Japanese Broadcasters Afraid to Send Women to Crime-ridden South Africa

The Asahi Shimbun (Japanese) reports that many of Japan’s major TV channels are so concerned about the incredibly high crime rate in South Africa that they not planning to send female reporters or employees are part of their World Cup coverage teams.

Several female news casters were part of the coverage teams for the last World Cup, which was in Germany. This time, most of the channels are holding off on sending women to South Africa, and making significant reductions to the number of employees they usually send to cover World Cups. N-H-K, which sent 93 employees to the last World Cup, will only send 73 this time. ATV, FTV, and TBS are making similar cuts. TV Tokyo will be sending only 10 employees to South Africa, a huge drop from the 50 it sent to Germany. The TV Tokyo and TBS teams will not include any women.

This time, the networks don’t want to take any unnecessary risks. Japan’s foreign ministry has already issued warnings advising Japanese who visit the games to avoid going outside at night and to travel by car instead of by foot.

According to 2008 statistics, the murder rate in South Africa is about 14 times that of Japan. South Africa’s rape rate is 24 times that of Japan.

[hat tip to DL, crime graph via this blog]

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78 comments - What do you think? Posted by James - May 29, 2010 at 7:35 pm

Categories: General Japan Tags:

NONEOFMYBEESWAX

I think this is an unfair comparison. Where are all the other countries? Like Japan, China, Russia. Do they really expect us to believe that rape or murder doesn’t happen frequently there ? I lived in Japan and know it not to be true. Though I do also know it is often unreported or disregarded by the mainstream media. However, it’s true that south Africa is getting increasingly violent. So, if it were me I wouldn’t bring a soul there without a bulletproof vest and a 16mm. But since ther average JP reporter isn’t trained to shot a weapon I can see their point.
- LB
  
  No one denies that rape and murder happen in Japan. But Japan’s murder rate is 1/100th that of South Africa, as is Japan’s rapes per capita. That is the point. Also, these are official merder/rape statistics as compiled by police. The “mass media” does not compile these statistics, they just report them. So even if the mass media under-reports rapes and murders, that has no bearing on the per capita murder or rape rates – the rates say how many people turned up murdered, not how many were reported to be murdered on the evening news.
  
  Now, if you want to argue that rapes in Japan are under-reported to police by victims, you would have a good argument. However we’d have to assume that only 1 in 100 rape victims in Japan is going to the police just to get Japan’s rate equal to the reported rate in South Africa – and then we’d have to assume that 100% of rapes in South Africa are being reported. That makes two baseless assumptions – and most reports I have read of South Africa’s crime rate say that under-reporting of rapes to police is a huge problem there. Women feel shamed, and they don’t go to the cops. Some analysts think the actual number of rapes per capita in South Africa could be 10 times higher than the official 1.2 per 1000 rate – or 12 women raped out of 1000, more than than 1 in 100.
Hamachiman

Let me see, whenever any Japanese person expresses reservations or fears based on crime statistics (and they have every right to be), they will be labeled as racist, xenophobic, and ignorant.
- pixel_bomber
  
  I didn’t notice the part of the article that called anyone a racist…
  - helical
    
    Well it certainly wouldn’t be in the article.
    It’s mostly in everything else that follows it.
    
    You must be new here
    - pixel_bomber
      
      So far looks like just a debate on how safe South Africa is. Although it was kind of racist to suggest that only Japanese are afraid of violent crime.
- http://nthambazale.com Clement
  
  As someone who lived in South Africa for more than two years and now I have been staying in Japan for the past two years, what I can say is that the rate of crime in Japan is nothing compared to that of South Africa. When I came to Japan for the first time, I was very surprised when I saw young ladies taking a walk around 3am. You cannot see that in RSA because it is very dangerous (abunai desuyo).
  
  The South African government is promising a crime-free World Cup. But I cannot blame the TV companies for taking these precautions.
- Tbrot
  
  A bit sensitive aren’t we?
flowby

You gotta be kidding!!!

I wannna be an international reporter but I don’t wanna be placed in a sit where my feathers might get ruffled??? You know – like a war zone or …you know…. like South Africa

Better work at the local conbini.
- helical
  
  I think every person has the right to decide for themselves how much risk they’re willing to put themselves in, or for that matter, how much risk an employer is willing to put their employees in. Especially if your own government officialy states that going there is a big risk.
  If some people or group feel less adventuresome than others, they will not get as good a coverage, maybe they’ll pay the price for broadcast license rights from some other braver group, and basically there isn’t much more than that tradeoff.
  
  But maybe you have different standards than these TV stations, if you describe having an unwated piece of hot lead, cold steel, or diseased man junk placed forcibly up your rear as “having your feathers ruffled”. If so, good luck on getting that story! I’m sure the broadcasters would pay top dollars or yens for it.
  - pixel_bomber
    
    Wouldn’t these actually be sports reporters? I know if I signed on to cover sports I would still think twice about going to South Africa. Honestly the whole idea of holding the world cup there seemed kinda loopy to me. I’m guessing they would make a lot more money if they hold it in a place more accessible to Europeans.
- sublight
  
  You’ve never watched Japanese sports coverage, have you flowby? These aren’t war-zone reporters who have experience in hazardous locations, it’s always an equal mix of local sports reporters, B-list celebrities and former athletes.
Pozo

You might want to explain the graphs a bit better. Murders is said to be the murder ‘rate’ per 1000 people, but the source-blog does not really define a rate. Is it per year, per average human life, …? Same for the rape.

