Save Japan Probe! James is being deported?!

UPDATE: James is free. It was indeed an April Fools joke as many easily guessed. Thank you for your sense of humor throughout the day!

I got an odd phone call this morning from a man with a heavy accent, but not the usual Japanese variety I tend to encounter. Basically, what I gathered is that James, founder of Japan Probe, is in big trouble.

As some of you know or have noticed, James is actually Zhuang, from Beijing. His interest in Japan brought him to this country I don’t know how many years ago, but therein lies the problem: Zhuang has overstayed his visa. The caller was a friend of Zhuang, who was not there at the arrest, but we are trying to get the details. Said details seem to be a bit questionable from what we’ve heard; we may seek out the help of someone like Arudou Debito for advice, because it seems discriminatory practices may have been involved. In any case, this is a huge shame, and if anyone knows a way to help, let us know. I’ll probably be helping to find a lawyer and such.

This may be a sign we’ve been looking for, however. For months we have been trying to find ways to introduce more Chinese content. Zhuang obviously has an interest in it, and most of the writers here agree that “Japan is about out of things to blog about.” So, I can’t say for certain, but this may signal the move to Chinaprobe, which we have been discussing lately. It just makes sense.

Okay, I’ll let you guys know more details as I get them! James had a pre-scheduled post around midnight, but it may be the last we hear of him for a long time I fear. In the meantime, please try to contact Debito and other people that may be able to help!

86 comments - What do you think? Posted by Claytonian - April 1, 2008 at 8:05 am

Categories: General Japan Tags:

Erika

HAHAHA You got me

I’m sure Debito got a bit of a surprise. That weeaboo deserves it.
Victor

Viva la revolucion. Debito must have received some sizzlers
Oops

ummmm……YAY!
Limabeans

Haha, at first I thought a lot of the people that didn’t mention April Fools were just playing along, but on later down the page I see that they realized it was a joke. It might’ve gotten me, but I was thinking jokes up all day. After a very brief moment of o.O I checked the date.
the overthinker

Actually, I wonder why the ‘information’ that James is Chinese was needed? Why was it not sufficient to say “James, an American (Anglo) overstayed his visa”? This seems to me to play into the idea that it’s the Chinese who are more likely to be overstayers – that the fact James ‘is Chinese’ was used to make the story more convincing.

Unless of course that photo really is James, full name James Zhuang, of New York (parents from Beijing).

tomat

I agree, knowing it was an April Fools joke and reading it, I’d say it’s a very low brow joke if James is indeed not Chinese. I say this because from my stay with other white Westerners, I’ve found them to participate quite often at looking down on Chinese residents, especially at bars with their Japanese buddies.

http://surrealu.blogspot.com Claytonian

Ug, guys please don’t over-analyze a joke; it’s not like that and no offense is intended towards any group.

Mummy

It’s call “subconscious racism”. Yes there might be no conscious intention, but “look down on/prejudice against Chinese” is so ingrain in you that you aren’t even aware of it.

The joke work just as fine with James being as he is (Anglo) anyways. But no you have to play the joke in the expense of a stereotype/bias of a race (which neither of you are part of).
http://www.japanprobe.com James

When Claytonian and I were brainstorming for this post, we had two ideas: deportation and switching to China Probe. I was made Chinese in this post so that both ideas could be used. Also, making James an entirely different nationality added some extra shock value to the post, contributing to the progression of ridiculous things that served as hints that this post was a April Fool’s joke.
the overthinker

John – jokes aren’t always at the expense of another. Now you’re the one who is over-analysing.

James: the problem with suddenly coming out and saying you’re Chinese is fine except that we don’t know you’re not – at least not something like Chinese-American.

Actually, it would have been great if the banner title page thing could have read “China Probe” – I wonder how many would have picked up on that?

koan

@overthinker

You don’t know what Anglo means but whatever meaning you thought it had you’re trying to replace “Chinese” with another racial division.

I guess you didn’t realise this was all a joke anyway, but it’s no excuse.

