I never though...

Originally Posted by How Unfortunate

A Chinese friend of mine wanted me to sign a petition against the Japanese people during the whole "textbooks that gloss over WW2 atrocities" thing. I said I didn't believe in economically punishing all of Japan (including the children, physically hurt tourists, etc.) because of some cowardly textbook writers. She was pissed at me for about two, three days about that. Eventually I explained myself better, she concluded I "didn't understand the situation" and mellowed, but was still sore for a month or two. Much later, it was water under the bridge and we were all able to have a good laugh about it.

Well, I laughed. She doesn't have a sick sense of humour, unfortunately.

How does changing school textbooks affect the Japanese economy, I don't understand. Perhaps you haven't studied up on what turns the gears in their marketplace.

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Originally Posted by How Unfortunate

The Chinese were pissed off about how glossed-over Japanese textbooks were on WW2. Pissed to the point of boycotting and rioting. Therefore, China-Japan trade and Japanese-owned foreign businesses were affected by the negative sentiment. Some pretty ridiculous threats were thrown around at one point by various low-level politicians.

If that's the case, shouldn't it be wiser for the Japanese to make their textbooks accurate? That way China wouldn't boycott their products.

I know about how Japan white-washes their WWII history. Even to the point where I saw a picture of a memorial in which they claim that Roosevelt was this atrocious ass. Even to the point where one of my Japanese friends believe that the US attacked Japan for no good reason. She never even learned that Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor was the reason. It's ridiculous to me why they wouldn't apologize to China (and Korea and the Philippines, etc). Germany apologized. Japan is just too proud to admit their wrongs.

There's nowhere I can't reach.