Sayonara Sweet Caroline

United States Ambassador to Japan Caroline Kennedy stepped down from her position this Wednesday. She had done so ahead of the incoming President's demand that all Obama appointees vacate their offices by January 20th without having a replacement leaving many American Citizens abroad in the lurch. Despite this rude unprecedented undignified demand on the part of Donald Trump without any real transitional period, Ambassador Caroline Kennedy leaves her office with the dignity and grace that represents the best of us. She has been a true friend to Japan of whom welcomed her with adoration. Her legacy will be remembered for having brought about the historic visit by President Obama to Hiroshima (of which PM Shinzo Abe reciprocated by visiting Pearl Harbor of which she also attended), her strong advocacy for women's & LBGT rights, and her strong support for those affected by the Tohoku Disaster. She had made many friends in Japan and had the honor to meet the widow of the IJN Destroyer Captain who collided with her father John F. Kennedy's PT-109 boat during WWII. As she expressed her gratitude to the People of Japan, she also proclaimed that she will see Japan again. We at American Mishima are very proud of Caroline Kennedy and offer her a big thank you - ども ありがとう ございまして! JFK smiles from heaven. 

一日の画像 - Picture of the Day : Fukushima Three Years Later

As seen from Japan Today, a woman offers her prayers to the missing students of Okawa Elementary School in Ishinomaki, Miyagi Prefecture who were lost in the Tsunami of the Great Tohoku Disaster of 3/11. Three years later, there are still close to 3000 people still unaccounted for.

 We at American Mishima will continue to keep them in our prayers.

ばか! Bad Taste or Just Bad Judgement?

Oh Merde! Here we go again! Last year on American Mishima we made a post about a small group of unruly fans in South Korea using the Tohoku Disaster of 3/11 as a way to get at visiting Japanese Soccer teams.For those not familiar with what goes on in Football-aka Soccer, Heckling from Soccer Supporters be it the good, the bad, and the utterly tasteless is just part Football Culture. But sometimes people go too far and a line gets crossed. Well this week in France after Japan's National Team the Samurai Blue defeated the French National Team 1-0, France 2 host Laurent Ruquier stirred that pot of controversy once again with this Photoshopped picture of Goal Keeper Eiji Kawashima calling it the "Fukushima Effect." Naturally this drew protest from both the Japanese Government and Japan's Football Federation. The France 2 host in his defense explained he was merely offering Kawashima praise. Praise or racism? We can't tell what Ruquier's real motivations were. While we don't speak anything beyond a few basic greetings learned in high school French class, chances are this didn't get many laughs over there. While no country likes to lose on their home turf, comparing a 1-0 WC Qualifier or a International "It's Not Friendly" to a tragedy on the scale of the Tohoku Disaster which killed over 20,000 people is just not cool. While this is just one man's opinion criticizing another, in fairness we will note that the French Media and that in Belgium have regarded Ruquier's actions as purely bad taste. ばか!