Credit Where Credit is Due - Obon 2010 Edition

Tobias Harris has published the best analysis of the political environment surrounding the Kan Statement on the 100th anniversary of the annexation of Korea. However, it is D of Japan Without the Sugar who wins the plaudit for the most stinging rebuke (Warning: quote contains sarcasm and rough language) of criticism of the Kan Statement:

Former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of the LDP criticized the government's decision, describing Kan and Sengoku as "foolish" and "ignorant" about dealing with historical issues. Japan Times

One may disagree with ol' I-quit-'cause-I-gotta-sh*t Abe, the fellow with a long history of denying that the Japanese Imperial Army recruited women to serve as sex slaves during the war and who got into hot water for boldly stating same as PM, but one can not question his expertise on being "foolish and ignorant about dealing with historical issues."

The full post can be found here.

As regards the other sujet du jour being given the "examine it until it drives people nuts" media treatment, the missing centenarians story, essayist Balefire has posted a thoughtful and informative piece on the peculiar inability of local governments to keep an accurate records of who is alive and who not alive in their bailiwicks.