Japanese Air Self-Defense Force Chief of Staff General Toshio Tamogami made headlines for his inflammatory and revisionist essay on the Second World War. He claimed that Japan was tricked in to joining WWII, and that Japan was the true victim. He also denounced the Constitution, which prohibits Japan from possessing offensive weaponry and engaging in act of military aggression. In his view, Japan should rebuild its army.

This essay was bound to infuriate China, South Korea and other Asian countries who suffered at the hand of Japanese Imperial Army, so Japan's Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada ordered Tamogami to resign.

Tamogami quit, but he is refusing to shut up about the controversial essay. He is currently going around, saying how he is right and how he has the right to free speech.

This seemed to have annoyed Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso, who is in an extremely difficult position thanks to the subprime mess and strong yen. (The Japanese government does not like a strong yen.) He doesn't want to anger China and South Korea because their cooperation is vital in order to minimize the impact of subprime and strong yen on Japan.

So Aso, in his usual blunt fashion, declared the essay unacceptable. He ordered “reeducation” for Self-Defense Force members so that they not only understand the official government interpretation of history, but also adjust their own points of view accordingly. In addition, he told Hamada to punish any and all Defense Ministry and Self-Defense Force personnel who express opinions that contradict the official government interpretation and position.

I love Japanese politicians. LOL.

They have awesome study guides! (Photos courtesy of Dangunee.com)

One of the many study guides you can find everywhere in Japan. This one is for high school chemistry.

Meet Lady Hydrogen. Isn't she hawt?

Or maybe Lady Magnesium is more to your taste? She's a tough kickass girl. Just look at her gun!

Who says molecular diagrams need to be boring?

Before:

After (No Water Multi-Robot):

First, I want to start by saying … THANK GOD JULY IS OVER.

This July has been one of the most difficult months I had to go through. Let's just say that I was in excruciating pain until July 15 or so without any medication to relieve any of my symptoms — that's just not the way doctors around here work — plus heat exhaustion and insomnia until recently. Or…at least I think insomnia will continue.

Now mind you, if I don't feel any effect of insomnia (meaning I feel refreshed every morning) I wouldn't complain. But I feel absolutely terrible in the morning. How many people can live on 3-4 hours of sleep per night for an entire month?

Anyway…I was looking forward to a better August until this morning I got woken up by very very loud shouting and singing from people outside. Then I remembered, “Oh crap! Peace demonstration.”

Every year around this time, they have peace demonstrations and so on in Japan to protest the atomic bombing. Although I feel a great deal of sympathy for civilians, especially children, I don't feel much sympathy when the demonstrators shout how Americans bombed Hiroshima and Nagasaki without any good reasons, how American did it out of malice / evilness, and how Japan was a helpless victim. The demonstrators conveniently forget that:

1. Japan bombed Pearl Harbor without a declaration of war, hence dragging the U.S. into the Second World War.
2. Japan also invaded Asia during WWII. Japan to this date claims that it just wanted to “liberate Asia” from the evil western influence. Ask any Chinese or Korean or Filipinos what they think, and they'll probably turn red in the face and say something extremely derogatory about Japan.

As a Korean American I sometimes wonder what would happen in Germany if Germans got together and claimed that they were the victims of evil pro-Jew Americans or something. I'm sure it wouldn't go over very well.

I think this is one of the big reasons why there will always be some hostility (overt or otherwise) among Asian nations. There are many countries and people who think that Japan got off too easy and they still feel angry about it.

I'm sure some of you are like “Why does she like 7-Eleven so much?”

The fact is I used to hate it when I was in the States. I didn't start my love affair with 7-Eleven until I came to Japan.

So why does 7-Eleven rock so much?

1. It's open 24/7. It's hard to find a convenience store chain open all the time where I am.
2. It's clean.
3. 7-Eleven clerks rock. They're always so friendly and courteous that it's always pleasant to shop there.
4. 7-Eleven has the best bento. When you buy a bento, they'll heat it for you and give you a pair of chopsticks. An instant ready-to-eat inexpensive meal that tastes good. W00t!
5. 7-Eleven has the best onigiri. Yum yum.
6. Did I mention it's sparkling clean? It's utterly spotless. The floor is so shiny and clean that you can eat off of it.
7. 7-Eleven has the awesomest selection of Häagen-Dazs ice cream. Nothing like rich ice cream for summer.

BTW — this only applies to 7-Eleven in Japan. I still don't like the American version.