Information from Mr. Masatoshi Takeshita
posted on his blog – October 28, 2012 –
English translation of an excerpt from a
Japanese article: Blog of Amaki Naoto – October 28, 2012 –
Asahi Never Minds Writing a False Article about “Calling
off Island Recapture Plan”
The Sankei and Mainichi newspapers reported
for the first time on October 24 that the Japanese and
the U.S. governments have abandoned a joint drill to recapture an uninhabited
remote island in Okinawa Prefecture.
The newspapers gave it a
reason that the two countries gave consideration to the backlash of Okinawa
residents, which was triggered by the rape case. However, I wrote in
my web magazine No. 798 on October 24 that they lied.
I wrote that the real reason was because the U.S. avoided provoking China
and Japan just followed suit.
Three days
later, on October 27, the Yomiuri Shimbun admitted that.
The newspaper wrote an article that the two
countries cancelled the plan with due consideration to China as well as the
backlash in Okinawa.
However, the Asahi Shimbun, the last
newspaper that covered the cancellation of the plan, has written an article on
October 28 as follows:
“….(the reason of cancellation) is because
an uninhabited island in Okinawas Prefecture scheduled to be used for a drill
was not able to be used due to opposition from the local area and also it was
difficult to find an alternative site. ……..
There were arguments against the cancellation in both (Japan and U.S.)
governments that as China has taken a tough stance over the Senkaku issue,
cancellation of the drill is likely to give a wrong message to China. However, with increased backlash in Okinawa due
to the deployment of Ospreys and the rape of a woman by U.S. servicemen, they decided
that it’s difficult to carry out a planned drill…….”
I wonder what has
made Asahi intentionally lie so much.
I don’t say
that there was no backlash from Okinawa residents.
However, it is apparent that the biggest reason
for cancellation of a drill was because they gave consideration to the backlash
from China.
Actually, the Yomiuri
wrote an article on October 27 as follows:
“…. In the Japanese and
U.S. governments some insisted that “recapture drill to be conducted in Okinawa
near the Senkaku Islands might provoke China.
They decided to just conduct a simulation exercise. In this context, a website controlled
by the Chinese government posted an article on 21st ‘When U.S. Deputy Secretary of State Williams Burns visited
China (in the middle of October), Beijin told him that it would take a strict
stance on it. Washington finally
cancelled the drill after giving a second thought.’….”
In a word, the U.S. stopped conducting a drill as a result of
making concessions to China.
The article of Asashi
on October 28 never mentioned that the U.S. had given consideration to China.
This is an intentional
lie.
And yet, politely, they tell another lie.
The article of Asahi
reads as if to say that the Japanese leaders decided about cancelling a drill
after they racked their brains.
“….. On 26th Prime Minister
Yoshihiko Noda, Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto and Minister of Foreign
Affairs Koichiro Genba consulted in the prime minister’s official residence and
decided to cancel the drill…..”
This can be a
joke.
The U.S.
decided to cancel the drill.
Whether cancellation or decisive action it may be, Japan has
no choice but to obey to the decision by the U.S.
The trilateral talk in the official
residence on 26th was a mere meeting where a trio of Noda, Morimoto
and Genba obedient to Washington shared a sense of relief after hearing about
its decision of cancellation.
Readers who read the Asahi Shimbun alone will have serious
misconceptions.