You can’t draw any conclusions from these statistics with regard to safety. Example: When compared to my mother I fly about 5 times as often, therefore I’m at a greater risk of suffering a fatal plane crash. Yet flying is quite safe so I have (for instance) a 0.0005% chance of dying in a plane crash every year, and my mother only 0.0001%. My risk is low enough for me to feel safe when in an airplane.

I think it’s more likely for the female reporter to die in a car accident while in South Africa than it is being murdered or raped, but that’s just my estimation.
- pixel_bomber
  
  So it’s not safe to drive in South Africa?
- LB
  
  Um “per 1000 people” is the rate. South Africa has a murder rate of 0.5 per 1000 people, or in other words if you have a group of 2000 people 1 of them is about to become a murder victim. 5 of them are about to become rape victims.
  
  South Africa has a traffic accident death rate of 33.2 per 100,000 people, and if we use 100,000 as a base:
  33 will die in a traffic accident
  50 will be murdered
  120 will be raped
  - Pozo
    
    But there the time span is missing as well. If out of every 1000 people 0.5 get murdered per day there’s a quite a lot more people dead then when that’s per year.
  - LB
    
    Sorry, should read “if you have 2000 people… 2 of them are about to become rape victims”.
    
    As for the time frame, I interpret it as being “per year”, as that seems to be the standard for these reports. For comparative purposes, though, as long as all countries are measured for the same period it doesn’t matter if we’re talking one year or one week – South Africa has devolved into one of the most violent and crime-ridden countries on the planet, far more violent that the US, Europe or Japan.
Simon

More South Africa bashing by the media.Thanks guys, if the world cup falls flat you can shoulder a large chunk of the blame.The world cup in South Africa will be a huge success, baring the odd mugging incident that the media will blow out of proportion.

I lived 18 years in south africa and 10 years in London, i got mugged twice in London and never in South africa.

Im more worried about our Iluminati freinds staging something dodgy, than the threat the locals pose.
- Carlos
  
  I think you’re right. NY, L.A., Chicago used to also have a bad rap, coming orig, from a large city in the states, I too, have always felt the media goes into overkill mode when it comes to reporting violence in urban areas and as a former Journalist, I know for a fact, tragedy and violence sells and sells well. Humans have a natural pull, a curiosity for action and tragic advents subconsciously. If we hear stories of soldiers being killed in Afghanistan or Red shirts going amok in Thailand we all take interest, but if the story of the day is. The Cherry Blossoms are in full bloom or a story about how children at a daycare are making Father’s day cards, no one cares or at least long enough to dwell on it, remember it or having an interest in calling and spreading the news about the segment. It is in our nature to have an interest in gore. Does that mean we relish it, certainly not, at least on a conscious level, but subconsciously….
  
  I have never been attacked in the states, there are many, many places I know of where people still keep their doors unlocked. But about 10 years ago, I was jumped in Budapest, 3 guys tried to rob me outside a nightclub and Berlin was also a bit scary, I knew a couple of people that were beaten up by Skinheads, we were always told to stay vigilant when walking at night through that city.
  Every country has its share of problems and Japan is NO exception to that. Trust me, Japan has enough baggage in different areas. How about xenophobia, how about Japan reporting as to how xenophobic the society can be, police corruption, racial profiling etc.
  Japan is not THE perfect society, not even close! Yes, the murder rate is low, yes, on the surface it is a peaceful conformist society, but once you peel back that onion, you do see quite a lot of blemishes.
  
  I am not saying South Africa doesn’t have its fair share of problems, but I have many SA friends here in Japan and in SA., they are all wonderful kind and great people, funny as heck and on many levels deep. My first roommate in Japan was from Johannesburg, I learned a lot from this guy and especially I had a lot of respect for the country has a whole, they have been through a lot. They know they have a lot of work to do, but one also needs to understand how and why this al happened and how the violence evolved. Every story has a beginning, so before we judge (and many here are) get the facts straight, learn about the people and culture, meet and get to know real SA people, visit the country and learn for yourself and pay less attention to what the media (especially the J-media) so often over-hypes which people always take to the bank and run with it instead of finding out for themselves. This is how often negative stereotypes are born.
- Tosh
  
  You can’t compare locals and tourists. Tourists are more likely to be involved in crimes than locals, hence they lack in street smarts. Especially if they are from Japan.
  - superlaxative
    
    Exactly, I know some (naive) people who went on a holiday in New York and decided to walk…through Bronx, them being pasty touristy looking white folks from Europe. Needless to say they got robbed and beat up very bad. Never been robbed here. Would that mean US is incredibly dangerous? I’d just confirm that there is a huge difference between a local and a tourist.
tokyojesusfist

South Africa is a shithole. I wouldn’t want to go there either.
candy

if you live in Japan, your chances of getting killed/injured in earthquakes
are much greater than most of those countries in the chart above….

based on that, I believe it’s about time the Japanese people start evacuating
and move to countries with very little chance of earthquakes.
- superlaxative
  
  Actually, you are wrong.
Carlos

Does anybody really care if Japanese reporters go there or not? I think there will be enough coverage on the net. As long as I can get the game, that’s all I care about!.
hiMe

Just don’t go to johannesburg – you’re bound to get anything stolen off you…even if it isn’t worth anything to you. Most likely raped somewhere there too.

