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Japanese reactions to Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize

U.S. President Barack Obama has won the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize. The move has surprised many people around the world because President Obama has yet to record any amazing successes in the field of peace-making (although he does seem to be making people feel good about America).

The Nobel committee recognized Obama’s efforts toward a nuclear free world as one of the main reasons for the prize, something that has made Japanese a-bomb surivors such as 84-year-old Sunao Tsuboi quite happy:

“I thought that (Obama) might win the prize sometime, but I never thought that it would be this year. He was probably also selected to advance the move toward nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation, and to push for the elimination of nuclear weapons. I think almost all hibakusha (atomic-bomb survivors) will be happy,” Tsuboi said.

On the net, reactions have been less positive. Here’s a translation of some of the comments left by users of 2-channel, Japan’s largest online bulletin board (via Itai News):

So is the reason he won because he hasn’t done anything?

—
If you can win just for words then give it Kim Jong-Il
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So a peaceful world is one where America doesn’t do anything. Makes sense.
—
Why? He hasn’t done anything, he’s just a black president right?
—
So make a whole lot of nukes, then say “no more nukes for anyone!” and you get the Nobel Prize. lol
—
Why Obama?
If it’s because he’s the first black president then don’t give it to Obama give it to the American people.
—
It’s not like he’s got rid of the nukes yet
and are they just ignoring Iraq and all that?
—
Isn’t the prize going to be a hindrance for him?
Seems like it’s going to be harder to deal with Afghanistan and reinforcements.
—
What a joke.
Has he done anything to contribute to peace?
He’s just said some pretty words about getting rid of nukes and stuff.
—
Give me a break
—
If it helps Nocchi’s career then I don’t really mind.
—
What the hell? Pretty soon Kim will be getting one for renouncing nuclear weapons. lol
—
Bush was just so bad that it makes him look good, right?

Do you think Barack Obama will succeed in creating a world free of nuclear weapons?

For Chinese netizen reactions, check out this post at China Smack.

[The Japanese news article translations in this post were provided by myGengo's simple human translation system.]

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39 comments - What do you think? Posted by James - October 11, 2009 at 8:36 am

Categories: General Japan Tags: nobel prize, obama

http://www.j2fi.net/ ジェイソン (Jason)

Japanese governments have been pushing for a nuke-free planet since August of 1945. Where is there Nobel Peace Prize? Oh, right … the Japanese government isn’t as cool as Obama.

This “award” just further cheapens the image of Nobel’s prestigeous award. In order for him to have won this prize, he would have had to been elected shortly after defeating Hillary, not McCain.

http://www.japanprobe.com James

Japanese governments have been pushing for a nuke-free planet since August of 1945. Where is there Nobel Peace Prize? Oh, right … the Japanese government isn’t as cool as Obama.

http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1974/
http://nobelprize.org/nobel_prizes/peace/laureates/1974/sato-lecture.html

Oh, right…you left a comment before bothering the check if your claim was true.
Brian

The Nobel Peace prize hasn’t had the prestige of the science and literary Nobel prizes for decades, if ever. A big problem with it is and always will be that it is not awarded in retrospect, leaving significant room for partiality in the judges. It is also not awarded post-mortem, so people like Pope John Paul II, for instance, are no longer eligible.
q-chan

It is significant that the president of USA said that.
When I saw his prague speach I thought it would spawn many enemies against him. I respect his courage and think it deserve the prize personally.

http://dimesfornickels.wordpress.com/ William George

To be fair, even Obama was a bit, “WTF?”

The Overthinker

Yeah, he admits he doesn’t really deserve it, but note he doesn’t refuse it either.

http://dimesfornickels.wordpress.com/ William George

Aside from keeping the ditto-heads and the various other forces that would rather see the results of the election changed so McCain and Palin can take their rightful place in the Oval Office happy, there’s no benefit domestically or internationally for him to have done so.

The Overthinker

I don’t follow your argument. Perhaps as you didn’t give one. You may be right, but can you explain why you think you are right….
LB

I can think of a very big benefit of Obama’s refusing to accept: it would make him look humble and modest. Folks are more likely to listen to such a man than to one who accepts awards based on nothing more than a speech he gave and an apparent presumption that he might, someday, even if he hasn’t done it yet, accomplish something really great.

Perhaps Obama will turn out to deserve a Nobel. But that day is not here yet. His admitting that day is not here would almost certainly strengthen his ability to make the potential into reality.

pixel_bomber

I worry that if he accepts the cash award it could be looked on as some type of bride towards peace. He could then be swayed to make decisions toward peace even if it’s not in the best interest of the country.

