The China Thread

[Josquius]

I dare you to say something unflattering about Japan Squeeze. 

Their attitude to the environment is to cover everything in concrete and they seem completely unaware of what urban planning is.

I have not heard mention of the subject for some time, but the last time it was in the news Japanese text books were painting a very revisionist picture of Japan's actions in WWII.

That was one idiotic right winger boasting about how he had managed to get one minor detail (comfort women) removed from JHS textbooks. Comfort women don't really change the overall picture very much and I'd say there's probably a case not to mention such adult stuff in books for kids; when we learned about slavery we got the idea well enough that it was bad even without the rapey side of things.

From what I've seen of Japanese history the focus tends to be far more on the civilian suffering than on what the military got up to but I wouldn't quite say that having a different focus quite counts as revisionist, even if there could be seen to be a dodgy reason behind this choice of focus. The basic facts remain there- Japan was paranoid and more than a little insane, did bad stuff overseas, attacked the US, lost.
Whatever flaws they may have in their view of history in Japan however they seem to have a much more realistic and less revionist picture of their history than the Koreans or Chinese do.

[jimmy olsen]

That was one idiotic right winger boasting about how he had managed to get one minor detail (comfort women) removed from JHS textbooks. Comfort women don't really change the overall picture very much and I'd say there's probably a case not to mention such adult stuff in books for kids; when we learned about slavery we got the idea well enough that it was bad even without the rapey side of things.

How is that a minor issue? It's one of the two biggest issues that keeps Korea and Japan from having good relations.

[Admiral Yi]

You don't think glossing over wars of conquest and brutal war crimes counts as revisionist?

And I'd never even heard about the comfort women removal.

[Josquius]

How is that a minor issue? It's one of the two biggest issues that keeps Korea and Japan from having good relations.

When you're conquering countires, plundering cities and murdering millions, the complicated issue of whether a few thousand women were prostitutes or rape victims isn't particularly necessary. Especially since we're talking about  teaching to 14 year olds here.

[Monoriu]

http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702304202204579256120230694210

Anybody who wants the textiles industry can have it.  It is not like the Chinese want it anymore.  It is low in the food chain.  There is a conscious effort on the Chinese communists' part not to encourage the expansion of the textile industry.  Its time has passed.  Bangladesh is the go-to destination for cheap textile labour now.  The Chinese want something bigger, higher margins, more technology content, etc.

[Eddie Teach]

It's that last figure that's interesting. Either Chinese factory workers are much better paid than we thought, or their system isn't very efficient. (I'm assuming those figures don't cover transportation costs, as that would be quite misleading).

[Josquius]

I recall seeing similar figures for the UK and China. I think it does include transport costs, they are a pretty important part of the overall picture.

What makes me sad is the cost of the new factory, the large unemployment rate and the very small 500 new jobs. Every little helps but pretty depressing that such investment only gives 500 jobs

[Eddie Teach]

I recall seeing similar figures for the UK and China. I think it does include transport costs, they are a pretty important part of the overall picture.

Well, if the graphic is comparing the cost of producing them and shipping them to the Wal-Mart in Lancaster County, South Carolina, it should say so.

[jimmy olsen]

How is that a minor issue? It's one of the two biggest issues that keeps Korea and Japan from having good relations.

When you're conquering countires, plundering cities and murdering millions, the complicated issue of whether a few thousand women were prostitutes or rape victims isn't particularly necessary. Especially since we're talking about  teaching to 14 year olds here.

When every 14 year old in Korea knows about it and resents Japan for brushing aside the issue it is a problem.

[Neil]

Who cares what Koreans think about anything?  When it comes to the allegiance of the West, Japan will always trump South Korea.  So the Koreans should just suck it up.

[PRC]

Chinese destroyer passing through the Strait of Magellan:

[Josquius]

How is that a minor issue? It's one of the two biggest issues that keeps Korea and Japan from having good relations.

When you're conquering countires, plundering cities and murdering millions, the complicated issue of whether a few thousand women were prostitutes or rape victims isn't particularly necessary. Especially since we're talking about  teaching to 14 year olds here.

When every 14 year old in Korea knows about it and resents Japan for brushing aside the issue it is a problem.

Japan isn't to blame for Korean revisionism.

There isn't much of an issue to be had with the comfort women. Japan long ago apologized and paid compensation. Nationalists on both sides continue to try and kick up fuss about it however,with considerably more success on the Korean side

[Monoriu]

How is that a minor issue? It's one of the two biggest issues that keeps Korea and Japan from having good relations.

When you're conquering countires, plundering cities and murdering millions, the complicated issue of whether a few thousand women were prostitutes or rape victims isn't particularly necessary. Especially since we're talking about  teaching to 14 year olds here.

When every 14 year old in Korea knows about it and resents Japan for brushing aside the issue it is a problem.

Same in China.  The problem as I see it as Japan's refusal to come clean.  Their grandfathers did it.  All they need to do is to say sorry, won't happen again.  But no, I regularly see Japanese politicians say "it never happened."

[jimmy olsen]

How is that a minor issue? It's one of the two biggest issues that keeps Korea and Japan from having good relations.

When you're conquering countires, plundering cities and murdering millions, the complicated issue of whether a few thousand women were prostitutes or rape victims isn't particularly necessary. Especially since we're talking about  teaching to 14 year olds here.

When every 14 year old in Korea knows about it and resents Japan for brushing aside the issue it is a problem.

Japan isn't to blame for Korean revisionism.

There isn't much of an issue to be had with the comfort women. Japan long ago apologized and paid compensation. Nationalists on both sides continue to try and kick up fuss about it however,with considerably more success on the Korean side

It is not revisionism. And you are being very disingenuous when describing Japan's "compensation".

[The Brain]

Any pics of a Chinese tank passing through the Khyber Pass?