Scary place.
anon

is there any discussion in the japanese media/blogosphere of why there is such a disparity in crime rates?
RMilner

It’s not racist but it is certainly sexist to ban women reporters from the job.
- Carlos
  
  I totally agree.
- ponta
  
  Not necessarily.
  Most of the rape victims are women, and the rape rate is one of the reasons why they decided not to send the women.
- Uma D’niga
  
  apparently, protecting women is sexist nowadays..
islandview

The TV channels should send those female reporters to Okinawa to spend one week surrounded by the thousands (and thousands) of young, testosterone-driven Marines (and other military boys) based here.
These are the same TV channels that are so quick to report (and distort) the crimes and rapes committed by U.S. military members in Okinawa, so they should know already that Okinawa is far more dangerous than South Africa.

Have the female reporters stay at a hotel near the bases and see what happens. They can even produce a special TV show about her adventure, complete with helicopters buzzing overhead while she is trying to eat a bowl of soki soba!
After one week of surviving the crime-ridden island those reporters should feel very safe in South Africa for a few months.
Carlos

Judging by the check marks of some of the responses, there are many Kool aid drinkers here that want to live with their heads in the sand that Japan is the perfect haven, untouched, untarnished and perfect all the way around. I think it’s really funny how easy it is for people to look down or criticize other country or nations. You cannot say anything negative or chastise Japan. Of course Japan is always perfect and always right in EVERY situation. I really don’t care, but I do see a lot of ignorance here and I can tell by some of the comments on this particular thread that almost none of you have been to SA or know really anything or anyone, but you can make false accusations and have pre-conceived opinions?! Absolutely astounding!
- Carlos
  
  See what I mean?
  - yom
    
    Japan isnt perfect, but i’d rather live here than SA
- weirdo
  
  @Carlos
  “Judging by the check marks of some of the responses, there are many Kool aid drinkers here that want to live with their heads in the sand that Japan is the perfect haven, untouched, untarnished and perfect all the way around. ”
  You’re assuming a bit much. It’s true that Japan is much safer than South Africa, to deny that would be silly, and taking action to protect one’s employees only makes sense.
  
  I’m not usually one to make up opinions based on purely statistics or media reports, but I’m surprised to see that so many people are dubious of the hazards of South Africa. Japan not a utopia, that’s certain, however, nearly everyone that has ever been to Japan can assure you of it’s safety. You can claim many negative things about Japan, but safety is definitely not one of the concerns of visiting Japan for the vast majority of people.
  
  Also
  @Simon
  Yes, it’s possible to never get wounded as a soldier deployed in Afghanistan, but you’d be silly to think that your safety is universal.
- pixel_bomber
  
  The article does not make any claims about Japan being great in any way. It’s simply saying people were warned that there might be safety issues and some people decided not to go. I have friends in a few countries in Europe who are also not planning to attend this year because they don’t want to go to South Africa. Some people posted crime statistics that seem to back up the concerns of these networks also.
  
  The US also warns of risks traveling to South Africa.
  http://travel.state.gov/travel/cis_pa_tw/pa/pa_3250.html
  
  If someone says something ridiculous, call them out on it and post links to prove your point. You cannot really base anything on anonymous thumbs up/thumbs down checks on these comments. If people had something valid to say they would say it, and it’s not difficult to add as many check marks as you want. Japan does get plenty of criticism on these forums. There might be a few Japanophiles who live in their own fantasy world but I find many of the posters here to be very reasonable and unbiased. Besides, some nice healthy debating is always entertaining isn’t it.
- tokyojesusfist
  
  Yes, I’m sure South Africa is really a peaceful little paradise and all the crime statistics were fabricated by a shadowy international conspiracy.
  
  lol
japanobserver

Japan is not a perfect society. I have yet to find one. But at the same time, is it xenophobic to state that South Africa is a crime ridden nation? It would be prejudiced to paint the entire SA population with a broad brush and say every South African is a rapist/murderer, but this is not the case. The media is simply stating the facts. Compared to other countries, South Africa is quite dangerous, to the point that they have products like these… (http://www.antirape.co.za/) with this one developed by a Sonnet Ehlers, a South African woman. I am sure many S. Africans are good people, but people must be vigilant and if the Japanese media decides to send less women to protect them from harm, then I believe that is a company acting responsibly in preventing their employees from being harmed. It would be discrimination however, if a woman reporter wanted to go and she was denied solely because of her gender.
- Carlos
  
  That is a rational observation, Japanobserver. I fully agree with you, but the problem is that most people don’t think as you do as often people in Japan do not (not generalizing that stating the facts) and thereby, going with the presumption that South Africa or South Africans are dangerous people (in a nutshell, stereotyping a nation) let’s flip this around for a moment. Before I moved to this country some 12 years ago, I always believed that Japan was pretty much perfect without any problems, but now I can say without a doubt, Japan has more problems than Lindsay Lohan on her good days. I think that before anyone can make a concrete accusation about any country, one should go visit, spend time with the locals, travel and then you can make a statement instead of generalizing a nation based on negative perceptions.
  My wife being Japanese had the same pre-conceived thoughts about the U.S. and Mexico(I used to go twice a year)she was terrified to go and though it is true the larger cities in Mexico, especially near Nogales, Arizona, the rest of Mexico is fairly calm and peaceful. The people are great! The food fantastic, after taking her there a few times, she felt very stupid to have generalized a whole society and a country based upon what she was hearing in the media always. Now, she feels very safe and comfortable when we go there. Educate yourself, learn everything you can about a before going, learn the pros and cons and I truly believe you can have a good experience almost anywhere you go.
  - http://www.lingo-i.com/ Eric
    
