Japan Issues Video Demanding Release of Hostages

Grok Headline matches for Japan Issues Video Demanding Release of Hostages

Japan Awaits Release of 3 Iraq Hostages
(AP)

Japan Awaits Release of 3 Iraq Hostages
(AP) 04/11/2004 11:42 PM
AP - 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 hostages home after ordeal

Japan hostages home after ordeal 04/18/2004 11:02 AM
Three Japanese hostages arrive home as Pope John Paul II urges kidnappers in Iraq to free their captives.

Cheney Vows U.S. Aid for Japan Hostages
(AP)

Cheney Vows U.S. Aid for Japan Hostages
(AP) 04/12/2004 11:16 PM
AP - Vice President Dick Cheney thanked Japan's prime minister Monday for not giving in to Iraqi insurgents and kidnappers who are demanding withdrawal of Japanese troops in exchange for the release of Japanese hostages. He condemned "sudden random strikes" against innocent civilians in Iraq.

Japan unsure of safety of hostages in
Iraq

Japan unsure of safety of hostages in
Iraq 04/12/2004 08:39 AM

Reaction of Japan to the Japanese
Hostages in Iraq

Reaction of Japan to the Japanese
Hostages in Iraq 04/30/2004 03:22 AM

Several 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 PM Seen Buoyed After Iraq Hostages
Freed

Japan PM Seen Buoyed After Iraq Hostages
Freed 04/18/2004 04:40 AM
Reuters via Wired News Apr 18 2004 7:48AM GMT

Japan PM Gets Boost, Iraq Hostages
Return

Japan PM Gets Boost, Iraq Hostages
Return 04/18/2004 07:08 AM
Reuters via Wired News Apr 18 2004 10:43AM GMT

Japan PM Firm on Iraq Despite New
Hostages Report

Japan PM Firm on Iraq Despite New
Hostages Report 04/15/2004 01:10 AM
Reuters via Wired News Apr 15 2004 5:07AM GMT

Whereabouts of Japan Hostages
Unconfirmed-Envoy

Whereabouts of Japan Hostages
Unconfirmed-Envoy 04/11/2004 06:50 AM
Reuters via Wired News Apr 11 2004 10:50AM GMT

Japan Hostages Said Safe in Iraq,
Relatives Anxious

Japan Hostages Said Safe in Iraq,
Relatives Anxious 04/11/2004 04:18 AM
Reuters via Wired News Apr 11 2004 7:50AM GMT

Japan Envoy Seeks Rescue of Iraq
Hostages

Japan Envoy Seeks Rescue of Iraq
Hostages 04/10/2004 01:01 AM
Reuters via Wired News Apr 10 2004 4:43AM GMT

Negotiator Tells Japan Hostages Safe in
Iraq-Kyodo

Negotiator Tells Japan Hostages Safe in
Iraq-Kyodo 04/11/2004 03:51 PM
Reuters via Wired News Apr 11 2004 7:39PM GMT

Japan Envoy Seeks Rescue of Iraq
Hostages (Reuters)

Japan Envoy Seeks Rescue of Iraq
Hostages (Reuters) 04/09/2004 11:47 PM
Reuters - A senior Japanese official headed emergency meetings in Amman on Saturday to coordinate efforts to rescue three nationals kidnapped in Iraq, officials said.

Insurgents in Iraq release 12 hostages

Insurgents in Iraq release 12 hostages 04/12/2004 02:03 PM

Iraq Working for Release of Hostages
(AP)

Iraq Working for Release of Hostages
(AP) 09/19/2004 09:52 AM
AP - Three Lebanese men and their Iraqi driver have been kidnapped in Iraq, the Lebanese Foreign Ministry said Sunday, as Iraq's prime minister said his government was working for the release of two Americans and a Briton also being held hostage.

Militants Release 26 Hostages in Russia
(AP)

Militants Release 26 Hostages in Russia
(AP) 09/02/2004 08:54 PM
AP - Camouflage-clad commandos carried crying babies away from a school where gunmen holding hundreds of hostages freed at least 26 women and children Thursday during a second day of high drama that kept crowds of distraught relatives on edge.

Militants Release 7 Hostages Unharmed

Militants Release 7 Hostages Unharmed 09/02/2004 12:40 AM
Free Internet Press Sep 2 2004 4:26AM GMT

For Japanese Hostages, Release Only Adds
to Stress

For Japanese Hostages, Release Only Adds
to Stress 04/22/2004 08:10 PM
The young Japanese taken hostage in Iraq returned home this week, not to the warmth of a yellow ribbon embrace but to a disapproving nation's cold stare.

Hopes Raised for Release of Seven
Hostages in Iraq

Hopes Raised for Release of Seven
Hostages in Iraq 07/25/2004 03:53 PM
Reuters via Wired News Jul 25 2004 7:39PM GMT

Palestinian Gunmen Release Two French
Hostages in Gaza (Reuters)

Palestinian Gunmen Release Two French
Hostages in Gaza (Reuters) 07/16/2004 05:09 PM
Reuters - Palestinian militants released two French hostages after kidnapping four French civilians in Gaza in a bid to demand Palestinian President Yasser Arafat make reforms to his government, Palestinian witnesses said.

Iraq hostages video is broadcast

Iraq hostages video is broadcast 06/03/2004 02:10 AM
An Arabic TV station broadcasts a two-day-old video of three Italians currently being held hostage in Iraq.

Japan issues antitrust warning to Intel

Japan issues antitrust warning to Intel 03/14/2005 04:51 PM
The Japanese Fair Trade Commission gave Intel a slap on the wrist over its finding that the chipmaker engaged in anticompetitive practices.

