With politicians in China, South Korea and Japan all using nationalism to divert from internal problems, maybe quite a few people aren’t too bothered about peace. I’m sure the newspapers and TV news reports are currently focused on the Senkaku / Diaoyu islands issue (go 50%-50% guys!) and nobody is talking about the restart of the nuclear reactors anymore; that’s how you screw your own people 😉
Yeah, it’s a very convenient diversion that’s for sure. Lots of airing of Chinese protests, but there was precious little coverage of the much larger anti-nuclear protests here. Let’s hope the population doesn’t fall for it…
Was wondering the same. Maybe they just mixed up a pigeon and dove (more appropriate bird for peace, at least in western cultures). Or maybe the pigeon is there to poop on peace?
AN interesting little find. Its not just the Japanese media that doesn’t cover this, we hear nothing at all about the tsunami or nuclear situation here, outside Japan.
The picture is also revealing in that within an ocean of cleanliness there exists a tiny corner with street art, graffiti and empty beverage cans. From the looks of it, the store appears to be closed & empty so that contributes to it, certainly.
Hans ter Horst says
With politicians in China, South Korea and Japan all using nationalism to divert from internal problems, maybe quite a few people aren’t too bothered about peace. I’m sure the newspapers and TV news reports are currently focused on the Senkaku / Diaoyu islands issue (go 50%-50% guys!) and nobody is talking about the restart of the nuclear reactors anymore; that’s how you screw your own people 😉
Lee says
Yeah, it’s a very convenient diversion that’s for sure. Lots of airing of Chinese protests, but there was precious little coverage of the much larger anti-nuclear protests here. Let’s hope the population doesn’t fall for it…
Willy says
Bizarre indeed. I’m trying to figure out the significance of the pigeon…
Lee says
Yeah, it’s a bit of an odd one…
PeterD says
Was wondering the same. Maybe they just mixed up a pigeon and dove (more appropriate bird for peace, at least in western cultures). Or maybe the pigeon is there to poop on peace?
Lee says
It has to be something along those lines, but it’s hard to know exactly what they are getting at.
Dan Ryan says
Maybe the pigeon was meant to be a dove.
Lee says
Could be, but that’s a pretty basic error, isn’t it?
Hans ter Horst says
I think the Japanese for pigeon and dove is the same (鳩 — hato) but I agree that it is probably not meant to be the white dove of peace. Interesting is that the pigeon is sh*ting on the image of the rising sun, i.e. Japan which is being accused(?) of being peace addicted(??)
Even more interesting is that former prime minister Yukio Hatoyama does spell his name with the same kanji for pigeon but now I may be entering the realms of conspiracy geek. So what or who does the pigeon stand for and why couldn’t the maker of this sticker come up with a less ambiguous image! 🙂
Lee says
Haha, the Hatoyama connection could well be taking things a little too far!
But yeah, not as clear and to the point of similar artwork. There again, that perhaps makes it a little more interesting.
Matt says
AN interesting little find. Its not just the Japanese media that doesn’t cover this, we hear nothing at all about the tsunami or nuclear situation here, outside Japan.
Lee says
Yeah, 24 hour news coverage, yet it’s just the same few stories on loop…
Mark E says
The picture is also revealing in that within an ocean of cleanliness there exists a tiny corner with street art, graffiti and empty beverage cans. From the looks of it, the store appears to be closed & empty so that contributes to it, certainly.