    I agree with you Carlos. I lived in a lot of different countries before coming to Japan, and from that experience, I can say that the Japanese are more xenophobic than most nationalities, and when it comes to stereotyping are by far the worst offenders on the planet.
    
    In the Japanese world view, pretty much every country outside of Japan is “dangerous.” Oh, and in every country in the world except Japan, there is “a big gap between the rich and the poor.” And of course many countries are made up of “many different races.”
    
    Another strange phenomenon I noticed right away was the tendency for ex-pats living in Japan to be very protective of the Japanese. My take on that is that they’ve picked up on the tacit rule here that you never seriously criticize Japan. You can say things that might sound kind of negative but in fact are just making excuses like, “the Japanese are shy,” but you must never make a serious criticism of the society itself. The first rule of Fight Club is never talk about Fight Club. The first rule of Japan is never criticize Japan.
    - Carlos
      
      Amen! I couldn’t have said it better even if I wanted to. “Kool aid” drinking is quite a popular thing to do in this country.
    - Tosh
      
      ” and when it comes to stereotyping are by far the worst offenders on the planet. ”
      
      How can you say that when you and Carlos are the ones who are stereotyping Japan.
    - Carlos
      
      @Tosh again, another Kool aid drinker, how many times do I have to say, I am NOT stereotyping. I know what is going on in places like SA, or Mexico. I am a well traveled person, unlike most people on this thread that are being very naive, bias and ignorant can’t say squat unless they have been there. And it is true MOST (not all most) Japanese have a certain perception about the world, people etc. or simply put; inflexible attitude about social issues. I live here, I see it everyday, it’s NOT, I repeat NOT stereotyping, it’s what you see and deal with working and living around Japanese everyday and it tickles me to death how so many can’t handle any criticism. What’s Next? That I’m going to hear that Obama is THE greatest US President that we ever had! Come on! I know, everything is good in Japan, superior this, superior that, like I said, this is a Utopia a flawless country. Well, don’t need to go to church anymore, I have finally reached pearly gates! Sorry if the truth hurts.
    - superlaxative
      
      Who claimed Japan to be perfect? I haven’t heard anyone say that – just you and your invisible xenophobic Japanese companions. Fact is, Japan IS very safe. Compared to South Africa, crime-wise it’s a paradise. These are the facts.
- ponta
  
  I fully agree with Japanobserver too.
  
  Nobody is claiming that every South African is a rapist/murderer.
  Nobody is claiming that there are no place in South Africa you can have a good time with the locals.
  Nobody is claiming that Japan is perfect.
  
  Carlos
  
  “Before I moved to this country some 12 years ago, I always believed that Japan was pretty much perfect without any problems,”
  
  You had unfairly positive preconceived thoughts about Japan.
  
  ”
  My wife being Japanese had the same pre-conceived thoughts about the U.S. and Mexic.
  
  Your wife had unfair preconceived thoughts about the U.S and Mexico.
  
  Now both of you are getting a bigger picture.
  
  Let’s not stereotype a nation.
  - Carlos
    
    Exactly, but that doesn’t mean if I jump off a cliff you need to follow or if Avatar gets 8 Oscars and the critics love it doesn’t mean it’s a good movie! “I” as an individual, not “We” as a collective society. Which brings me back to my original point. Japan as a nation should NOT stereotype a nation. Now I hope “you” see the bigger picture and not through a pair of rose-colored glasses.
    - helical
      
      “Japan as a nation should NOT stereotype a nation.”
      
      Not one person on this article has said anything to the nature of “all South Africans are murderous rapists!”, or “Japan is a perfect utopia and visiting South Africa is beneath us!” as you have implied in another comment.
      Seems to me like you’re only working yourself up to vigorously attack shadows and straw men.
      
      So far, the players in this debate (if there even is one) have been the Japanese government which has issued warnings of the risks in traveling to South Africa, the Japanese broadcasting companies which have made a decision to forgo sending employees they see as being at a higher risk of being victims, and various people on the comments here who have remarked on the crime rate there. I fail to see what this mysterious “Japan as a nation” is, that apparently is sentient and goes around stereotyping the people of entire nations. Is this the same as the fabled collective hive mind of Japan that loves kiddie porn and fears the foreign devils?
      
      One can lay out all the contrary anecdotal evidence they want, but that will have no bearing on the numerical fact that one’s chance of being a victim of violent crime in South Africa is more than an order of a magnitude greater than in Japan.
      The Japanese government has a duty inform citizens about the risks (as expressed in crime statistics and not just some subjective impression like “that place looks dangerous”) involved in visiting that country. Informing about the crime rate is not stereotyping any more than saying there’s an increased risk of dehydration when visiting the Sahara desert during the summer. I will join in the condemnation of the Japanese government if it starts selectively emphasizing or withholding warnings based on some prejudice or discrimination, but I have seen none so far.
    - ponta
      
      ”Japan as a nation should NOT stereotype a nation.”
      
