Did someone say flipper?

What's lurking behind that cove?
For those of you who missed the Academy Awards or had better things to do on their Sunday evening (or Monday morning, as it happened to be in Japan), I will get you up to speed on one of the results. Best Documentary. Have you seen it? Titled "The Cove", it's a glimpse into the industry known to Western society as whale/dolphin hunting. I caught this film on my flight home to Toronto before Christmas and quickly erased it from my memory. I previously regarded Japan as a place of complete solitude, tranquility and lack of confrontation. As one of my students mentioned, "This is just one case which has been blown out of proportion, making a story bigger than what it actually seems." Did I buy that? Perhaps she's too deep in the system to realize what daily occurrences take place.
I had not thought of this documentary since watching it that one day and it was a student of mine who brought this news to the table today. No one in the group had yet seen, and others hadn't even heard, of the movie's existence. That didn't shock me. In some cases, such as this, I lack all confidence to rile up the Japanese, even if their English skills are phenomenal. Many of them shut down and say it's a "difficult topic". By all means, it IS a difficult topic. But when I am given answers such as, "It's part of our history", and "たべたい！”　I feel I want to be placed on the offensive in this matter.
So you admit that you've eaten whales for hundreds of years and only recently have you started to eat meat from pigs or cows. Is it the same? Both are mammals. One is bred solely for the purpose of eating while the other is caught in waters that happen to be the breeding grounds of the whales. Where's the problem?
To also be enlightened of the fact that whales previously made up a large portion of staple protein in Japan shocking. So much that it was described as the "perfect meat" and served in the school lunch system. It was sold cheaper than the likes of pork and beef, suggesting it's high rate of catch. So what happened?
As the only foreigner in the group, I felt it necessary to suggest why fingers have been pointed at Japan for its practices, which is hard for others to see. After being asked why fingers where only pointed at Japan and not China, for instance, I sat back, thought a while and remembered why I had been intrigued with Japan all along. As much as the Meiji Restoration opened Japan's doors, it's closed in the means of culture and practices. People's curiosity is revealed as judgment all too often.
Although I do admit a communication barrier exists, Western society is quick to fix, while Eastern (more particularly Japan) is less willing to forget. It's not OK to say that practices can occur because Japanese don't judge others. They are formulating their judgment based on the instances of possibility rather than logic or sense.

Anyhow, go watch the movie and see it for yourself. Just don't ever corner a Japanese and begin the argument.

All White People Look the Same

Has it really been almost 2 months since my last post? I'm coming to take more time to write in my diary, both in Japanese, as well as English (one for each language), as opposed to writing online. Much has occurred over the past two months that it becomes hard to come to grips as to what is of value, especially for an aspiring piece of work that I will later call my breakthrough to the world of publishing.
Wait, was that a call to all journalists, bloggers, and tweeters to locate me and turn this normal Canadian into someone famous? Did I also mention I'm in the job market come September?
Anyhow, I was on the train last week while at a conference in Yokohama (one of the best places in the world, thank you Lady Gaga!) and looked around. Naturally, while on a subway, train or any form of transportation one tends to survey the crowd, correct? Well, I was especially intrigued this one trip and I peered over the people in the car. What I noticed was a woman, tall in stature, hair, black cut shorter than shoulder length with bangs, and a fairly significant nose. I turn to my, who so happens to be British bloke, and quickly acknowledged, "I'm pretty sure that woman could pass for a Frenchwoman". Of course, I was wrong, as she was Japanese, though I'm sure many others would agree with me. It's not the first time I have mistaken Japanese for Westerners, and surely it's been a recent development, with the progression of my resident status here in Japan. Though half-heartedly convinced, I'm becoming good at identifying stark differences in people's appearances.
I've always had an eye for faces, though when it came to Organic Chemistry in 2nd year of my 4 year term at Queen's University, I found it difficult to distinguish most of the lecture hall, because the majority of all were Asian. Now, I'm not about to suggest all Asians look the same, though I will admit that similar features do exist. How is it that Koreans get away with owning Japanese restaurants in Canada? However, when this mold is broken, people stand out of the crowd. You'd think they would be hammered down if they stuck out, as an old Japanese proverb suggests. It's quite interesting that this one "Frenchwoman" might have possibly had some French ancestry, though highly unlikely, given the fact that this is Japan, however, I have these moments weekly, where my brain cannot distinguish what is what anymore. Could we be seeing past the narrow eyes and midnight black hair? Or are my eyes adjusting to what I refer to every day?
For someone to suggest all Asians look alike is quite bold, ignorant and simply rude. Perhaps we need to adjust our eyes more to what this world is made up of.
On a final note, even I've been mistaken for a Japanese on more than one occasion. Looks, personality, gestures, body language? Funny how our senses take note of these slight changes.