Few Clues on Kidnappers in Romanian
Hostages Video (Reuters)

Few Clues on Kidnappers in Romanian
Hostages Video (Reuters) 03/31/2005 06:32 AM
Reuters - A video showing three Romanian journalists and their American translator held at gunpoint in Iraq shed little light on the identity and demands of their kidnappers, officials said on Thursday.

Japan celebrates hostage release

Japan celebrates hostage release 04/16/2004 12:59 AM
The release of three hostages held in Iraq prompts jubilation in Japan, though two others remain missing.

"Reagan, with that film-fantasy
tough-guy con in front of cameras, went
begging like a coward cockroach to
Khomeini pleading on bended knee for the
release of our hostages."

"Reagan, with that film-fantasy
tough-guy con in front of cameras, went
begging like a coward cockroach to
Khomeini pleading on bended knee for the
release of our hostages." 06/08/2004 08:23 PM

Japan Minister Appeals for Iraq Hostage
Release

Japan Minister Appeals for Iraq Hostage
Release 04/10/2004 12:38 PM
Reuters via Wired News Apr 10 2004 4:43PM GMT

Japan Welcomes Iraq Hostage Release,
Debate Goes On (Reuters)

Japan Welcomes Iraq Hostage Release,
Debate Goes On (Reuters) 04/15/2004 10:15 PM
Reuters - Japan rejoiced on Friday at the release of three Japanese civilians held hostage in Iraq, but the fate of two others remained unclear and debate over Tokyo's military mission in the increasingly violent country raged on.

Xbox Video Chat to debut in Japan

Xbox Video Chat to debut in Japan 06/17/2004 10:15 AM

Ballet bukkake art porn video from Japan

Ballet bukkake art porn video from Japan 09/10/2004 10:34 PM
Xeni Jardin: The review of the microniche fetish porn vid "Zenra Ballet 2" on Something Awful is a hoot.

At a Glance: Get out your copybooks, because you can now cross "ballet" off of the "Big List of Things the Japanese Won't Make Porno Out Of". If you are an avid fan of ballet - but, you aren't such an avid fan that you actually have some modicum of respect for the art of ballet dancing - then you are probably the target market for this DVD. It features exciting behind the scenes interviews, some regular and wholesome non-erotic ballet dancing, and then multiple nude and even sex-filled dance sequences. You have not lived until you have seen a Japanese pirate rip a boner out of his leotard and plunge it into the waiting food-hole of a sassy ballerina.

Sexual Content: Heavily mosaic censored dancin' and a prancin'.

Link to SomethingAwful review, and link to Fleshbot post with more info. (Thanks, Fleshbot, and thanks Super Nice Guy)

3 and NTT DoCoMo Hong Kong/Japan
Showcase 3G Video

3 and NTT DoCoMo Hong Kong/Japan
Showcase 3G Video 07/22/2004 06:15 AM
3G Jul 22 2004 8:52AM GMT

Japan-U.S. Divide Splits Video Game
Industry

Japan-U.S. Divide Splits Video Game
Industry 05/15/2004 03:48 PM
Boston Globe May 15 2004 7:08PM GMT

Japan-U.S. Divide Splits Video Game
Industry (Reuters)

Japan-U.S. Divide Splits Video Game
Industry (Reuters) 05/15/2004 08:47 AM
Reuters - When Konami Corp.'s U.S. sales staff was asked to bring the off-beat, Japanese video game "Dance Dance Revolution" to American homes, they balked at the prospect of a costly flop, out of touch with local tastes.

Audio, Video Features in GNOME 2.10
Release

Audio, Video Features in GNOME 2.10
Release 03/14/2005 05:55 PM

SKY PerfecTV and EdgeStream Announce
Start of Trials to Provide Video
Streaming over IP in Japan

SKY PerfecTV and EdgeStream Announce
Start of Trials to Provide Video
Streaming over IP in Japan 06/17/2005 03:16 PM
SKY PerfecTV signs an agreement with EdgeStream to begin trials to determine feasibility of deploying the ‘next generation Video Streaming Technology platform’ to provide DVD quality video over IP to the Japanese broadband users over the public Internet [PRWEB Jun 16, 2005]

Creative Labs to Release Video Jukebox
Portable

Creative Labs to Release Video Jukebox
Portable 05/31/2004 12:33 PM

Militants in Iraq Release Video Of U.S.
Captive's Beheading (washingtonpost.com)

Militants in Iraq Release Video Of U.S.
Captive's Beheading (washingtonpost.com) 09/20/2004 11:07 PM
washingtonpost.com - BAGHDAD, Sept. 20 -- A group led by a Jordanian terrorist announced Monday that it has killed a kidnapped American construction contractor, posting on an Islamic Web site a grisly video of the captive being beheaded.

Porn company to release Paris Hilton
video (Reuters)

Porn company to release Paris Hilton
video (Reuters) 04/22/2004 10:55 PM
Reuters - The notorious home video circulated on the Internet showing reality TV star Paris Hilton having sex with her former boyfriend is coming to an adult film store near you.

On2 release a free for personal use
version of their VP6 video codec for
Windows.

On2 release a free for personal use
version of their VP6 video codec for
Windows. 11/07/2003 12:54 AM
On2 release a free for personal use version of their VP6 video codec for Windows.

India demanding 195,000 H-1Bs?

India demanding 195,000 H-1Bs? 06/24/2005 03:08 PM
Blog: According to a report today in The Economic Times, India's government has made a proposal to the World Trade Organization...
Grok Description matches for Japan Issues Video Demanding Release of Hostages
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Japan Issues Video Demanding Release of Hostages

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