      Sure ANY nation should NOT stereotype another nation.
      
      ”
      Now I hope “you” see the bigger picture and not through a pair of rose-colored glasses.”
      
      Thanks, But what big picture do you want me to see? Japan is not a perfect country?ーーーNobody denies it. Shake off the sugar coated version of Japan.
      
      It is you who had the preconceived idea that Japan was a perfect country.
      
      I don’t like the way you comment;” most people don’t think as you do as often people in Japan do not (not generalizing that stating the facts) and thereby, going with the presumption that South Africa or South Africans are dangerous people”
      
      1)The fact is that in Japan most people have little idea about South Africa, for that matter about Mexico. You rarely hear the news about Mexico unless you are reading articles in English.
      You might be reading your own prejudice into the Japanese people.
      People hold positive and negative images about the U.S.
      
      2) People everywhere tend to hold preconceived thoughts about other nations, other nationals, another races. Yon didn’t imply that other people would never go with presumptions, but your comment sounds like saying, “most of white folks go with presumption that non-whites are dangerous. I am not generalizing but I am stating the facts.”—-Doesn’t that sound arrogant?
    - Carlos
      
      “Thanks, But what big picture do you want me to see? Japan is not a perfect country?ーーーNobody denies it. Shake off the sugar coated version of Japan.”
      
      Not sugar coating anything, that is your belief, not anything I was trying to convey. There is no such thing as a perfect country, but it seems like, people like you think that Japan “is” and there is nothing wrong with that and you are certainly entitled to that opinion.
      
      And I have never felt that Japan was a perfect country, I thought when I got here the first time that everything looked and functioned perfectly, but if I didn’t explain that part properly, let me clarify it.
      
      1) Why would I hold any preconceived notion, I am just stating the facts. Why? Because I live here and have seen many, many things about this country. Has nothing to do with good or bad. Also, the topic is about SA, not the US.
      
      2) I already know that point. But a little clarification, how about saying “most ethnic minorities go with the presumption that Whites are dangerous” if you really want to be historically politically correct. The way you were stating it DOES sound very arrogant.
    - ponta
      
      ” people like you think that Japan “is” ”
      
      Where did I say it?
      . I thought I’ve made it clear Japan isn’t. Don’t put words in my mouth.
      
      ” I have never felt that Japan was a perfect country,”
      
      You said, “, I always believed that Japan was pretty much perfect without any problems,””
      
      “I thought when I got here the first time that everything looked and functioned perfectly”
      
      You were too naive.
      
      ”
      I am just stating the facts. Why? Because I live here and have seen many, many things about this country.”
      
      Well people often just hear what they want to hear just as when you misinterpreted me as saying that Japan is a perfect country despite the fact that I clearly stated the contrary. And yet some people think they are stating the facts
      This tendency will be reinforced when you can’t comprehend the local language, in this case, Japanese.
      
      And sorry I doubt your story. I live here much longer than you and I talk with the Japanese people much more often than you. People rarely talk about South Africa in Japan, for that matter about Africa and Africans. When it comes to the images of Africa, they differ from people to people.
      
      ”
      The way you were stating it DOES sound very arrogant.”
      
      Sure I just imitated your comment. If one does sound arrogant, another is supposed to sound arrogant. I am glad I got my message across.
    - Carlos
      
      1) I didn’t put words in your mouth, that is your sad misinterpretation.
      
      2) Neither did I!
      
      3) Nope sir, never naive, I would refer to it as alert and cautious and socially aware.
      
      4) I have no problem with the local language or with the people, you are totally missing the picture, but it matters not.
      
      5) Doesn’t matter whether you doubt my story or not, I know what I know, you don’t know me or where I have been so to even state such an outlandish claim like that is not only arrogant, but childish.
      Before YOU call someone arrogant, please get your facts straight and on target. Maybe in your circle of acquaintances that might be true, but do not tell me otherwise or are implying that you live through me and you know me? Wise up. I know “many” people that are interested in Africa and Mexico, more than enough. Does it really matter that you have been here longer? Good for you. I am happy for you, but I have been here long enough, have a family a business, so I know a lot, a lot more than you will ever know!
      Now that we have all this confusion cleared up, I’m glad I got MY message across.
    - ponta
      
      日本語ができるようなので日本語で失礼します。
      １）1) I didn’t put words in your mouth,
      ” people like you think that Japan “is” といっておられるではないですか？
      私は日本は完璧でない国だと言っている。
      あなたはここで、私のような人間は日本語が完璧だと思っている、と言っているのではないですか？
      つまり私のいっていることと反対のことを読み取っているのではないですか？
      ご説明願いますか？
      
      ３）I always believed that Japan was pretty much perfect without any problems,””
      これ、日本語に訳していただけますか？
      
      それと、I thought when I got here the first time that everything looked and functioned perfectly”
      こちらですけど、「この国に来たとき、すべてが完全に見えたし、完全に機能していると、思った」ということでしょう？これが、alert and cautious and socially awareなんですか？　
      つまり、常識的な人間は現状の世界の国で、完全に機能している国家があるとは思わないですよね。
      
