The Prime Minister of Japan’s public Facebook page.
By far the biggest story to have been posted over the weekend is the curious tale of the Frenchman and the Prime Minister’s Facebook page, which has garnered 20,000 retweets and 27,000 Facebook likes in just over 24 hours.
It all began when the Prime Minister posted his thoughts on the recent Tohoku Earthquake commemoration ceremony, and the fact that the Chinese representative did not attend. Naturally, since the Prime Minister Abe Shinzo’s Facebook page is public, this prompted a great deal of comments regarding the relationship between Japan, China, and also Korea, with the all too familiar arguments over historical issues quickly rising to the fore. However, comments left by a discontent Korean user were responded to by none other than a “Frenchman” called “David Stetler”.
Japanese netizens responded largely with heartfelt thanks to David for saying that which they had always wanted to say, but could not say precisely because they were Japanese. As you will see from the article below, they praised the depth of his historical knowledge, his wit, his Japanese ability.
But there is one problem. David may not be French at all. As some netizens have pointed out, his photograph is of a German model, and his views are suspiciously similar to those of the Japanese netouyo…
What do you think? Is David a fake Frenchman?
From GetNews.jp:
Although Korean and Chinese Users Wrote Anti-Japanese Comments on Prime Minister Abe’s Facebook Page, For Some Reason They Were Proven Wrong by a Frenchman!
The Battleground Was Prime Minister Abe’s Facebook Page.
A few days ago, Prime Minister Abe Shinzo criticized China on Facebook:
“China stated that the reason it did not attend the commemoration ceremony for the Great Eastern Japan Earthquake on March 11 was because ‘of the treatment of the Taiwanese representative’.
In the commemoration ceremony held last year, despite the fact a representative from Taiwan was invited and attended, their name was not even read out. At the time of the earthquake, Taiwan was an important friend to Japan, giving aid amounting to more than 20 billion yen [approx. $209,534,000], which was more than any other country in the world. Therefore, not reading out the representative’s name was an ungrateful response on Japan’s part, and one that hurt the feelings of the Taiwanese people. This year, Japan made amends, thanking Taiwan and giving a floral tribute.
It was a great pity that China did not send a representative over this; however, we want to continue to be polite. Then, beginning with Taiwan, who supported us so strongly, we are filled with thanks for all the nations who helped”.
(Quote taken directly from Abe Shinzo’s Facebook Page).
As you all know, China has yet to recognise Taiwan as an independent nation. Still, I think that as the Prime Minister of a nation, Prime Minister Abe should be congratulated for expressing his thanks resolutely.
For Some Reason, a Korean Facebook User Latched On to This Statement
However, at this, the Korean Facebook user, who had nothing to do with the criticism of China, got involved in the discussion:
“May all those who died in the earthquake rest in peace. Still, people like you, opportunists and those with vested rights, who, like the Abe administration are acting conservative, you people just don’t get it. Please gradually move toward the right. The more right-wing you become, the more rope you’ll give yourself to hang yourselves with. Please think about it. Insofar as you won’t apologise to neighbouring nations for your past actions, I think that you will never be able to ‘leave Asia’ like you’re always shouting about. Look and learn from Germany, a country that has apologised for its past actions. Although it was also a nation that lost the war, it’s completely different. I look forward to some responsible actions from Japan”.
(Taken directly from Abe’s Facebook page cited above.)
The Korean brought the example of Germany into the conversation, and criticized Japan.
Although this is a difficult issue, it’s not really something that should be commented on here.
I have no choice but to say that the user was barking up the wrong tree.
It Was a French Facebook User Who Took This Up.
The French user’s comments as posted on Abe’s status.
However, it was a French Facebook user (David) who took up the Korean user’s comments:
“This is why you Koreans are currently hated throughout the world, a pitiful people who just have no recognition of this fact at all.
The compensation and economic aid that Japan has given to China and Korea doesn’t even compare with Germany, and your country accepted it! Your stupid nation did not tell its stupid citizens this, and you’ve been inculcated with a greed that has allowed you to continue demanding apologies and compensation through ideological education.
All this after you were given so much economic aid that it made things develop dramatically so that you live as you do today, not to mention apologies, for something that happened sixty years ago. You’re all crazy, kicking up a fuss like this as if to question whether or not apologies really happened for the war”.
“And if I might say something further, the actions carried out by Germany and Italy during WW2 will absolutely not be forgiven, and in France, in each of the European countries, we have an awareness oft his. However, Italy and Germany carried out reparations as a nation. In the same way, Japan has carried out reparations to your country. And so, what is the difference? The difference is that we looked forward, and joined together as Europeans for peace, and with the aim of development, whereas you Koreans and Chinese persistently continuing to complain and have nothing in your heads but shaking money out of Japan, because you never look at how messed up a country your country is, looking to the past.”
“If you look at it from the perspective of a country other than Korea or China, you can’t help but feel sorry for Japan.
