The Japanese constitution is 'unconstitutional'

The Japanese High Court has ruled that the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and Board of Education did not breach the Constitution "by requiring school teachers and other staff to stand when the Hinomaru flag is raised and the national anthem sung during school events". This is the right decision by the Japanese judiciary for the following reasons:

1. The teachers had the option of teaching in the school

2. The imposition is frivolous upon the teachers - required only to stand up and sing

3. The teachers action was in act the wrong one. They should have argued that 'nationalism' is contrary to the national constitution, and that the actions of the government ought to be compatible with the preservation of human rights. Nationalism is an abstract policy which is destined to elevate the threat of collectivism. This places the onus upon the government to stipulate the reasons for adopting a nationalist policy. This requires it to adopt a scientific perspective to defend the policy. It has not done that.

Most particularly the action is a sham because there are so many other more significant breaches of human rights to protest, and these 'liberal' teachers chose such an incidental issue. Why not protest the fact that the Japanese extorts wealth from Japanese people and wastes it with dubious measures of accountability. Why don't they challenge the veracity of the Japanese constitution, in as much as it facilitates this, and is thus a crime against human nature.

We are very much interested in the issues of justice. In fact, we are establishing a consulting service to help people pursue legal remedies in so far as they correspond to constitutional matters.

NZ Property Guide Philippine Real Estate Guide Japan Foreclosed Guide

Author Andrew Sheldon| Applied Critical Thinking | www.SheldonThinks.com

Prospects for change

The Japanese political scene is looking pretty dismal. The nation's finances are in a tragic state, with the public sector deficit exceeding 200% of GDP. The good news is that this money is owed by the Japanese people, which means that the government need only extort the money from its citizenry, or more likely print money to pay it off.

Since Sept 2007, Japan has had 6 changes in its prime ministers. This does not auger well for political direction. What does the future hold for Japan? In all probability, the future of Japan might be sooner than you think. The Japanese people were once a proud people, but after 2 decades of stagnancy, we might ponder just how soon their tolerance will break, or how soon a young, charismatic capable leader emerges. More probable perhaps is the spectre of a 'false hope'; a leader who promises much, but delivers very little.

This is a theme we have discussed before. Historically, the Japanese people, a repressed culture, when they have augmented change, have done so with great gusto. I suspect we will see a revival, perhaps of the nature we have come to expect from Apple Inc....and still maybe from Microsoft. We live in hope. I have yet to see a leader conveying the required skills.

NZ Property Guide Philippine Real Estate Guide Japan Foreclosed Guide

Author Andrew Sheldon| Applied Critical Thinking | www.SheldonThinks.com

Cheap thrills in Japan

Riding a bike is the cheapest activity to do it Japan. You might think that its hard because there is so much traffic, but in many respects its easier and more fun to get around than by car. I would find driving in Japan frustrating because of the slow pace of the traffic. The secret is:

1. Using pathways along rivers, drainage channels and parks. These paths can go for kilometres, e.g. Along the Arakawa River is the best way to get around Tokyo, plus the creek and main road at Nerima. Most main roads have paths.

2. Riding up mountain river valleys

3. Taking back roads

I even was given a very good mountain bike by going to the local recycling centre. The Japanese govt reclaims a lot of bikes abandoned at stations. Japanese abandon them, so that is where you can find them. I got mine from a suburban fringe recycling centre in Saitama.

It is amazing where you can find mountain biking trails. I found a really good one near Ranzen-machi in Saitama. It runs along a mountain range before dropping down to a road, then along the side of a golf club, another saddle, then down a creek bed. You can of course ride around rice padis or a long rivers in rural areas, simply by packing your bike into a bag for the train. This makes sense if you want to rail to a location and drive back. Make it a real challenge by taking a GPS and going 100-200km away. See if you can find your way home.

I could almost turn this into a sport. Cross-country riding around Japan. All it needs is a website where people can go for GPS coordinates, places to stay for cheap, good bars. Nice website idea. I'll do the website if someone helps me on the content side. I already have GPS coordinates for about 30% of JR railway stations after using several Japan Rail Passes.

NZ Property Guide Philippine Real Estate Guide Japan Foreclosed Guide

Author Andrew Sheldon| Applied Critical Thinking | www.SheldonThinks.com