicle use during periods of heavy ash fall because of reduced visibility and potential damage to air intakes. People should wear protective equipment when handling and cleaning ash fallout, officials said.
By Sunday afternoon, no ash appeared to have fallen on the base, and a number of people were outside on a warm and sunny fall day. There also was no immediate impact on Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Yokosuka Naval Base, Misawa Air Base or 7th Fleet installations, Navy officials said shortly after the eruption. (Stars & Stripes)
You can read more at the link.
Japan PM Abe seeks summit with South Korea's Park amid frosty ties http://t.co/uGa49VWlKd #KoreaNews
— Korea News Summary (@ROKreport) September 19, 2014
'Horrendous'; Japan's GDP growth revised to -7.1% in wake of sales tax increase http://t.co/dpANFqRkvy
— TwitchyTeam (@TwitchyTeam) September 8, 2014
I wonder which US military installation we will see closed first, Futenma in Japan or Yongsan Garrison in Seoul?
Japan will make every effort to achieve the “earliest possible” relocation of the Futenma base to the proposed site further north on the island of Okinawa, new Defense Minister Akinori Eto said Monday.
“We have to avoid keeping the (U.S. Marine Corps) Air Station Futenma in the center of Ginowan, which is densely packed with houses and schools,” Eto, 58, said in a group interview at the Defense Ministry. “Though we are fully aware of the various opinions among the local public, the only solution to avoid continuous use of the Futenma air station is its relocation to (the shores of) Camp Schwab” in the city of Nago.
Eto stressed that the ministry will be tenacious in explaining the significance and benefits of the relocation to Okinawa’s residents. [Stars & Stripes]
You can read more at the link.
