Phil and Red's Excellent Adventure

See you in October. Rumi left today. I came over to the apartment to see her off and console Yumi. I showed up around 830AM. Rumi was gone, she had taken her cat, Nan (cat in japanese), to a students house. Rumi`s not able to take him back with her, unfortunately, so she is giving him to one of her studnets. A cute cat too. He likes to play but can be a little rough. Apparently, he was crying all last nite. Yumi said she couldn`t sleep at all.
Yumi then got a phone call expressing to her from her school supervisors that it would be best if she not accompany Rumi to the airport in Guangzhou. I asked why?. After about 10 minutes of confusion, this is what I got out of it. THe Japanese prime minister, Koizumi, visits the Yasukuni Shrine to honor the Japanese soldiers who died during WWII sometime in August and during the New Year of every year. Apparently, just the other day, a Japanese Alcohol Company Boss said that its Koizumi`s duty to do this. Apparently, that made the chinese snap and caused a bunch of protests. I was all like, its illegal for the chinese to gather and demonstrate. But apparently its not illegal when they are protesting against an enemy. Anyway to unite and distract the chinese people from their true enemy, I guess. So, there were huge protests in Beijing and Guangzhou at the consulates. People were throwing rocks and bottles at the consulates. Yumi said that the supervisor said that some japanese folks and organizations were attacked. There is not a clear understanding if anyone has lost their life in the attacks. The supervisor was not sure of that. Its possible that its a rumor. However, the company/school in Shenzhen where Noriko, one of Yumi`s friends, works was attacked. Because of this happening, the Headmaster thinks it a good idea to play it safe and not have Yumi go with Rumi to the airport, just in case.
And of course, after reading CNN this evening, I got more information.
Japan protection call over protests
Basically, according to this, the chinese are upset that the Japanese want to enter the UN Security council and still haven`t attoned for their wartime massacres. I plan to go to Shanghai soon, and John told me to go to Nanjing and visit the Rape of Nanjing museum. He said its amazing. I don`t know if its a good thing to take Yumi there...
Also, the chinese are upset that recent Japanese History Schoolbooks gloss over all the atrocities they committed.
Hmmm....well, lets see here, you don`t teach little children of any country that their forefathers/fathers raped an entire city, forced people to rape each other and decapitate others while your forefathers stand by laughing at it all. You just don`t do it. Kids can`t handle that. I mean, I never knew that Christopher Columbus was a horrible man until I got into highschool. Up until then, he was painted as a noble and honorable man who was prosecuted because he believed the world was round. (all sailors knew that back then) No one in elementary school told us that our forefathers massacred the Native Americans, shot and killed women and children doing it. All we got was that our forefathers stole the land. And of course, the chinese children aren`t taught much about the Cultural Revolution, The Gang of Four, and the crap that went on after Mao kicked the bucket. Or are given Orwell`s 1984 to read.
As for being upset about the Japan being added to the UN Security Council? Like it matters. Its totally inefficient. I have only heard of one positive thing that the UN Peacekeepers have done. When has it diverted and international disaster? Oh, they are good at writing letters telling of their disapproval. That helps.
Well, back to today.
Rumi came back and finished packing up all her stuff. Then Mayu and her husband came over to say goodbye. I went to the CRC to get some morning snacks for everyone. I got back and we chatted a bit. One of Rumi`s students showed up as well. At 1045AM, one of the school people/government people showed up in an Audi to take her to the airport. Afterwards, Rumi`s student left. Then the remainging for of us went for some Yamcha...or dim sum. It was good. It was nice.
Yumi was quite upset today. She was very very sad.
That was pretty much my day.
Goodnight all.