I hope he decides to not accept the cash prize or use it in some charitable way, maybe donate it to pay for some health care for the uninsured.

helical

“Bribe towards peace”

That sounds so absurd, yet when I think about it, it actually sounds like a valid concern or at least an opening that could be used against him by political opponents …

Gojira

Just be happy for him.

Veronica

I real dont want a war with one of my favorite countries in the world china and japan cause i plan to go to both places and i dont want to be scared of a nuclear attack!

Iago

While the banks may have stopped lending, the Nobel committee clearly still gives out on credit. At least Mr. Obama now knows what it feels like to be in a negative equity situation.

Asa

hahahah Well put!

Vonskippy

Who cares.

All of the Nobel prizes are subjective – especially the “soft” Nobel prizes(ie literature, peace, economics).

Have you ever tried reading any of the books from any of the Nobel prize winners in Literature? That category baffles me every time.
ギギギ

このニュースがTVで流れた時の母と俺の会話。

俺「えっ？この人(オバマ大統領)何かしたの？ただ核兵器を持つの止めようぜって
世界中に言っただけじゃん！」

母「そうよねえｗ」

俺「きれいごと言うだけなら、誰にでも出来るでしょ。ちゃんと結果出してから
賞を与えるべきでしょ。」

母「そうそうｗ」

俺「そもそもこの賞(平和賞)の審査基準、選定基準が全くもって不明なんだよね。一番成果を数値化しにくいって言うかね・・・」

母「そうそうｗ何を基準にしているのかね・・・・」

俺「それにアメリカが核兵器全廃って言っているのは、核兵器に変わる新兵器をアメリカが開発したからじゃない？」

母「あーそれはあるかもねえ。」

俺「下らない。実に下らない茶番だよな」

helical

言いたい事はわかるけど、このコメントにお前の母ちゃん出す意味全く無いよね。頷いてるだけｗｗｗ

Mister M

Well… Obama is much better than Bush who was the guy who focused his goal on Iraq and Afeganistan rather than victims of Catrina and his own people and economy. I think every American should blame Bush for this shame.

Even though I am not not American, I believe that Obama will be a good President for USA.
TofuUnion

I admit Prague Speech (April 5, 2009) was great, but there are practical reasons for US nuclear disarmament.

1. In order not to let terrorists (or terrorists supporting countries) get nuclear weapons, Mr. Obama has to show persuasive attitude that US commits on nuclear disarmament. (North Korea says “While US has nuclear weapons, they have no right to request a waiver of our right to have nuclear weapons”.)

2. To protect NTP system it needs to curb the spread of nuclear weapons. (The convention stipulates the nuclear disarmament efforts.)

3. The US needs to cut costs of maintaining lots of nuclear weapons. (Due to global economic recession and Iraq war, there is a problem of growing US budget deficit.)

Of course, the Nobel Prize Committee expects the award will lead to nuclear disarmament in the future.

The ironical enough that the effort of Japan/Japanese (the victim of nuclear weapons) has been questionable whether it did have practical effect or not.
Bad Wolf

The agenda of some liberal Norwegian politicians is pretty irrelevant.
Katrina

I’m an American citizen and I don’t see why he got the prize. He hasn’t done anything yet. Like the salk guy who made the polio vaccine. I think its not right cause there’s someone out there who deserves the nobel prize and yet he get’s it because he’s the first African American “President”.
HamachiMan

This was a total rebuke and repudiation of the failed and horrid policies of the previous administration which hath created so much misery, death, and destruction throughout the world. Sadly the U.S. continues to be in Iraq and Afghanistan, so this award is meaningless.

Bad Wolf

Actually this is the fourth “rebuke and repudiation of the failed yadayada…” Uh, yeah. We get it already.

1. Jimmy Carter
2. El Baradei
3. Al Gore
(NPPs during the Bush administration)

The NPP lost all credibility when they gave it to a terrorist.

Buster

Terrorist is a bit too much maybe, afterall Kissinger had an official government position.

Bad Wolf

Yasser Arafat was not a terrorist?

pixel_bomber

They should call it the Nobel Hope Prize.

This prize lost a lot of meaning some time ago. If people like Yasser Arafat can win it I don’t put much faith in it’s meaning.

