Japan Envoy Seeks Rescue of Iraq Hostages (Reuters)
Grok Headline matches for Japan Envoy Seeks Rescue of Iraq Hostages (Reuters)
Japan Envoy Seeks Rescue of Iraq
Hostages
Japan Envoy Seeks Rescue of Iraq
Hostages
04/10/2004 01:01 AMReuters via Wired News Apr 10 2004 4:43AM GMT
Whereabouts of Japan Hostages
Unconfirmed-Envoy
Whereabouts of Japan Hostages
Unconfirmed-Envoy
04/11/2004 06:50 AMReuters via Wired News Apr 11 2004 10:50AM GMT
US envoy seeks new UN Iraq role
US envoy seeks new UN Iraq role
01/19/2004 12:37 AMThe US administrator in Iraq will try to bring the UN back to Iraq, a
day after a car bomb killed at least 20.
U.N. Envoy Seeks New Iraq Council by
Close of May
U.N. Envoy Seeks New Iraq Council by
Close of May
04/28/2004 12:17 AMThe caretaker government to assume sovereignty on June 30 should be
selected a month beforehand, Lakhdar Brahimi said.
Reaction of Japan to the Japanese
Hostages in Iraq
Reaction of Japan to the Japanese
Hostages in Iraq
04/30/2004 03:22 AMSeveral people have asked me to comment on an article in the NYT about the reaction of to the Japanese
people to the three Japanese taken hostage in Iraq. The article
describes how everyone including the politicians in Japan are angry at
the hostages for causing trouble to the Japanese government and being
irresponsible.
There are many conflicting reports about whether they were reckless
or not and what their motives were so I won't comment on that. I also
don't feel strongly personally on this issue so I'm not going to make
a judgmental point either. What I would like to describe is a bit more
background on how Japanese think about responsibility and
apologies.
I think one of the things that made many Japanese I know upset were
the parents of the hostages making public statements about how the
government should help get the hostages back without apologizing first
about causing trouble for the government. Even if they didn't believe
it, it would be proper Japanese etiquette to say this first. It's
quite cliche, but it's true that if you get into an automobile
accident in Japan, even if you think it's probably the other person's
fault, you apologize first. Japanese are warned not to do this in the
US because apologizes imply responsibility. In many cases, apologies
in Japan are a formality and skipping them is rather rude. I think
many people thought these parents were "rude" on a national scale.
Another example of a throw-away apology is that when you ask for a
waiter in a restaurant, you say, "I'm sorry... or excuse me." We often
apologize profusely when in doubt or are requesting any kind of
favor.
An important psychological element is that even though we are
individuals, we often represent the group. I have something like 16 or
so generations before me on my gravestone and I often feel like a mere
blip in the history of my family. Taking risk or tainting my family
name is not something that I can freely do without feeling the guilt
and responsibility to my ancestors.
It's also interesting to note that most Japanese children's
cartoons have story lines where they are a team. Often one of the
members get in trouble or drop out of the group and the whole show is
about how the group tries to help the drop out get back in tune with
the group. It's usually the group saving the single "problem" member.
On the other hand, many American cartoons are super-heros who are
independent and save the world through taking risk and being
different. I know I'm generalizing here, but people who watch a lot of
Japanese TV will understand what I'm saying I think.
I once talked to one of the directors of the Sumo Wrestling
association. She said she always had a great deal of difficulty
explaining one of the core principles of Sumo to foreigners. Sumo
wrestlers are not supposed to show anguish when they lose or happiness
when they win. They are to be emotionless and stoic. "Like a rooster
carved out of wood," she said. This is a very central theme to many of
Japanese aesthetics. This Japanese stoicism is central to much of the
Japanese lack of sympathy to heroics, I think.
Although I understand what the NYT article is saying and I don't
necessarily agree with the way the hostages are being treated and
picked on right now, I think that lack of initial apologies and the
feeling of Japanese to heroics in Japan is behind the reaction. Having
said that, I think this attitude is what is hampering Japan's
entrepreneurism as well as Japan's ability to participate as a leader
in global affairs. It's a fairly deeply rooted cultural theme that
won't change very easily though.
