Many centuries ago, and for almost five centuries, armies of Crusaders killed Muslims under the guise of their Christian god. Eighty some ago thousands of Japanese soldiers committed the atrocious Nanjing Massacre under the order of their heavenly emperor and killed hundreds of thousands of Chinese citizens. A few weeks ago a handful of Muslims killed many innocent people in the name of their prophet Mohammed. As I write this story some people are burning and looting property in China, while waving banners of anti-Japanese slogans. There seems to be a logical link between these horrible events – i.e, we love to hate. That’s a primal emotion that we all share. And we sometimes act it out in violence.

To my Chinese friends: In this time of hate against, boycotts of, and even pending war with Japan over Diao Yu Tai/Senkaku Islands, let’s not forget that you are a good and kind person, and that most Japanese citizens are also good and kind people. Yes, some Japanese are pretty bad, as are some Christians, Muslims and Chinese, but they are the minority.

My appeal to you is, let’s not spread any more hate than what is already out there. I don’t have a quick fix to the rightful title to Diao Yu Tai/Senkaku Islands, but war has a tendency to lead to bigger wars. Wars kill people, mostly helpless and hapless bystanders and their babies – and sometimes our babies. Do you really want to kill someone you don’t know, or worse yet be killed by a stranger, over a land dispute? When your neighbor allegedly builds her fence two feet onto your land, you get mad but you are not going to shoot her, are you?

I like the Japanese people. This impression is not based on any empirical international tourist survey, but on a few short trips that I’ve made to Japan over the years. I am an American of Chinese descent. I don’t have any economic interest in Japan. I don’t have relatives who are Japanese, although I do have a few good friends who are. I don’t own real property in Japan. I don’t have stocks in Sony, Toyota or other Japanese companies. I give you such a lengthy disclaimer so that you know I am not biased one way or the other.

My first exceptional Japanese experience took place when I rode one of their famous bullet trains in the 1980’s. I paid my fare before I boarded the train. When I got off the train I was supposed to turn in my ticket. It was nowhere to be found on me. I was pretty disgusted with myself. I went up to the station agent and explained to him through a companion (who spoke Japanese) what happened and that I was ready to buy another ticket. The agent said to me matter-of-factly that someone had found and turned in the ticket a few stations back. It was okay for me to exit without having to pay twice. Now let’s think about this. Person 1(the passenger) found the expensive ticket (which he or she could have used) and returned it to an agent at the beginning point of my trip. Person 2 (the agent) took the trouble to call Person 3 (the agent I talked to). Person 3 remembered it and was waiting for this dummy to show up at his window. Do you see such public responsibility and kindness in your own town?

Incident number 2. I was wandering around the city of Kyoto by myself taking in the cherry blossoms and eyeing all the pretty girls. I happened upon a coffee shop. I went in and ordered a cup of coffee and a dessert of some kind. Since I didn’t speak Japanese, my means of ordering food was doing a lot of finger pointing and forced smiles.

The price for the coffee was 400 yen, the cake 500. I gave him 1,000 yen. The barista said something and shook his head. Oh, there must be a mandatory tip of 15% or more. Sorry, buddy. I gave him another 100 yen. His head swung like a clock pendulum. What the heck? That’s not enough for coffee and cake? I gave up. I reached into my pocket and grabbed close to 2,000 yen, some of which were coins and smaller bills, handed them to him in my open palm, and facially said, here, take what you want. Lo and behold, very carefully he picked out exactly 750 yen!
What …. ?

I met up with my friend later that day and told her that the stupid shopkeeper couldn’t count. She looked at me with a funny expression and said, “He was an honest man; he didn’t want your tip. And there was a discount when you bought the drink and dessert together.” She didn’t have to say “dumb shoe.” I heard it loud and clear.

Now I have told you the source of my positive feelings toward the Japanese people. Do you care to reciprocate and share with me and my readers if you had any personal experience with the Japanese and why you should like them, dislike them, hate them or you are just indifferent.

I think it is a lot safer firing e-mails in cyberspace than shooting at each other with bullets on some remote islands. Wouldn’t you agree?

*** The End ***

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