Also I am puzzled by the poll question posted here. Is there some plan to rid the world of Nukes that I didn’t hear about? He has made a lot of vague promises but I don’t recall that one.
Asa

Aside from the fact that I don’t agree with Pres. Obama’s political views, I think this award to him has only cheapened the honor that the Nobel Prize used to hold. It is a joke to give it to him while he still has nothing but few speeches to show for it. I hope for a peaceful world but I don’t see it happening. Between the N Koreans, the Iranians Gov’t, and other terrorist types getting nukes, anyone who thinks we can put down our arms now is fooling themselves. That’s my view.

http://dimesfornickels.wordpress.com/ William George

You’re a firm believe in MAD, eh?

radical pikachu

Truly amazed! First time I see that Simon Anholt let UK to be replaced with other country from top spot in his invented tops, surveys, PRs, indexes etc.
Ajapa

There is an article by BBC, full citation from the Norwegian Nobel Committee’s official announcement:

“Obama’s Nobel win: Full citation“, Friday, 9 October 2009

Some excerpts from the BBC report (partially highlighted by me):

the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 is to be awarded to President Barack Obama for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and co-operation between peoples.

In their announcement, two sentences are related to nuclear disarmament:

The Committee has attached special importance to Obama’s vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons.

The vision of a world free from nuclear arms has powerfully stimulated disarmament and arms control negotiations.

The other part is mainly concerned with Obama’s attitude toward diplomacy, international politics, and so on. It gives an impression that it is a welcome message to hopeful “good” America.
Mendopsai

Like most, I really don’t think he deserved it. The fact that he accepted the prize was, in my eyes, a bad move. Also IMHO, I think he should have politely declined the offer saying that he will accept it when he actually reaches his goals. Now that he has accepted it however, the question is whether he will show that he deserved it.(Translated japanese comments made me laugh
John

So Obama should insult the Nobel Committee? Yeah, that would be smart.

As for the money, he already said he’s giving it all away.
level3

The ironic thing is the “Peace” Prize over the past 2 decades, is being given to people with good intentions who actually make the world more dangerous.

Carter for negotiating with NK and giving them 2 nuclear reactors?
Al Gore for scaring governments into making energy costs higher, and stopping development in the 3rd world?
The IAEA for claiming to try toc ontrl nukes, but doing an about face on IraqArafat, who didn’t even have good intentions, oh wait, killing Jews IS a popular idea with European socialists since the 1930s.
level3

I think giving the PEACE prize to someone who is actually the commander-in-chief for 2 ongoing WARS has got to be a first.

The ironic thing is the “Peace” Prize over the past 2 decades, is being given to people with good intentions who actually make the world more dangerous.

Carter for negotiating with NK and giving them 2 nuclear reactors?
Al Gore for scaring governments into making energy costs higher, weakening first world economies, bringing more politics and dogmatism into science, and reducing development to a crawl in the 3rd world for meaningless “carbon credits”?
The IAEA for claiming to try to control nukes, but doing an about face on Iraq when the Coalition decided to actually enforce IAEA and UN resolutions?
The UN itself? HAHAHAHAHAAAAA
Kim Dae Jung for failed negotiations with NK.
Arafat, who didn’t even have good intentions. Oh wait, killing Jews IS a popular idea with European socialists, at least since the 1930s.

Just keep giving the prize to people who actually negotiate peace treaties, or to local leaders in 3rd world shitholes who make progress to helping people not get killed by warlords. Give it to George Bush for stopping nuclear proliferation at least in Iraq. Give it to Isreal if they get back in the business of bombing Arab nuclear facilities.
anti

Arafat was given the Peace Prize to give up his own agenda and to curb him towards peace and so he did but Israel did not comply. Obama was given the peace prize in hope that US stop their genocidal war adventures which people are getting tired of while slowing down the world economy. Obama got no answer for Iraq and Afghanistan yet but it is hope. He who was campaigning a Change. Now is his time to prove that he is more than hype. He can talk the talk, but we want to see him walk the walk.

Americans should not be flattered. Rather should think of this as, how terrible US have been. Forget this, we are the greatest. Greatest nations do not kill anyone and hide behind no brainer flag waving nationalism. Japan did this in the 40s, now US is learning.

Kate

*yawn* Every nation kills people. Greatest nations give more aid to all the countries around the world than the other countries combined, even when those countries conveniently forget about that and spit on them.

Bad Wolf

“Arafat was given the Peace Prize to give up his own agenda and to curb him towards peace and so he did” which is exactly why the next Norwegian Pointless Prize should go to Kim Jong-il. If we could just give this prize to all the bad, evil men in the world, they would surely see the light and mend their ways! Why must we all be so cynical? Everyone is a fuzzy bunny rabbit at heart, if only they had their very own Norwegian Pointless Prize!

Kummbay, My Fascist Lord, Kumbaya!

anti

Not sure why Kin Jong il should get the prize. You should try to come with reasons.

During the relative peaceful 90s there was a sense of optimism between Palestine and Israel. There was genuine peace and the peace talks was moving forward that was until Yitzhak Rabin was assassinated by one of his trigger happy right winged Jewish thug.

Japanese reactions to Obama’s Nobel Peace Prize

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