10/03/2010

A reminder of what the yakuzas are capable of

Treaty of Shimonoseki 1895 Article 1: China recognizes definitively the full and complete independence and autonomy of Korea, and, in consequence, the payment of tribute and the performance of ceremonies and formalities by Korea to China, that are in derogation of such independence and autonomy, shall wholly cease for the future. Articles 2 & 3: China cedes to Japan in perpetuity and full sovereignty of the Penghu group, Taiwan and the eastern portion of the bay of Liaodong Peninsula together with all fortifications, arsenals and public property. Article 4: China agrees to pay to Japan as a war indemnity the sum of 200,000,000 Kuping taels. Article 6: China opens Shashih, Chungking, Soochow and Hangchow to Japan. Moreover, China is to grant Japan most-favored-nation treatment. Japan’s infamous 21 Demands on China 1915 Japan, under Prime Minister Ōkuma Shigenobu and Foreign Minister Katō Takaaki, drafted the initial list of Twenty-One Demands, which were reviewed by the genrō and Emperor Taishō, and approved by the Diet. This list was presented to Yuan Shikai on January 18, 1915, with warnings of dire consequences if China were to reject. The Twenty One Demands were grouped into five groups: • Group 1 confirmed Japan's recent acquisitions in Shandong Province, and expanded Japan's sphere of influence over the railways, coasts and major cities of the province. • Group 2 pertained to Japan's South Manchuria Railway Zone, extending the leasehold over the territory into the twenty-first century, and expanding Japan's sphere of influence in southern Manchuria and eastern Inner Mongolia, to include rights of settlement and extraterritoriality, appointment of financial and administrative officials to the government and priority for Japanese investments in those areas. • Group 3 gave Japan control of the Hanyeping mining and metallurgical complex, already deep in debt to Japan. • Group 4 barred China from giving any further coastal or island concessions to foreign powers except for Japan. • Group 5 contained a miscellaneous set of demands, ranging from Japanese advisors appointed to the Chinese central government and to administer the Chinese police force (which would severely intrude on Chinese sovereignty) to allowing Japanese Buddhist preachers to conduct missionary activities in China. The above were copied from Wikipedia. The Treaty of Shimonoseki was what the yakuzas demanded of China then under the Qing Dynasty. And in 1915, they made the obnoxious 21 Demands which would turn China into a Japanese Protectorate like Malaya under the British. These were how atrocious the yakuzas were and will be again if they become too powerful militarily. Today they are trying to revive their glorious empire days. Unfortunately the China today is not the China they could stamp on at will. Without knowing the acts of the scoundrels then, the world may still believe that the innocent party is Japan and China is the aggressive party trying to encroach into Japanese islands. Prior to 1895, the Diaoyutai was still Chinese territory. So was the Ryukyus which is now called Okinawa. Who is the gangster?

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

The Japanese may do well to remember not to go overboard, trying to relive the glory days of their empire.

They have hardly admitted, not to mention settled, the issue of the atrocious massacres committed during the second world war in China, South Korea and South East Asia, and anger against them still persist. A backlash may result if they are not careful and try to distort history, especially from the Chinese citizens.

And, as redbean mentioned, this is not the divided and fragmented China of the old days and you just cannot push them around with outrageous demands.

But, hopefully, the protest at home are for internal consumption and do not spew over.

Just let that group of old Yakuza cowboys relive the glory days of the old wild west.

rex said...

REX comments as follows,
Thank you for the informative article. It is a pity that singapore primary school students no longer study world history (even if simplified version for young minds). In the 1960's we study World War 1, World War 2, history of major countries, very simple history lessons. To this day i still think the old syllabus education is much more holistic than the current syllabus of "singapore math" and "social studies" and "civics and moral ed" which are basically propaganda for PAP. I felt ashamed, my daughter in primary school knows nothing about histroy of china, malaya, and did not even know that malaysia has 11 (uh, was it 12 or 13) states, did not know what is Johor, Kelantan etc. In my time all these were in Geography lesson, we were very well educated, today the children are not getting all these important facts into their minds.

And by the way redbean, your article is great if not for one big mistake in your last paragraph. FORTUNATELY is the correct word, not UNFORTUNATELY. Unless maybe you are yakuza.. lol.. just kidding.

rex

Anonymous said...

That is the problem with the education system today.

It is designed to suit an economic purpose and fulfil an economic agenda, not strictly to provide a holistic education, which will give the child a wider knowledge of History, Geography, Nature Study and the subject called Civics (No PAP propaganda involved).

That is why I cannot help wondering why young people nowadays are so clueless about what is happening around the world despite their high education, except, perhaps, being more informed about Macs, Iphones, Ipads, xbox etc.

And the most laughable part is that there is now even a perceived need to teach the young about money management, of which the older folks are well and truly more savy despite their meagre education.

Sorry, redbean, for going off- tangent.

Anonymous said...

The education got to stop propagating propaganda, it's not going to do Singapore any good. Going by wat had been said and written about the demises of Senior Minister of State and Mrs Lee Kuan Yew, any more promotion of the leadership in the education system is going to backfire. There is no way to erase all the literatures in the Net that have been written lately. If the first few generations of leaders are getting all the brickbats due to the wholesale unhappiness of the people, the younger leaders have little hope of trust from the masses. They got to start on a new slate to gain the confidence of the people. Should they failed, there will be absolutely no nationhood to talk about at all.

