ON VP Day

Japan Apologises... Again
Is anybody listening?
Does anybody care anymore?
Here's the yahoo article
Oh screw it, here it is, in its entirety:

TOKYO, (AFP) - Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi reiterated Japan's "heartfelt apology" for World War II and vowed to seek a new relationship with Asia, in a statement on the 60th anniversary of surrender.
"In the past, Japan, through its colonial rule and aggression, caused tremendous damage and suffering to the people of many countries, particularly to those of Asian nations.

"Japan squarely faces these facts of history in a spirit of humility. I express here once again my feelings of deep remorse and heartfelt apology, and my feelings of profound mourning for all victims, both at home and abroad, of that war," he said.

The statement echoed word-for-word much of Japan's watershed apology for the war issued on the 50th anniversary of surrender by then prime minister Tomiichi Murayama.

Japanese leaders have since used phrases from Murayama's apology in their statements on the war, as did Koizumi in an April speech before Asian and African leaders in Jakarta.

In his latest statement, Koizumi said Japan's post-war history is "60 years of peace that showed its remorse about the war through actions" such as humanitarian activities, international aid and economic and cultural exchanges.

"With Asian countries, like China and South Korea that are only separated from Japan by a narrow strip of water, I think we must join hands to ensure peace in this region.

"As we look straight at the past and correctly recognize history, I want to build cooperative relations that look to the future and are based upon mutual understanding and trust," he said.

The point, is, those people never give you credit for the ODA you gave all these years; they never say "apology accepted", they never even say it took a man to get up and say it over and over again, shouldering the blame for a nation. They just complain some more, humiliate you in their own press and ask for more economic aid. It's disgusting and on the whole not worthwhile. I think there should be a moratorium on Japanese Prime-Ministerial apologies. John Howard on the other hand is long overdue with his.

Who Says Sumo Isn't An International Sport
A Blonde, Estonain felloww going by the ring-name of Baruto has made the rank of Jyu-ryo. That means he's a proper ring fighter in the world of proper Japanese Sumo.

大相撲初の金髪関取、エストニア出身の新十両把瑠都（ばると、20＝三保ケ関）が、化粧まわしを母国ゆかりの海賊バイキングの絵柄にした。14日に行われた同部屋の土俵祭りで、明らかにした。
　化粧まわしには自身の故郷の風景などを描くことが多い。把瑠都も師匠の三保ケ関親方（元大関増位山）に「故郷の山は？　」と尋ねられたが、思いつかなかった。困った師匠から「ならばエストニアは何が有名なんだ？　」と聞かれ、パッとひらめいた。「日本人でも知っているものといえば海賊ね」。角のついたかぶとをかぶったバイキングに決めた。近日、同部屋の後援会から贈呈される。
　母国は世界陸上が開催中のフィンランド・ヘルシンキとバルト海を挟んで、わずか60キロの距離にある。「テレビで世界陸上を見て雨が降っていたらママに『今、雨でしょ？　』って電話するんだ」。04年4月の入門から1度も帰国していない把瑠都は、テレビや化粧まわしで母国を思い出して励みにしている。
（日刊スポーツ） - 8月15日9時53分更新

The gist of it is that he's going to enter his first major ring with a horn-wearing-Viking-patterned 'keshou-mawashi'. Go Baruto! I'm a fan already.

The End Of The K-K Boys
No, it's not the end of the Ku-Klux-Klan. We're talking about the duo of Kazuhiro Kiyohara and Masumi Kuwata, also known as the 'K-K-Combination' dating from their days a Highschool ball players playing for the PL School in tthe National High School Tournament. They're probably two of the most storied guys in the Yomiuri Giants outfit, but the Giants (like the Yankees and The Australian Cricket team) are looking to get younger and so their 20 year road as professional ball players might be coming to an end. They're guys my age - which dates me, but heck, there you have it. I've known of them for 20 years, and I'm surprised they're still kicking around with the Giants.

Once upon a many moons ago, the K-K Combination led the PL School to a pile of wins. Then, as 18 year old shcool leavers, they got drafted by the Nippon Professional Baseball League. Kuwata, the pitcher was the number 1 draft for the Giants.

Kiyohara, who had voice his love for the Giants ended up at Seibu. He wwnet there crying, but put together 10 solid years as a slugger who was instrumental in the late1980s dominance of the Seibu Lions.Kuwata went on to a 20 year career as the backbone of the Giants rotation until the wheels truly fell off the franchise last year. Kiyohara used his Free Agency to land a spot with the Giants, but he's been more injured than playing since then; even so, he is perhaps the most popular player they've had on the roster for many years. He sort of inspired a tear-jerking drama with his antics and heroics. I like him, but I've always liked him without knowing why. Call it charisma.

Kuwata had a shocking outing today where he pitched only a 1/3rd of an inning as a starter and got removed after pitching a dead-ball to the helmet.



Having hit his 500th homerun earlier in the year, Kiyohara is out for the rest of the season with a knee injury. On top of that, he got demotedoff the regular squad. People are now saying it's the end for these guys. If so, it's the end of a truly remarkable epoch of baseball in Japan.


And that is what happened today on VP Day. :P