As usual, I'm happy to hear dissenting opinions.
Japan unsure of safety of hostages in
Iraq
Japan unsure of safety of hostages in
Iraq
04/12/2004 08:39 AMJapan Awaits Release of 3 Iraq Hostages
(AP)
Japan Awaits Release of 3 Iraq Hostages
(AP)
04/11/2004 11:42 PMAP - Japan waited anxiously Monday for the release of three Japanese
civilians taken hostage in Iraq, as the government struggled to
determine whether they were safe and if armed captors planned to set
them free as promised.
Japan PM Seen Buoyed After Iraq Hostages
Freed
Japan PM Seen Buoyed After Iraq Hostages
Freed
04/18/2004 04:40 AMReuters via Wired News Apr 18 2004 7:48AM GMT
Japan PM Firm on Iraq Despite New
Hostages Report
Japan PM Firm on Iraq Despite New
Hostages Report
04/15/2004 01:10 AMReuters via Wired News Apr 15 2004 5:07AM GMT
Japan PM Gets Boost, Iraq Hostages
Return
Japan PM Gets Boost, Iraq Hostages
Return
04/18/2004 07:08 AMReuters via Wired News Apr 18 2004 10:43AM GMT
Japan Hostages Said Safe in Iraq,
Relatives Anxious
Japan Hostages Said Safe in Iraq,
Relatives Anxious
04/11/2004 04:18 AMReuters via Wired News Apr 11 2004 7:50AM GMT
Negotiator Tells Japan Hostages Safe in
Iraq-Kyodo
Negotiator Tells Japan Hostages Safe in
Iraq-Kyodo
04/11/2004 03:51 PMReuters via Wired News Apr 11 2004 7:39PM GMT
Saudi Envoy: Iraq War Was 'Colonial' and
About Oil (Reuters)
Saudi Envoy: Iraq War Was 'Colonial' and
About Oil (Reuters)
05/24/2004 07:52 AMReuters - The U.S.-led invasion of Iraq was a
colonial war and there were some in the United States who saw
it as a means of getting their hands on Iraqi oil, a senior
Saudi ambassador was quoted as saying Monday.
Force Cannot Calm Iraq Flashpoints - UN
Envoy (Reuters)
Force Cannot Calm Iraq Flashpoints - UN
Envoy (Reuters)
04/24/2004 04:52 AMReuters - With U.S. troops threatening Sunni
insurgents in Falluja and Shi'ite rebels in Najaf, a U.N. envoy
said force could not solve Iraq's problems.
UN Envoy: Give New Iraq Government a
Chance (Reuters)
UN Envoy: Give New Iraq Government a
Chance (Reuters)
06/02/2004 08:55 AMReuters - The U.N. envoy who helped forge Iraqi's
new interim government admitted on Wednesday it would not
please everyone but asked for it to be given a chance as the
best choice possible to lead the country to elections.
Turkey Says Three Hostages Released in
Iraq (Reuters)
Turkey Says Three Hostages Released in
Iraq (Reuters)
06/29/2004 06:02 AMReuters - Turkey on Tuesday said three Turkish
hostages held under threat of execution by an al Qaeda-linked
militant group in Iraq had been freed.
Iraq Group Says Releases Eight Hostages
- TV (Reuters)
Iraq Group Says Releases Eight Hostages
- TV (Reuters)
04/11/2004 01:20 PMReuters - Eight foreign hostages held in Iraq have
been released, a masked man said on a videotape aired by an
Arabic television station said on Sunday.
Militants Vow to Behead New Hostages in
Iraq (Reuters)
Militants Vow to Behead New Hostages in
Iraq (Reuters)
07/31/2004 03:40 PMReuters - Militants purportedly linked to al Qaeda
ally Abu Musab al-Zarqawi said on Saturday they had kidnapped
two truck drivers in Iraq and would behead them in 48 hours
unless their Turkish company quit the country.