Kevin

I’m not sure how else to take the meaning of Anglo but this is what is written on Wikipedia:

The term Anglo is used as a prefix to indicate a relation to the Angles, England or the English people, as in the phrases ‘Anglo-Saxon’, ‘Anglo-American’, ‘Anglo-Celtic’, and ‘Anglo-Indian’. It is often used alone, somewhat loosely, to refer to a person or people of English ethnicity in the The Americas, Australia and Southern Africa. It is also used, both in English-speaking and non-English-speaking countries, to refer to Anglophone people of other European origins.
the overthinker

I assure you, I know very well what an “Anglo” is. I am one. And it was obvious it was a joke.

David

You had me but I realised what date it was just as I was about to comment and make a fool of myself *phew*
http://hobbyjapan.blogspot.com/ Timotei

Another good joke. I actually got pretty fooled by this one but thank god that it’s a joke.
Brian B

Hahahaha! Almost tricked me, till I read the “James had a pre-scheduled post around midnight, but it may be the last we hear of him for a long time I fear” part, then checked the date. Happy April Fools!
http://www.what-what.com Danno

Damn, you got me. I was totally fooled. I guess having lived in Japan and knowing how often this kind of thing *really does happen*, I took it hook, line and sinker – Zhuang even seems like the kind of Chinese name that would get anglicized to “James”. Well played boys!
Karisu

Great April Fools guys Honestly had me going for awhile!
JonJon

Nice april folks’ guys, I almost believed it =p
Juji F

I am writing in regards to the arrest and impending deportment of a Chinese national who owns the blog, Japan Probe. I am not only apoplectic, I have several sypmtoms of spasmasticism brought on by the terror of this unjust action by the authorities. I looked forward daily to the odds and ends, youtube clips, minutae, bricabrac, memorandi in addition to cornicopious whatnots offered generously on the website. Now, shattered, violated…James Zhuang, an upright contributor to society has been more than likely caged in a kennel-like cell. Is he abused? Will mitt-like coarse, callous and callused hands grab at him, hold him in humiliating positions for hours, no, days on end? Will the baths he took as a young man, full of soap, mystery and self discovery, be transfigured into showers of dread, something like the fantasies of a hunchback? Or that lady from Throw Momma From The Train? Today I am a flabby, flacid gelatinous heap, a babbling brook of teardrops…the borders of dementia have no gates, no barbed wire, and no German shepherds or guards with bayonets or mace or even shivs fashioned with dried chicken bones, Nay, the hordes of the lost beckon to me like smug smiling smirking presumptuous gingerbread men…they say, come over here, to Dementia, we have issued your visa, your permanent residence status is Permanent, come hither…as I drift into the fog, the tinkle warm down my pantleg…frogs giggle. Japan Probe- Website has been removed by Japan Government, SORRY! Have nice day!

RYO

Classic.

Ali

hahaha! you guys!! you almost got me too…. after a long day at work that was the last thing i wanted to read! thank goodness i’m smiling now and not writing my deepest, most heartfelt condolences…. BIG UP JAPAN PROBE!!
Pingback: April Fools in Japan/Otaku Blogosphere (Part II) | alafista.com
morningstar

He don’t look Chinese to me. April fool.
Xiongmao

I thought that latinos were the only ones who were deported from foreing countries xD
Juji F

How could all this have happened? Was James implicated with Falun Gong? Or Culture Club? If James is in the general population inside prison, maybe someday he will call us. But if he is in solitaire confinement, they may be subjecting him tonight to shaving the head, to amputate and deflower his sense of self. Creatures all in the dark cell, rodents scramble over his breakfast eggs. His loins cleansed with hyper pulsate hoses. His screams echoing in the chamber. I am on tenterhooks just considering the fate of him. Where is Debit? Why does everyone dismiss the peril James is in as April Fools? James was no fool! A charlatan, a buffoon, a man boy who cries out during a tender interlude I CAN’T HOLD IT! Maybe. My tensions are at the boiling point! Like Willy Wonka when Grandpa goes grovelling to get Charlie’s prize. This is just like another famous James, Pufnstuf. When they took me to the center, they removed one of his eyes. Like a daruma. Look at kind James in the photo. Congenial James. Please stop James from being plucked too! Let the happy people be happy! Will they sew it closed considerately? Or, leave it gaping like the woman at the Grits and Gas truck stop in Appalachicola?
Kevin

Time to do some follow-up reading:

April Fools’ Day

Save Japan Probe! James is being deported?!

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