      ご説明願いますか？
      
      ４）
      4) I have no problem with the local language or with the people
      
      ということで、日本語でお願いします。
      まさか、嘘をついておられるわけではないでしょう？
      
      ５） I know what I know
      これは同義反復ですね。
      
      問題は、あなたが聞き及んだことが事実かどうかです。
      まず、どれくらいの人と南アフリカについてお話になったのでしょうか？
      その内何人の人がそういったのでしょうか？
      日本人で普段、アフリカ、まして、南アフリカについて会話にでるということはほとんどない。
      ニュースにもあまりでないですしね。
      
      そして、あなたの経験をmost Japanese に一般化する根拠はなんでしょうか？
      
      YOU call someone arrogant, please get your facts straight
      
      どうも理解されていないようですね。
      仮に、ある有色人があなたと全く同じように、アメリカなどで、多くの体験をしてきた、といって、
      “most of white　people go with presumption that non-whites are dangerous. I am not generalizing but I am stating the facts.”
      と言ったら、傲慢でしょう？それが傲慢であることはあなたも認めました。
      それと同じように、
      most people don’t think as you do as often people in Japan do not (not generalizing that stating the facts) and thereby, going with the presumption that South Africa or South Africans are dangerous people
      
      というのは傲慢でしょう、と言っているのです。
      
      Carlosさんが、4) I have no problem with the local language or with the peopleといっておられし、
      I have been here long enough, have a family a business, so I know a lot, a lot more than you will ever know!ともいっておられるのですから、日本人の読者のみなさんも、Carlosさんが日本語でどのようにご返答してくくださるか、楽しみにしている、と思います。
      
      在日外国人の名誉のためにも、すばらしい議論を期待しております。議論が正鵠を射ていれば、私を含めて日本人に反省を促す絶好の機会ですよ。
      よろしくお願いします。
    - Carlos
      
      You finally showed your true age. Might I digress. Do you want to prove to everyone that you can hold a debate in Japanese? Do you want to show that you have the upper hand? Are you thinking that you still know more than me, so in order to make yourself look more like an idiot you want to write in Japanese and to test me? For what and why? This is too comical. If you want I can do that too, but what for? To prove what? There is no need to. I covered every point that I needed to make and if you don’t get or want to get it or want to show off if it makes you feel good (which I knew that was your next move, predictable) please do it. You might need to prove something for that inflated ego you have everyone else, but I proved my point. lol
    - ponta
      
      You finally showed your true age”
      
      ?????
      
      “Do you want to prove to everyone that you can hold a debate in Japanese? Do you want to show that you have the upper hand? Are you thinking that you still know more than me, so in order to make yourself look more like an idiot you want to write in Japanese and to test me? For what and why? This is too comical. If you want I can do that too, but what for? To prove what?”
      
      残念ながら、すべて間違っています。
      
      なんでぼくが日本語で語りかけると、僕が、 to show that you have the upper hand?なのかさっぱりわからない。あなたは私に英語で話しているとき、そのように思っているのかしら？
      
      I have no problem with the local language or with the people
      という言葉もどうも疑わしいですね。
      
      ”There is no need to.”
      
      つまり、このように英語で返答できても日本語ではできないわけすね。
      
      I covered every point that I needed to make
      日本語で質問したのですが、ご理解できなかったようですね。
      
      ”You might need to prove something for that inflated ego you have everyone else,”
      
      この手のAd hominem　の議論は幼稚ですよ。
      
      ”I proved my point”
      
      Since it seems you didn’t understand Japanese and since you seem to have problem with the local language or with the people, let me ask in English.
      
      (1)
      
      I said,”Japan is not a perfect country”
      you said, “People like me think Japan is ”
      I said ” Don’t put words in my mouth”
      You said, “I didn’t ”
      I asked you to explain.
      
      (2)
      You admitted that
      the statement that “most of white　people go with presumption that non-whites are dangerous. I am not generalizing but I am stating the facts.”is arrogant.
      I claimed, likewise
      the statement that ”most people don’t think as you do as often people in Japan do not (not generalizing that stating the facts) and thereby, going with the presumption that South Africa or South Africans are dangerous people”　is arrogant.
      
      If not, why?
      
      (3)Assuming for the sake of argument, you were not distorting the conversations with the Japanese people, you have skill in communicating with the Japanese people, I also asked the reason why you think you can generalize from your experience to the most Japanese in general.
      
      (4)I doubted your skill dealing with the local people in Japanese.
      And so far your response has shown that I was right.
    - Carlos
      
      Well, as usual, your point was baseless and with each time, you are lured right in, but go ahead, amuse me.
      So then we both covered our points, you made a fruitless point, I understand as person that feels you need to stick up for your adopted country, I really admire that. Even if you are shunning the truth as it looks you in the face.
      
      *Sigh * my moronic friend, (but what the heck, I need the humor) I have never said or stated that I don’t understand Japanese actually, quite the contrary. I do, since I live and work here, having kids here. I think I know more than I actually should and also growing up around Japanese people near my hometown in my state. I got an early start. So for someone who writes comments to try to look down or thinks they know everything about everything, I am totally a struck about how you think you know that you can read into someone. Thank you, O’ great Karnak!
      
      “Lieber ein Spatz in der Hand als eine Taube auf dem Dach!” This is really how I feel and thank God every day!
      
