Shanghai World Expo: Japan Pavilion not raising Japanese flag to give consideration to anti-Japanese sentiment in China | ChinaHush

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This was originally from a Japanese blog, then soon translated to Chinese and reposted on many Chinese websites. So friends who speak Japanese please let us know any discrepancy on this indirect translation of the original text. On the first day of Shanghai World Expo, national flags were flying in front of many counties’ pavilions, but the Japanese Pavilion said goodbye to their flag. The responsible person gave the explanation, “We had precedent cases that we do not raise our national flag at other prior World Expos”, “However taking this measure this time is to give consideration to the Chinese anti-Japanese sentiment” The Japanese Pavilion staff also said, “We are purposely preventing the things we show here from getting dragged into politics.” Television programs with Sino-Japanese War themes are frequently broadcasted in China, many people think the sun flag is a symbol of militarism. On the opening of the Japan Pavilion about 3,000 Chinese tourists formed into a long line to get in, it was quite a lively scene. Second year high school student (17 year old) Wu Zhaoyi from Wenzhou City, Zhejiang Province came to Shanghai on a bus the day before the opening, he said excitedly “I want to see high-tech stuff.” Shanghai local company employee (34 year old) Cao Mei also said, “the pavilion was too popular during the trail run, so I did not get a chance to see it. This time I must see it.” At the same time, chairman of the North Korea Supreme People’s Assembly, Kim Yong Nam already arrived at North Korean Pavilion in the morning of May 1 before the opening. He was led by the guards and inspected the venue. When the reporter wanted to get closer to him, was stopped by the volunteer security guards and prevented from shooting any photos. Next to the North Korean Pavilion is the Iranian Pavilion; both pavilions of the countries which are swinging back and forth on the nuclear issue are guarded by armed police, always on high alert. There are thousands of comments on the original post, I will translate a few. Why are we opening pavilion on the land that would not allow us to raise our flags, retard. Is it a joke? If we cannot raise our flag then just go home. Why do we have to consider their feelings? At least raise a white flag The Japanese are living so carefully? Isn’t this discrimination? Are there other countries like Japan? People in China didn’t even say anything yet, and Japan acts on its own thinking thoroughly for others and put so many rules on itself. Really so touching and makes people cry, China didn’t say thank you? “We are purposely preventing the things we show here from getting dragged into politics.” Stupid? If you don’t want to drag everything into politics, then the right thing to do is raising the Japanese flag. Surely even the Chinese people cannot understand it. The main exhibition hall has all the countries’ flags clearly raised. Although I am not Chinese, But the Chinese people would not think “Japan cares about our feelings.” They would think, “See! They really have shameful things, so they don’t dare to raise the sun flag.” Consider this, show understanding for that, actually only Japanese people think so much. I think Chinese people are more straightforward then you imagine. Chinese comments translated by Wang Er: “是日本自己的问题.中国人没那么敏感.你们太小看中国民众的包容力和成熟度了” It’s Japan’s own problem. Chinese people are not that sensitive. You underestimate Chinese people’s tolerance and maturity. “其实这是对主办国的不尊重… ” [Not raising the Japanese flag] is actually disrespectful to the host country. “他们不升国旗，国内的工作人员都不来问的么？只有日本不升国旗确实很怪吧= = ” They didn’t raise their flag but why Chinese staff didn’t ask them reason? Isn’t it strange that only Japan did such thing?” “我一开始还以为日本忘记升旗了呢 = = ” I thought Japan forgot raising its flag. “我很费解” I’m confused. ” 真怕反日的话，干嘛要建造日本馆？ 反过来既然已经大张旗鼓的开放了，为啥还要做这么弱智的行为。。 话说回来，中国人压根也不会真的跑世博反日吧 日本人到底清不清楚咱们的反日底线和这个反日的出发点是啥？ 大学生都跑去当志愿者了，哪有空去反日啊。。。 ” If they are really afraid of anti-Japan sentiment, why build the Japanese Pavilion in the first place? Since they have already opened the Pavilion on a grand scale, then why did they do such silly thing [not raising national flag]? By the way, Chinese people wouldn’t go to the Expo to protest Japan. Japanese don’t get our baseline and origin in anti-Japanese sentiment. College students all went to become Expo volunteers so who has time to protest … “韩国说自己场馆最受欢迎虽然比较蠢，但勉强还能接受…至于日本这个就……真是蠢翻了. ” Korea said their Pavilion is the most popular, which is silly but could still be acceptable …. as for Japan’s [not raising flag] … is so stupid. ” 其实这并不关我们事啊,怎么拿我们开涮了 ” This incident is not our business, so don’t make us involved. “非常奇怪。扬日本国旗正常。这是国际展览会。有中国人反对的话，这是中国方面的问题。 可是我也了解，关于日本，什么事情会成为反日的借口的。 比如说，在中国的日本企业，午饭不那么好的话，就有中国人说，日本人瞧不起中国人，或因为日本的历史原因， 日本企业对中国人的待遇特别好。 还有，在商业上的谈判，日本的东西贵的话或发现问题的话，中国方面就说日本人瞧不起中国，或提起历史问题或 反日情绪，让日方受对不起的感觉，让日方让步。 我们经常听说过上面第二个故事。韩国也是一样。” Very weird. Raising Japanese flag is normal since it’s an international exhibition. If any Chinese person is against it, it’s China’s problem. However, I understand what’s could be used as excuses to protest Japan. For example, if Japanese company’s China branch has lower standard in food in lunch, there would be Chinese people to say Japanese people look down upon us and they would further relate it to historical reasons, so Japanese companies in China treat Chinese employees pretty well. And more, if Japanese products have issues or are too expensive, some Chinese would use that part of history as a chip in bargaining and force the Japanese side to compromise. We heard the second story a lot. Korean are doing the same thing to Japan too. ” 军旗和国旗是两回事吧，无语升个国旗有什么问题的囧 ” [Japan's] army flag and it’s national flag are two different things, what’s the problem of raising the national flag? I’m speechless. “世博跟政治无关，堂堂正正升起你们的国旗吧。 天朝去日本做什么自然也会骄傲的升起五星红旗，这是民族的荣耀。 ” Expo should be unrelated to politics, so raise your flag proudly. We will do the same and raise our flag proudly when doing anything in Japan. This is about national prestige. ” “你们再不升国旗我们就要向这个所属不明的展馆投掷燃烧瓶了哦！”WWWW ” If you are not raising your flag I’m throwing Molotor cocktail bombs to this nationality-unidentified pavilion. WWWW “实际情况应该是这样的吧 中国：为什么日本馆不升国旗？ 日本：为了照顾中国的反日情绪… 中国：哎？ 日本：哎？ ” The real conversation should be like this: China: Why don’t you raise your flag in front of the pavilion? Japan: We want to give consideration to antt-Japanese sentiment in China. China: What? Japan: What?

