He has not yet learned that the problem is not Japan, or the Japanese, or his employer, or his parents, or anyone else – the problem is HIM.

Read the comments. Debito and the Debitards are doing an outstanding job of getting foreigners hated. Someone needs to break it to him: You aren’t being discriminated against because you are a “foreigner”, or because you are white, you are being discriminated against because you are a complete and total asshole.

LB says

He grandstanded, asked others to do it,

Well he is acting like a child again.

he(LB)’s accusing other people on this blog of “sock puppeting” (a person posing as more than one poster): That’s simply not true, and if commenters here dislike being portrayed this way, feel free to comment on Japan Probe to the contrary. Debito

tp://www.debito.org/?p=1727#comment-163059

I’ve invited Debito and Debito’s fan again and again to an open forum. They have never come. I am sure Debito and his fans have seen his comment.I’ll invite them again. My blog is available. I welcome them.

http://travel.nytimes.com/2008/04/27/travel/27frugal.html?pagewanted=2

See the section of “WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK” in the above page. You’ll find the “JAPANESE ONLY” sign that NYT is displaying for Bistro Zuzu in Kyoto.

Maybe Debito should make a phone call to NYT.

He says he got the photo of the sign on May 24th, but did nothing. Then this tragedy happens, and he seizes the (wholly inappropriate) moment to launch a crusade. And it was a crusade that didn’t need to be launched! One phone call and the situation was resolved!

But did he make the call first? Of course not. He grandstanded, asked others to do it, then finally did it himself in a self-promotion opportunity designed to get the adoring masses (some of whom I strongly suspect are sock puppets) to get all doe-ey eyed and coo “Oh Debito, you’re so cool! You’re our man! Bless you for standing up for us!”

And that’s the really sad part – given the chance to do things the right way, talk things through, or build bridges, he will choose the confrontational way just to make it “about him” and get people to look at him.

EVERY

SINGLE

TIME

No such luck.

What a dumbass.

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/index.php?fa=PAGE.view&pageId=66593

I’m glad the police didn’t shoot, as I’d rather see him brought to justice, and I wonder if the police would have hit anyone else, given that it was a busy street.

I was wondering where all the angry commenters were coming from.

I was never “blaming” the rescue workers for the death toll. I was trying to understand how so many could die after being stabbed by a 13cm long dagger blade.

As it turns out, the television networks are now reporting that emergency medical services had some of the country’s best trauma doctors on the scene soon after the stabbing spree–so my argument–that most EMS folks do not have trauma experience–was not relevant to the incident.

16 Scott lucas Says:
June 9th, 2008 at 5:10 pm

These kind of random attacks seem to happen a lot in Japan and not just recently. Knife attacks are on the increase in Britain (if you are to believe the media), but it is very rare for attacks of this nature to happen. Just imagine what it would be like if Japan’s laws on gun ownership were the same as America’s. Doesn’t bear thinking about…..

It seems that their Japanophobia is obvious.
Strange enough, they say they are promoting a positive image of gaijin.

….I know in this country law does not exist but this make things more clear. This is why I have so much stress, being not myself but someone else. The real countries of freedom are Europe and US, though there are mistakes too, but you have your rights and nobody beat you up unless you sign “damn statment” for crime you have never committed. I once had a situation where man was running away and woman was screaming “つかまえて!!!つかまえて!!!” He passed very close to me but do you think I did anything about it? Not at all, even though I do Martial Arts here and could grab him easily. Fear being accused for touching him was bigger than help. I always want to help, but in Japan I will never, ever, ever help anybody!! They can kill each other and I will be watching……

No comment From Debito, and when he does not like a comment, he either adds his comment or he bans the comment.

“Gaijin 50 times more likely than Japanese to try to help someone bleeding to death” would be a good headline.

A big factor is all the recent stories about the terrible medical response in Japan after bank hours. Stories of ambulances being turned away at several hospitals after hours, until the patient dies. Nobody is held responsible. On a Sunday, were the Tokyo paramedics and hospitals staffed and operational at a level that would match most other large cities in the developed world?

Could more have been saved? I’d bet yes.

You’re right, we don’t know. We probably will never know, because such an investigation would likely be embarrassing to the government.

and only drew his gun AFTER Kato had put down the knife.

Only Asahi reported that way. Other media reported the police dew his gun and Kato put down the knife.
http://blog.livedoor.jp/tonchamon/archives/51941008.html

It wasn’t long before Debito had called the store and convinced them to change the sign

”convinced” is too strong a word. I called the shop before he called. The clerk was nice and explained what he meant;he was quite willing to change the sign if he knew what he wanted to say in English.
Don’t be Japanophobia. Just ask.
Don’t project bias. I guess it is not out of hatred that the posters of this kind , if any , are doing it.
Don’t expect good English of average Japanese.
Even Debito does not bother to write in Japanese and block the Japanese comments without the sign “English only” (it would be good tactics for the Japanese who really wanted to block gaijin; Just block them no matter what without posting the sign.)