      You do not need to assume anything. Nothing was neither altered nor distorted. You have your experiences and that is good for you. I have my experiences. I don’t know what you know and you most certainly don’t know what I know. Therefore, for you to trivialize the original point and to come off sounding as a “I know everything about Japan” (when clearly you do not) which again shows your adolescence is making me laugh to the point where it is difficult for me to write.
      
      You can doubt all you want, all that matters are the facts, my line of work, what I do in my city and around my community, so my response has shown you nothing, but what you want to see. As a matter of fact, just imagine me as Megan Fox and having great oral communicative skills with the locals. Once again, ya got slam dunked.
    - ponta
      
      ”Well, as usual, your point was baseless and with each time, you are lured right in, but go ahead, amuse me.
      So then we both covered our points, you made a fruitless point, I understand as person that feels you need to stick up for your adopted country, I really admire that. Even if you are shunning the truth as it looks you in the face.”
      
      Ad hominem　論法は幼稚ですよ。またですか？
      
      ”*Sigh * my moronic friend, (but what the heck, I need the humor) I have never said or stated that I don’t understand Japanese actually, quite the contrar・・・・”
      
      でも、ぼくの日本語は理解できてなかったし、日本語で答えることもできない。英語でも質問に答えることもできない。
      
      ”Therefore, for you to trivialize the original point and to come off sounding as a “I know everything about Japan””
      
      Again, don’t put words in my mouth. Where did I say I know everything about Japan? Just quote.
      
      かかし論法もやめましょう。
      
      ”so my response has shown you nothing”
      
      It clearly shows you couldn’t understand Japanese I wrote and it also shows that you can’t respond in Japanese, in addition to the fact that you can’t logically talk even in English. NO?
      
      英語でいいですから、少なくとも、上記１）ー３）の質問にお答えになったらどうですか？
    - Kevin not kevin
      
      “I am happy for you, but I have been here long enough, have a family a business, so I know a lot, a lot more than you will ever know!”
      
      Actually Carlos, this is quite comical because Ponta is 100% Japanese.
      
      His first line makes that pretty clear:
      日本語ができるようなので日本語で失礼します。
      
      I think you did just kind of prove a number of his points.
    - Carlos
      
      And how am I supposed to know that?
    - ponta
      
      ”And how am I supposed to know that?”
      
      Are you saying it after reading my Japanese? That tells something about your Japanese skill.
      
      僕の日本語を読んで判断できなければ、やはりかなり日本語能力に欠ける、と言わざるえない。
      ドイツ語の引用はできても日本語は一言も書けない。
      
      C ”I　speak Japanese, I speak Japanese.
      P ” Speak Japanese please.どうぞ、日本語でしゃべってください。
      C You don’t know me, but I speak Japanese.
      P Please, speak in Japanese.
      C Do you want to show that you have the upper hand?
      P ？？？？？？
      
      英語でまともな返答もできない。
      
      P Japan is not perfect.
      C People like you think Japan is.
      P Don’t put words in my mouth.
      C I didn’t
      P ??????
      
      P To say that ”most people in Japan go with the presumption that South Africa or South Africans are dangerous people, I am not generalizing, I am stating the facts”is just as arrogant as to say that” most white people go with the presumption that non-white people are dangerous people.”
      
      C The latter is arrogant, the former is not.
      P What is　the difference?
      C *Sigh * my moronic friend, (but what the heck, I need the humor)
      P ？？？？？？
      
      後々の参考のためにいっておきましょう。
      
      Comment by Carlos
      2010-05-29 22:16:10
      Does anybody really care ・・・・
      
      あなたのコメントはここまではよかった。スレッドの論題にもそっていた。
      
      Comment by Carlos
      2010-05-30 10:36:47
      Judging by the check marks of ・・・・
      ここらへんからスレッドとは関係ない日本人論をはじめた。前の美人小学生のスレッドでのあなたのコメントと相俟って、あなたの歪んだ日本論が気になったのであなたの投稿にコメントをつけたのです。
      
      　いろんな意見はあってもいいですし、異見は歓迎しますが、しかし、論題に関係のない論者の動機を勘ぐってとやかく言ったり、あるいは、論者の述べないことを非難するのは、稚拙な論法といえましょう。
      
      　日本を批判すると非難されると勘違いされているようですが、そうではない。日本に関する不当な批判・偏見が反発・反論を受けているのです。例えば、「私が話した白人の人は（１）ほとんど、黒人のことを悪く言っていた。（２）ほとんどの白人は黒人のことを悪く思っているのだ」と言えば、反発・反論があるのは当然でしょう。（１）自体が信用できない。仮に１）が真実だとして、なぜ、（２）に飛躍してしまうか、わからない。
      
      日本に関する知識・態度についてCarlosさんの今回の応答ぶりはちょっといただけなかったですけど、今後コメントされる場合の参考までに一応申し述べておきます。（もっとも日本語が読めたらの話ですけど・・・）
    - Zou
      
      Carlos….ah you give me a good laugh. I always love reading idiots commenting, its funny.
      
      And you stated generalizations several times only to deny it later. But then let me ask you this? Who typed it then, its not like we hacked your comments. And no offense but wtf is a Kool Aid drinker? Im assuming its suppose to be some demeaning term but I just dont know what it means.
    - pixel_bomber
      
      “And no offense but wtf is a Kool Aid drinker?”
      