Iraq Group Gives New 48-Hr Deadline Over
Hostages (Reuters)
Iraq Group Gives New 48-Hr Deadline Over
Hostages (Reuters)
07/23/2004 01:12 PMReuters - A group in Iraq
which has threatened to behead seven foreign hostages issued a
new 48-hour deadline to their Kuwaiti employers Friday and
demanded Iraqi prisoners be freed from Kuwaiti and U.S. jails,
Al Jazeera television said.
Two Japanese Hostages Released in Iraq
(Reuters)
Two Japanese Hostages Released in Iraq
(Reuters)
04/17/2004 07:38 AMReuters - Two Japanese hostages were released in
the Iraqi capital Saturday, saying they had been moved from
house to house during their three days in captivity but had
been treated fairly well.
Four Jordanian Hostages, Two Turks Freed
in Iraq (Reuters)
Four Jordanian Hostages, Two Turks Freed
in Iraq (Reuters)
08/04/2004 06:24 AMReuters - Four Jordanian hostages were freed by
Iraqi gunmen who raided their captors' hide-out, one of the
released captives said on Wednesday, while a video from
kidnappers said two Turkish hostages had also been released.
Anxious France Accelerates Bid for Iraq
Hostages (Reuters)
Anxious France Accelerates Bid for Iraq
Hostages (Reuters)
08/31/2004 07:58 AMReuters - An anxious French government accelerated
its diplomatic bid to save two French reporters held hostage in
Iraq on Tuesday as a fresh kidnapper deadline neared for Paris
to scrap a ban on Muslim headscarves in schools.
Diplomats Work to Free Six Hostages in
Iraq (Reuters)
Diplomats Work to Free Six Hostages in
Iraq (Reuters)
07/22/2004 02:41 AMReuters - Diplomats in Baghdad battled on
Thursday to win the release of three captured Indians, two
Kenyans and an Egyptian after their kidnappers threatened to
behead them one by one unless their employer pulled out of
Iraq.
Bulgaria Confirms Its Hostages in Iraq
Alive (Reuters)
Bulgaria Confirms Its Hostages in Iraq
Alive (Reuters)
07/11/2004 08:46 AMReuters - Bulgaria confirmed on Sunday that two
Bulgarian truck drivers taken hostage in Iraq were still alive
after a Friday execution deadline expired.
Talks to Free Seven Hostages Start in
Iraq (Reuters)
Talks to Free Seven Hostages Start in
Iraq (Reuters)
07/31/2004 07:00 AMReuters - Talks began on Saturday between an
Iraqi mediator and a representative of a Kuwaiti firm to try to
free seven of the company's employees held hostage in Iraq, the
mediator told Reuters.
More Hostages Held in Iraq, Deadline for
Japanese (Reuters)
More Hostages Held in Iraq, Deadline for
Japanese (Reuters)
04/10/2004 12:48 PMReuters - More foreigners were reported missing or
seized as hostages in Iraq Saturday after a spate of
kidnappings, which included three Japanese civilians under
threat of being killed Sunday.
Iraq Council Member Hopeful Hostages
Will Be Freed (Reuters)
Iraq Council Member Hopeful Hostages
Will Be Freed (Reuters)
04/12/2004 08:51 AMReuters - A member of Iraq's Governing Council
said on Monday that 12 hostages had been freed and he hoped all
remaining hostages would be freed later in the day.
Iraq Militants Kill 12 Nepali
Hostages-Web Site (Reuters)
Iraq Militants Kill 12 Nepali
Hostages-Web Site (Reuters)
08/31/2004 07:58 AMReuters - A militant Iraqi group said it
had killed 12 Nepali hostages and showed pictures of one being
beheaded and others being gunned down in the worst violence
against captives since a wave of kidnappings erupted in April.
Freed Japanese Hostages Arrive in Dubai
from Iraq (Reuters)
Freed Japanese Hostages Arrive in Dubai
from Iraq (Reuters)
04/16/2004 06:17 AMReuters - Three freed Japanese hostages arrived in
Dubai in the United Arab Emirates on Friday from Baghdad after
being released by their Iraqi captors.