Anonymous said...

The history of Singapore after independence has been/being written to highlight the glorious attainments of the local leaders. The main focus is to glorify the regime however some individuals get more limelights.
That Singapore was/is endowed with a strategic geographical location, discovered and developed to be the world's best seaport by Stamford Raffles, is now fleetingly mention. It used to be due to it's location, Singapore flourished and became the bastion of the British Empire in the East. It was a thriving port hence making Singapore prosperous since then.
Since governed by the locals, there's subtle feedings that the prosperity and development of Singapore to what it is today are basically due to the talent and incorruptible leadership of one almost exclusive political party. Such that thus, all credits of prosperity seemed to belong to the local leadership.
There are some truths that the local ruler did play a big part in it, however, it certainly has to be developed and built upon the earlier foundations and geographical location. In fact, it should be said that it is a natural extension and enlargement of the original prosperity.
Political change of ruler however changed much of the lifestyles of the populace. The once simple Singaporean folks became materialistic and cosmopolitan.
Most are resettled into highrise abodes and primary(farmings and fishery) industries almost became extinct.
Family unit and living are the greatest casualties. Not only families were mainly comprised of multi-generations, most were large families. It was cheap and easy to bring up children before the 80s. Maternity cares were provided comprehensively and almost totally free of charge. Most households were run by a mistress and usually the male folks provided the expenditures. Suicides were preferred over divorces becos the latter were considered failures and shames. Trust and honour were matters taken very seriously hence many shopkeepers delivered goods on credits readily, nor mater how small or big the purchases, without any interest, this has gone extinct for a long time.
Now, the state is like a wealthy but loveless patriarch in a family, he runs the family, provides the necessities and the family members survive on their own ingenuities for anything extra. He has little love, care and time for the family.
Surely, such a man will not have a happy and wholesome family though he is capable. Similarly, the state lacks the nationhood as the ruler is runnning the state like the patriarch mentioned. Many feel that the state is like a nanny, however it behaves more like a stepmother.

Anonymous said...

The history of Singapore after independence has been/being written to highlight the glorious attainments of the local leaders. The main focus is to glorify the regime however some individuals get more limelights.
That Singapore was/is endowed with a strategic geographical location, discovered and developed to be the world's best seaport by Stamford Raffles, is now fleetingly mention. It used to be due to it's location, Singapore flourished and became the bastion of the British Empire in the East. It was a thriving port hence making Singapore prosperous since then.
Since governed by the locals, there's subtle feedings that the prosperity and development of Singapore to what it is today are basically due to the talent and incorruptible leadership of one almost exclusive political party. Such that thus, all credits of prosperity seemed to belong to the local leadership.
There are some truths that the local ruler did play a big part in it, however, it certainly has to be developed and built upon the earlier foundations and geographical location. In fact, it should be said that it is a natural extension and enlargement of the original prosperity.
Political change of ruler however changed much of the lifestyles of the populace. The once simple Singaporean folks became materialistic and cosmopolitan.
Most are resettled into highrise abodes and primary(farmings and fishery) industries almost became extinct.
Family unit and living are the greatest casualties. Not only families were mainly comprised of multi-generations, most were large families. It was cheap and easy to bring up children before the 80s. Maternity cares were provided comprehensively and almost totally free of charge. Most households were run by a mistress and usually the male folks provided the expenditures. Suicides were preferred over divorces becos the latter were considered failures and shames. Trust and honour were matters taken very seriously hence many shopkeepers delivered goods on credits readily, nor mater how small or big the purchases, without any interest, this has gone extinct for a long time.
Now, the state is like a wealthy but loveless patriarch in a family, he runs the family, provides the necessities and the family members survive on their own ingenuities for anything extra. He has little love, care and time for the family.
Surely, such a man will not have a happy and wholesome family though he is capable. Similarly, the state lacks the nationhood as the ruler is runnning the state like the patriarch mentioned. Many feel that the state is like a nanny, however it behaves more like a stepmother.

Ghost said...

Sorry but "The Treaty of Shimonoseki" was in 1915. That was 95 years ago! You can hardly compare that to the current Japan/China spat. What's more is that in 1915, the Qing Dynasty was very weak and Japan was hardly the only country in the world who made such demands of China.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

The current spat is a result of that treaty when China was very weak. Today China is able to take back all the islands lost to the Japanese.

The present Japanese leaders should do the honourable thing and return whatever they had seized from China. The European countries had returned the colonies to their rightful owners. If Japan still want to hold on to their loot and behave like yakuzas, it is a matter of time before China take it back by a war.

It is time to choose between behaving like honourable gentlemen and not yakuzas. It would bring along a lot of goodwill for the two countries to build their future relationship in a more equitable manner.

The ball is now in Japan's court.

Anonymous said...

In war and in love, winner takes all bro. There is no justice to talk about. But sometimes no love, wat the other party wants is just to make love but not loving. Give it to them lor and take over their heirlooms lah. And the best thing is the winner can write the history the way it wants.

Chua Chin Leng aka redbean said...

True. When India assumes big power status, it will want to take back all the jewels in the British Crown too. They were robbed by the colonialists and will have to be returned when India is able to take them back.

This will apply to the Egyptian treasures in London. The Egyptians will want them back one day, if they are able to take them back.