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KOKO GA HEN DA YO NIHONJIN

Here I am with one of the "elderly" people that I respect the most, my grandfather.  In this episode we explore the world of the Japanese elderly, their place in society and their perspectives of the past

February 9, 2000
"Japanese Elderly"

To many of us foreigners in the Tokyo/Kanto region, any mention of the Japanese elderly is nearly synonymous with Ozeki One-Cup drinking, keiba horse race gambling, pornographic sports newspaper reading, high-school girl chikan loving, conspicuously balding salaryman.  I'll skip any mention of the women (one shop to the mall and you could make your own judgement).  The fact of the matter is that not all Japanese elderly are the antiChrist, and there is likely a disproportionate amount of them in the Tokyo area.  The producers managed to assemble some very normal elderly folk (and one in particular who was very cute in his oldness).

There were a couple of rather ludicrous discussion topics regarding the habits of the Japanese elderly, one of which was in regards to the habit of many Japanese elderly "hanging out" in hospitals, with only a slight or non-existant ailment.  Should it be any surprise that many of these people are extremely lonely?  God forbid that they should have lost their loved ones, or have been completely abandoned by their families.  It is an increasing trend to pack up and ditch your parents like all of those stray cats who whine in heat in my neighborhood.  Not that Americans are any better, but these Japanese elderly spent most of their lives in a country that honoured the family unit and worshipped its elders.  They have stood by and seen the system fall apart and stab them in the back as they reach their so-called "golden years."

Not that I find them completely free of guilt in regards to the downfall of the family unit and self-pride.  Putting aside discussion of World War II for the moment, I would like to pose the possibility that this generation needs to assume some responsibility for the lack of patriotism in this country.  The youth have no pride in who they are or where they come from, which has come full circle resulting in a lack of respect for the Japanese elders who helped raise them.  We didn't touch on that topic too much, but one man mentioned the term Yamato Damashi and the present-day connotations it holds.  Look it up in a dictionary and it'll tell you it's "Japanese spirit."  But go around with a t-shirt with this phrase on it and be prepared for battle (I should know because it's happened to me before: who would have thought that I have more pride in being in Japan than most Japanese have about being Japanese).  Most terminology associated with Japanese pride is considered right-wing and taboo.  Which leads to the War.

Last thing I want to start doing is gloating about the Japanese defeat in World War II or anything.  There are no true winners in war.  However, as has been the case in previous shows of ours, there are individuals who believe that it is unfortunate that Japan lost the War.  I think that it is important for ALL Japanese to understand that this is not the case.  The historical context under which the War was fought makes a clear argument for the Allied cause.  I'll skip all rhetoric about the Nazis and The Nanking Massacre (which happened damn it). 

In the end, I was glad to have the opportunity to hear the perspectives of these elderly folks, particularly as an American.  With the past that our countries have, it is comforting to know that we can get along in the year 2000.  But the pain remains.  I recently met a drunk oyaji on a Yokohama subway recently, Mr. Kimura, who was in the Japanese army in World War II and has scars on his hand to prove it.  He was  grossly intoxicated, but managed to strike up a conversation with me.  Our conversation demonstrated the mixed love and hate that he felt for my country, but an innate understanding of why things have taken place like they have.  I just wonder if the history that they possess will be passed on...or simply forgotten.