Mr T Goes Viral

On February 25th, former Japan Air Self-Defense Force General Toshio Tamogami went "live" with his new website. It is imaginatively sited at http://www.tamogami.org

The opening kanji are: 志は高く、熱く燃えよ [Kokorozashi ha takaku, atsuku moeyo], which roughly means: “Keep your spirits high, fired with enthusiasm.”

General Tamogami, you may recall, was "retired" last fall for allowing the publication of his essay, Was Japan an Aggressor Nation?「日本は侵略国家であったのか」 [Nihon ha Sinryaku Kokka de Atttanoka] (10/31/08). The General concluded in his award-winning essay that Japan was a victim of American deception and aggression in World War II.

Mr. T is popular. He says he has speaking engagements nearly every day of the month and he just had a huge crowd at his Los Angeles talk on March 1st. The Sankei covered it. He is raising so much money and getting so much attention he is seriously considering running for the Lower House in upcoming elections.

The website is a beautiful and professional done. It also features lots of GQ-like photos of Mr. T. He is a snappy dresser. His beautiful ties and custom-made shirt speak of many close relationships with the rich and powerful. (Rich Japanese men like to give each other gifts of expensive clothing. This is NOT done among straight American men.) It is striking how well he dresses. If you are used to the Japanese salaryman in the ill-fitting blue suit, dirty ties, and white socks, you just dont' know what to make of this man of Japan's new military.

Not all the links on the website are active, but they will be soon. You will be able to track where he speaks and become a "member" of the website. For now, you can read his greeting:

History is made by victor countries. Defeated nations are initially forced to accept the one-sided history of the victors' view. Thus, someday at some point, the defeated need to take their history back. Postwar Japan has been coerced into accepting the ‘villain-Japan’ historical perception. While the indiscriminate civilian slaughters conducted by other countries, including America’s dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki as well as the Tokyo Blitz, have been disregarded, in our country, more than 1000 people has their lives taken in irresponsible trials during the Occupation after the war….We have to restore our proud history in order for Japan to develop as a respected nation in the 21st Century.

Yes, indeed, Japan does need to restore its proud history, as well as its sordid history, to become a respected nation in the 21st Century.