Hostages in Iraq Face Death as Deadline
Nears (Reuters)
Hostages in Iraq Face Death as Deadline
Nears (Reuters)
09/20/2004 04:50 AMReuters - A deadline set by militants who have
threatened to behead two Americans and a Briton seized in Iraq
was due to expire Monday, and more than two dozen other
hostages were also facing death unless rebel demands were met.
Japanese Hostages Freed in Iraq, Iranian
Killed (Reuters)
Japanese Hostages Freed in Iraq, Iranian
Killed (Reuters)
04/15/2004 11:49 PMReuters - Three freed Japanese hostages were due
to leave Iraq on Friday but the murders of an Iranian diplomat
and an Italian captive were chilling proof of the risks
foreigners face as rebels battle the U.S.-led occupation.
Iraq Captors Kill Two Pakistani
Hostages-Jazeera (Reuters)
Iraq Captors Kill Two Pakistani
Hostages-Jazeera (Reuters)
07/28/2004 04:39 PMReuters - Militants in Iraq have killed two
Pakistani hostages and have released an Iraqi, Al Jazeera
television said on Wednesday.
Iraq Militants Threaten to Kill
Bulgarian Hostages (Reuters)
Iraq Militants Threaten to Kill
Bulgarian Hostages (Reuters)
07/08/2004 05:34 PMReuters - Militants in Iraq threatened in a video
tape broadcast on Thursday to kill two Bulgarian hostages
within 24 hours unless U.S.-led forces freed prisoners.
Militants Threaten to Kill 3 Turkish
Hostages in Iraq (Reuters)
Militants Threaten to Kill 3 Turkish
Hostages in Iraq (Reuters)
06/26/2004 10:23 PMReuters - Militants loyal to suspected al Qaeda
operative Abu Musab al-Zarqawi threatened on Saturday to behead
three Turkish hostages unless Turks stopped working with
U.S.-led forces in Iraq, days before a formal transfer of
power.
Kuwait Firm Assured Iraq Hostages Will
Be Freed (Reuters)
Kuwait Firm Assured Iraq Hostages Will
Be Freed (Reuters)
07/25/2004 02:14 PMReuters - The Kuwaiti employer of seven foreign
hostages in Iraq said on Sunday they had assurances that the
captives would be freed.
Group Holding 7 Hostages in Iraq Extends
Deadline (Reuters)
Group Holding 7 Hostages in Iraq Extends
Deadline (Reuters)
07/26/2004 03:34 AMReuters - A militant Islamic group holding seven
foreigners hostage in Iraq said it had extended the deadline
for negotiations to spare their lives and repeated a demand
that their Kuwaiti employer pull out of the country.
Russians Are Latest Iraq Hostages,
Chinese Freed (Reuters)
Russians Are Latest Iraq Hostages,
Chinese Freed (Reuters)
04/12/2004 11:16 PMReuters - Eleven Russian civilians were the
latest foreigners reported kidnapped in Iraq and three Japanese
were still missing on Tuesday, but China's official Xinhua news
agency said seven Chinese had been freed.
Jordan Hostages Employer Stops Work at
U.S. Iraq Base (Reuters)
Jordan Hostages Employer Stops Work at
U.S. Iraq Base (Reuters)
07/27/2004 11:12 AMReuters - A Jordanian firm said on Tuesday it had
stopped construction work on a U.S. base in Iraq to save the
lives of two of its drivers kidnapped in Iraq and threatened
with execution.
Saudis Rescue Hostages in Khobar, Arrest
Militants
Saudis Rescue Hostages in Khobar, Arrest
Militants
05/30/2004 04:38 AMReuters via Wired News May 30 2004 7:55AM GMT
Grok Description matches for Japan Envoy Seeks Rescue of Iraq Hostages (Reuters)
GrokA matches for Japan Envoy Seeks Rescue of Iraq Hostages (Reuters)
Japan Envoy Seeks Rescue of Iraq Hostages (Reuters)
