Japanese security (censored)March 31st, 2009 by Adamu |
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While I am totally on board with Tobias’ points and am annoyed by the ultra-detailed and glowing NHK coverage, I almost feel like he wrote this post specifically to taunt me. I cannot bear to look, so I will leave it to readers to fill in the blanks:
Japan’s security (censored)
The Taepodong-2 missile North Korea claims will deliver a satellite into orbit is on the launch site, awaiting a launch that will reportedly occur between 6 and 8 April, and Japan is in a state of alarm.
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The Japanese government’s very public preparations are akin to the post-9/11 rituals of airport security (derisively referred to as “security theater”), the repetitive, cosmetic measures implemented by the federal government that many have argued provide the illusion of aviation security rather than actual security. Even as senior officials, including a cabinet minister, questioned Japan’s ability to shoot down ballistic missiles, let alone unguided missile debris, the Aso government has made a public show of acting as if it is only natural that Japan’s relatively untested missile defenses will be up to the task, all the while assuring the public that they have nothing to fear. Arguably the government’s response has only heightened the sense of alarm, especially among residents of the prefectures now hosting JSDF PAC3s. More importantly, the Aso government’s security (censored) — to coin a phrase — may undermine Japan’s security over the long term. What will the public response be should debris fall on Japan and the JSDF spectacularly fail to intercept it, especially if the falling debris is the source of casualties or property damage? Japanese might — unfairly given that the system isn’t designed to shoot down debris — come to question the government’s substantial outlays on missile defense.
I beg you—coin a different phrase!
March 31st, 2009 at 7:14 pm
Well,we’ve been living under the grace of so-called “Peace constitution” that are way more undendable than PAC3 and everyone pretend not to care about it.
This will be a good wake-up call.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:01 pm
Adam,
I only did it as an analogy to the American term to describe airport security. I read your post about your problem with the term — and agree — but for now the word stays.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:14 pm
Tobias, thanks for replying to my plea directly. I simply cannot let a mention of political kabuki go without comment, so I hope you can understand. I’m not so much asking for people to retract and erase their use of the term, just to perhaps notice that it gets thrown a lot.
March 31st, 2009 at 10:21 pm
Thrown AROUND a lot
April 1st, 2009 at 10:23 am
I stopped reading “Observing Japan” because its language is so overblown as to be painful. Perhaps dealing with legal documents has made me a stickler for clear and tight writing.