Furthermore, if you consider Prime Minister Abe’s recent actions from the standpoint of other nations, they are quite reasonable, and not something that should be particularly praised. I don’t really rate what Abe did. I don’t think there it is necessary to thank Taiwan. That’s because the psychology of ‘thanking someone to thank them’ is the very least that countries ought to have between them.
Plus, if you look at the impoliteness of your Korea, and of China in this incident, who bring up political issues and express no feelings of sympathy for the victims of the earthquake, from a global perspective, then it is so abnormal that it’s basically impossible.
As for you, living in Japan yet feeling these things, unable to learn from them, I really don’t think there’s any reason for you to be in Japan at all”.
(Taken directly from Abe’s Facebook page cited above).
Then A Chinese Facebook User Entered the Fray.
Furthermore, after this comment, a Chinese Facebook user entered the fray:
[Originally in English] “how about think on this way..a murder use a cruel ways to kill you family ,and after it he just give you money without nothing for his apologize ..and will you say “ok thank you! I forgive you ,cuz of your money!?”
(Taken directly from Abe’s Facebook page, cited above).
Naturally, David replied:
“Aside from giving compensation, Japan has apologised to you numerous times. You should be aware of your own ignorance, since you don’t know about this.
You Chinese are idiots because you still treat Japan and Japanese people as murderers, and call them such. After WW2, China militarily invaded a nation called Tibet, murdered a lot of people, and still continues to dominate them without giving them basic human rights. And you still stupidly insist that it’s a domestic problem. What’s more, you’re envious every time the nation of Taiwan is active on an international stage, and hinder them at every opportunity.
If you look at it from our perspective, it’s your country that is bad. Look at the current situation. Your country, in its current progressive form is a country of slaughter, you’re aggressors.”
(Taken directly from Abe’s Facebook page, cited above).
He put up a fight to the Korean and Chinese Facebook Users.
His Japanese is Too Good.
Japan being represented by David, a French person, has been trending online, and there have been various reactions on the internet.
There are those who praise the Frenchman, and conversely those who are frightened by his unusually detailed knowledge of the issue of postwar conduct.
However, perhaps the most surprising thing about this incident was the high level of Frenchman David’s writing ability and ability to form expressions in Japanese. Online, there were people who even said:
‘I’m going to go and study Japanese in France’.
Such was the level of his Japanese.
Even this writer doesn’t feel as though he could better David in Japanese….
Comments from Twitter:
筒井隆行:
Thank you, David ^_^ I’m thankful that French people are well-placed to be objective.
ザ・トロンボーンアンサンブルマイナーズ:
This guy really is amazing!
I mean, doesn’t seem like a Japanese person would be able to say these things properly!
2-tomyahata:
Round of applause for David(^O^)／
まこと:
This French guy’s Japanese is just too good! Still, the Noda administration’s rudeness toward Taiwan was a foolish act that has gone down in history.RT @ymtk_ladakh
Kazuto Suzuki:
This page has been retweeted almost 20,000 times already. I think that maybe a lot of people were waiting for a ‘foreigner’ to say these kinds of things for us.
せいた＠Thomas-G:
How come Japanese people don’t prove these people wrong? Ah…so mysterious.
yadok:
1. French guy (David Stelter) has deleted his fb account (or maybe it’s private). 2. His profile picture is this picture from a talent agency (http://bit.ly/YEEIXN) 3. His jawline and eyes are the consistent with the photo. He’s a German model.
jay926:
Even a child wouldn’t tell someone they were trying to make friends with to ‘apologise!’ and ‘pay me money!’
D_Amon:
The contents of his remarks are typical of netouyo, the photo was a stolen picture of a German model, the account has been deleted and they’ve made their escape. I think that we can judge this to be a fake foreigner played by a netouyo, but the problem lies in the appetite of the people who say they’re thankful for someone saying this kind of stuff and blindly believe it.
タカハシアツシ:
Now that’s what I call ‘criticism’. Although he’s saying bad things about people, he’s extremely logical.
神風ノイズ:
It would be great if Japanese people could say things as calmly as this. I have nothing but words of thanks for David.
カオル:
David you’re so cool! Thank you. But we Japanese really should learn to counter stuff like this ourselves.
なお:
I want Japanese people to be able to say stuff like this. But is this guy really French?
Nana:
This is interesting. He’s saying all the things Japanese people want to say on their behalf. But he doesn’t seem like he’s French….?“@kajiwara_LC
T.TAKUYA:
This French person’s knowledge of Japanese history is accurate; could a Japanese person, with our insufficient postwar history education, be able to debate like this?
yamayama:
When did this happen? What does this French person do as a job, I wonder?
高杉 新:
I am deeply moved by how well this gentleman understands Japan.
icecleaf Design:
I’m kind of happy(^-^)!
由樹菜:
OMG This French guy is so fit ///♥ You’re so cool, David.
沖田裕孝:
It’s Japanese people who should be learning from this Frenchman.
