Japan

You just never know with Japan. The advances in football in the country is similar to their efforts at being the second largest economy and one of the leading industrial countries. Japan used to be easy beats only 10 years ago, now they fight to the bitter end and I promise not to mention Kamikaze pilots OK! The Japanese don’t seem to recognise China these days even though the Chinese were influential during the 5th-6th centuries. Yet during the 12th-18th centuries Japan was feudal, fucked up and freaky. That has continued up to the 21st century.

‘Peace and progress’ is the emperor’s motto but did a Chinese Empress flash her breasts ordering a Japanese envoy to call Japan Nippon instead of Nihon? The Japanese archipelago has had its difficult moments in history. We are talking seriously long times here. What you did in life pretty much dictated where you were in society. Farmer, fisherman, weaver, talk show host, car salesman, potter, artisan, reality TV contestant, tosser, armourer or cultist.

The classical era in Japan was derived from Korean and Chinese influence – writing was born, culminating in massive chronicles in the 8th century. Unfortunately the Japanese mistook themselves as God’s (the Chinese just thought they were a dwarf state). Talk of Emperors and direct descendants to Shinto deities was described, yet Shoguns, the nobles and military did the power talk. Confucian philosophy was in the domain of the Japanese up until the 19th century. Now it’s baseball, bizarre reality TV shows, Nintendo and karaoke.

Japan had its medieval period, where ruling class warriors worried the shit out of people. Resisting the Mongols who had taken Korea was critical for Japan to maintain autonomy from the rest of Asia. Japan was never too far away from warring as clan politics dictated regions. The Portuguese stepped in during the 16th century, they watched on as Japan battled with Korea and China helped Korea fight back. The rivalries of clans were known as the Edo period – and he didn’t play for Brazil at the time.

The Meiji era followed, known as the ‘restoration’, the United States opened up trade and the emperor was the central figure after the Shogun’s were defeated in the Boshin War in 1868. Imperial Japan raised its face to the sun and defeated Russia at its border along with China at the start of the 20th century. By 1910 Japan controlled Korea, Taiwan and other islands. Japan expanded and became powerful during its alliance with the allies in WWI, however, greater nationalism came to the country which allowed Japan to invade China (the USA resented this) but before anyone knew it Japan had pulverised the United States at Pearl Harbour and on doing so entered WWII joining German-Italian interests. A long campaign continued in the Pacific. POWs held by the Japanese described atrocities and brutality which broke all Geneva Convention codes and Monopoly ules but Japan was eventually humiliated by two atomic bombs and today by the motorcar. The bombs were dropped to end Japan’s bitter fighting and stop more atrocities from occurring. It ended with Japanese war crimes and a change of heart by Japan – they adopted the ‘American Way’ and went mega-industrial. The US assisted Japan up to 1952.

Japan’s growth was phenomenal. Economically Japan ranks highly in all industries whether in crops, electronics or top class hookers. Japanese culture is the most ambitious culture of all time accelerating their industrial sector after the Korean War and as a result of a continued threat of communism from China. How the wheels turned. Japan low in energy sources adopted energy saving technology and survived through their exports. They have been smart enough.

After Hirohito died in 1989 the corruption amongst politicians was rife. Terrorism surfaced in Japan with the attempted poison attack in 1995 on Tokyo’s subway. Fusak Shigenobu leader of the notorious Red Army was arrested (aged 55) having been on the run for 3 decades. If only Godzilla was in town.

So to Japan’s football – only in the past 30 years have they really felt they could qualify for a World Cup. This is their third appearance in a row and deservedly so given that their domestic competition is always tight like a Tokyo train full of people where there are always claims of men groping women. Twelve players from 2002 return with a greater edge in experience and it is expected that Japan will be battling just as hard as Croatia and Australia to get out of the group with Brazil.

The future? Takahara is the great hope up front and Nakata will have to play with great scope for the team. Most of the players play domestically. Inamoto and Ono hope to repeat what they did in Japan 4 years ago. Expect an intense passion in their play.

Bottomless pit ranking? The only problem with Japan is they have always been a bit soft in coming forward and apologising for WWII and the aggression they demonstrated. Many Japanese however should see the film “The Thin Red Line” which is a startling existential account of war a\proves that conflict has no divine recourse or that killing your enemies means you’re better – besides Japan rakes in the cash these days, the 2nd World War was probably the best thing that ever happened to them – they aren’t ridiculed as much as the Germans. Here’s to Japanese hookers in school uniforms then