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Expo update, from our man fainting of heatstroke in a queue in Shanghai.

Everyone said that the British pavillion looked pointless before it started, but it's nothing compared to the majority of them. The basic theme is "let's project tourist information videos onto really big screens". Sure it's diverting enough, but at the end of the day you still can't remember which one was Canada and which one was Brasil. The British pavillion only does two things (as well as the spikes there's a little garden) but it does them memorably. It's not worth the queue however, as inside it's small and dark and all you see is the seeds on the end of the spikes.

The French pavilion is quite attractive (it's got a sort of vertical garden and fountains and things) but mostly dedicated to advertising. Just in case there's anyone in China who doesn't yet have a fake Louis Vuitton manbag.

You need special tickets to get into the Chinese pavillion.

The Ukrainian pavillion is basically a barn with a cafe in it, but pulls the crowds by the power of sexy, sexy waitresses. Kudos those guys.

There's a separate EU pavillion. Dunno what it's like.

Spain has a giant baby.

They do a Disney style parade with tired looking dancers on floats.

The US pavillion isn't especially interesting but it has a humongous queue.

The Brasilians have decided to give people an authentic pampas experience by replacing the queue with a cattle pen. They let 50 people squash into a space 2m square, keep them there for a while, and then send them stampeding into the pavillion in one block.

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Standard disclaimer: the disgusting statements contained in this post are the views of the poster, and unless specified do not represent the views of the moderators or the site's owners.