Blog 14 Japan and the United States

The relationship between the United States and Japan is something that we have talked about extensively in this class. From such discussions we are aware that Japan was forced to demilitarize after World War II and has since been dependent on the United States for global protection. Recently this arrangement has been on the cusp of change, it looks like that change has finally arrived. In talks yesterday Japan and the United States met to discuss outlines that would allow Japan more Independence and creating their own form of defense.This new development the article states is due to the encroachment and fear of Korea felt by the leaders of the country and the people. Given the historical animosity Japan has toward the country of Korea, the reader can not help but wonder if the threat is credible or if the leaders are simply attempting to galvanize the country to accept this desire to arm up. As discussed in class this change is wanted not simply by some of the Japanese, but also by the United States who wish for a buffer state. http://edition.cnn.com/2015/04/27/politics/united-states-japan-defense-relationship/index.html

Blog 13 Pretty Nature in Japan

After writing intense posts for the semester up to this point, this one is lighter. This post is about Japan, which is appropriate given that we have just finished the last chapter about Japan. The chapter was about Japanese industrialization, which was at odds to the reverence the country has in regards to nature. Whether this is due to the small size of the country, Shinto roots within the culture or the geographical diversity. After reading the chapter I became curious to how the Japanese could industrialize so fiercely and yet be conscious of the environment? a feat that many countries have not been able to accomplish. This article includes some of the most beautiful places in Japan post aggressive industrialization. http://edition.cnn.com/2015/03/24/travel/gallery/most-beautiful-japan/index.html

Blog 12 Gender Equality in Asia

Earlier in the semester five women were jailed after National Women's Day for ironically protesting infringements on women's rights. The women at the time of the capture by police were staging a rally to bring attention to sexual harassment in the workplace and equal pay. Amid public and international pressure the women have been released. This is only slightly related to the current chapter we are reading, as it also shows (given the public pressure used in the national movements in India) and the international involvement in the Chinese revolutions that the public opinion as well as the international community's can be effective  in shaping the laws and ideals of a country. While the women were released as a show of good faith, they are not in anyway free. Upon release the women will be under house and tracked for a year, they will be liable to be called into question at anytime for any reason, and are at risk for being arrested again for public disturbances (Theses of course are past crimes). The five fighting feminists may have been released, but they are far from free and such heavy handed government involvement after the fact just continues to bring to light the oppression women have suffered in this area. Having read this article also brings to light how little the textbook focuses on the treatment of women within a historical context and how such experiences have shaped the country currently. http://edition.cnn.com/2015/04/14/asia/china-feminists-release-jiang/index.html

Blog Post 11 Religous and Cultural Divsions in Pakistan

Given that we are focusing on nationalism this week and the reading I have done in Cracking India. This particular article seemed exceptionally appropriate. The article shows the persecution that Christians living in Pakistan have had to endure, although people who consider themselves Christian are a minority in the dominantly Muslim country of Pakistan there have been violent acts protesting their right to worship. The internal divisions that is currently taking place in Pakistan can find their roots within the act of partition, that took place in 1940. This religious division within the country has not only sparked violence and protests it has also bled over into the political arena of the country creating deeper divisions and cultural divides.http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-32212962

Blog 10 Free Speech in Singapore

Continuing with the theme from last week of freedom of expression and the chapters we have read this week on the harsh punishments that the colonialists exhibited on the native populations of Asia, this article posted by the New York Times seemed especially relevant. The article tells the story of a 16 year old boy who has been arrested by Singapore officials for criticizing the late founder Lee Kwan Yew. lee Kwan Yew was considered the founder of modern Singapore, the teenage boy questioned whether the ruler did indeed help his people or that the prosperity came at the cost of civil rights and liberties. Since his arrest his Youtube account has been switched to private and the authorities have justified their actions under the Harassment Act, which bans speech  with “deliberate intention of wounding the religious or racial feelings.”(BBC) the authorities have invoked their right to use this law by saying the teenager criticizing Christianity, given the specific remarks about the leader and the fact that his speech was made the day after his death it is not hard to suspect that the teenager was arrested for defacing the leader not the belief of Christianity.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/31/world/asia/singapore-arrests-teenager-over-video-critical-of-lee-kuan-yew.html?ref=asia&_r=0

Blog Post 9 Freedom of Speech in India.

Democracy can only function within a system where political competition can flourish, this means the right the to criticize and disagree within the political sphere, this also means that the legal protection for the right to discuss politics must be present. The country of India has been a democracy since 1950 when it became separate from British influence. The political system has hit a few roadblocks, but the continuation of Section 66A has consistently limited the political and speech freedoms of the people of India. Section 66A of the Information Technology Act was controversial as the law prohibits the following through internet communications. it could send a person to jail for three years for sending an email or other electronic message that "causes annoyance or inconvenience". (BBC)  This provided sweeping powers that have already jailed a large number of teenagers and in one case a 45 year old finance specialist for criticising the government or specific politicians. Thus providing the evidence that the powers of this law are vast. This  has led to mass protests and movements in the hope that the law will be removed. The marches and protests are organized and consist mainly of students who see Section 66A has a gross violation of their right to freedom of speech and expression. Recently the Supreme Court of India found Section 66A to be unconstitutional and have ordered that it be removed immediately. There has been much public approval on the Courts decision and many are hopeful as to what that entails for the political future of India.http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-32029369

Blog 8- Second Rape Case in India and Public Outcry

Rape cases and the slow justice for those who commit such crimes against women have become a hot political issue in India since the ban of a BBC documentary featuring an unapologetic rapist and the silent culture surrounding the crime of rape within the country as a whole. Recently a second attack has sparked a mass of public outcry that can not be banned or silenced by the government. This is the rape and attack of an elderly nun whose attackers vandalized the Christian church where the nun lived in worked and stole money before attacking her. There is no proof as of yet if the nun was targeted simply for being christian or if it is revenge for the expulsion of a pupil from the church's school. The young men were caught on the security cameras within the building and the principal of the school explained to the writer of this article that he had requested police protection days before the attack due to the threatening phone calls being made to the school and that they happened to be missing when the attack took place. The authorities have yet to say if the young men responsible will be charged and to what the extent of that sentencing might be. To insure that the men will br held responsible Christians have taken to the street in marches and other peaceful protests to garner public and international support. Given the banning of the documentary, and the demeanor of the rapists from that incident, and the careless way that the men revealed their faces on the security cameras in this one suggests that they are not fearful of lawful retribution or punishment. The seemingly large amount of rape cases being written about from india shows not only a changing cultural norms from one of silence to public accountability also speaks to the changing gender norms within areas of the country. Rape has historically been used as a tool to force women into submissive roles, it is plausible that such social changes have a correlated effect on the rise in rape cases within the country, as the BBC article seems to suggest. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-31902013