      Oh I know this one! It refers to the Jonestown massacre in which some 900 people drank the poisoned kool aid as instructed by Jim Jones (founder of the Peoples Temple). Basically it means you foolishly believe that you hear as if you are following a cult leader or something like that.
      
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jim_Jones
    - Carlos
      
      @Pontificate, I mean, Ponta stop trying, buddy, ya lost.
      
      @Zou, Happy to do that for ya! I have been told I am a funny person, so I really take that to heart as an endearing compliment.
      No one said, anything about hacking, “Pixel bomber” got it right on the mark. I didn’t deny anything, you are not reading it right and taking the whole meaning out of context, this was cute, but now I am getting sleepy with this.
      Anyhow, really did enjoy Ponta, reminds me of my little brother, always trying to hard, cute in a psychotic isolationist way.
    - ponta
      
      @Pontificate, I mean, Ponta
      
      Anyhow, really did enjoy Ponta, reminds me of my little brother, always trying to hard, cute in a psychotic isolationist way
      
      かなり幼稚な応答ですね。このような性格をもったハンドルの人に以前コメント欄で会ったような会わなかったような・・・その人も日本語がまるでだめなのに知ったかぶりをしていましたが・・・・
    - Carlos
      
      My friend, you have no idea as to what you are talking about. What do I have to prove to you? It is NOT childish, better look in the mirror, before you criticize someone, buddy. That trick is too old, catch up, ace!
    - ponta
      
      Carlos　君の正体の見当ついたよ。因縁ですな。
    - Carlos
      
      You don’t know me or my true identity or for that matter you cannot talk about me wanting to pick a quarrel with you. Ok, so you want to show everyone, look at me, I will just switch to Japanese, why? Do you feel like you are running out of excuses or is it that English just became too difficult for you to convey your feelings furthermore. You are just showing your true self and that is somebody that seriously wants attention and that wants to win. Win what, I have no idea. Could it be that you are an only child striving for some serious need of placement and that only place is here in the cyber world? If so, that would be seriously pathetic. Let it go, bro’, it ain’t that serious.
    - pixel_bomber
      
      Just curious if you guys have heard the old saying about winning arguments on the internet?
    - helical
      
      It’s easy! You just have to get the last word in!
    - pixel_bomber
      
      That’s not really what I was going for.
      
      http://i175.photobucket.com/albums/w155/romeojul/olympics.jpg
YesZimbabWeCan

The Commonwealth has failed S Africa.
Peter

1 in 4 men interviewed admitted that they had raped somebody – http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8107039.stm
John

Yeah, and I hear the South Africans looking at graphs from that same website are afraid to send any reporters here at all for fear they will commit suicide.
flowby

Ponta – that’d be one of the rattiest scrags I’ve squizzed in yonks.

pushing the ‘lope or loping for a push?

coz your creds void of a reccy from neddy.

blind freddy can suss that.

Wallpaper mate, Wallpaper.

And in my limited 16 years here, I truly believe too many Japanese overly worry about the “other side”. A good dose of caution is to be welcomed, but too much talk of fear begets fear.
ponta

アドバイスありがとう。
　最初は単純な議論だったのですが、後の方では、どちらかといえば、個人的な応酬になってしまい、それにつきあってくれていた読者がいたのは光栄です。
　今回のは、Carlos氏の正体がJPの読者にも半ばわかってきただろう、というところがせめても収穫です。

　flowbyさんの最初の方の英語はよくわかりませんでしたが、もう少しわかりやすい英語で説明していただければ幸いです。

too much talk of fear begets fear.
同感です。
一部のーーーあるいは、too many というべきでしょうか？ーーー外国出身者の too much talk of fear about Japan and the Japanese についても同様なことがいえるでしょうね。
Carlos

If the rant helps you sleep at night, then please by all means. Put your phobia to rest. If I saw you in person, I’d probably buy you a beer, life is not always about who wins, let it go buddy, nothing to prove, give it a rest. it’s late and no one cares. I have already made my points. Get a cold one.
Andy

Hi guys, I’m from South Africa, and seeing this article made me quite sad. Yes it’s true that there is crime in South Africa, everybody you know has a story of how a hijacking or violent crime affected someone they know; but really it’s not like its a difficult place to live – there is crime like that anywhere in the world (Yakuza?). The crime element in South Africa is a small part of the culture that gives it a bad name – you’ll find the majority of South African culture extremely warm and friendly. You need to be aware when you go out; you get used to looking behind, and not going down dark alleyways etc, it’s about being wise.

South Africa is a very beautiful country with much to offer the world, and I’m looking forward to seeing how people react to South Africa after the World Cup, when they see that it has many good elements to it.

It’s time for the “fear” talk of South Africa to end – it’s not an accurate reflection of this country.

Don’t forget the miracle that happened in 1994 when Nelson Mandela became president and ended the apartheid regime – there were fears that there would be civil war. But the South African people are peaceful and respectful at heart, and peace was the end result, which lasts today.

God bless South Africa
Walhallasucks

There are many rapes in Okinowa , Japan done mostly by African-American Servicemen.

Japanese Broadcasters Afraid to Send Women to Crime-ridden South Africa

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