Taiwan and the 3/11 Disaster
When the 3/11 Disaster occurred in Japan last year, some interesting phenomena were observed in Taiwan.
Most of Taiwanese started to shout, "Help Japan," as they saw big tsunamis hitting Pacific coastal areas north of Tokyo and the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant getting crippled.
But some anti-Japanese Taiwanese exploded in joy to see Japanese victims in the tsunami affected areas and Fukushima Prefecture. They were against offering aid to Japan. They wrote on the Internet, "We celebrate Japan's disaster!"
And this anti-Japanese Taiwanese movement was linked to anti-Japanese movement in China. Some Chinese wrote on the Internet, "All the Japanese that are anti-Chinese should die!"
But a certain Taiwanese newspaper claimed that the meanest thing for man is to derive entertainment from others' misery and loot at a fire, so that it was deplorable to see some Taiwanese and Chinese expressing their hate for Japan when Japan suffered one of the greatest natural disasters in East Asia.
So, ordinary Taiwanese do not accept an anti-Japanese view anti-Taiwanese are trying to diffuse. They feel something abnormal when hearing anti-Taiwanese asserting that many Taiwanese were brainwashed by Japanese who colonized Taiwan to forget inherent connection with mainland China.
So ordinary Taiwanese think that anti-Japanese view among some Taiwanese was brought in Taiwan by Chiang Kaishek when he lost the civil war against the Chinese Communist Party and fled to Taiwan after WWII. While Chiang Kaishek and the Kuomintang government led by Chiang occupied Taiwan (as the Empire of Japan abandoned its sovereignty over Taiwan), they tried to brainwash Taiwanese so as to make them hate Japan. Chiang and his officials thought that it was necessary for them to govern Taiwanese to have Taiwanese forget great contribution to development of the Taiwanese society the Empire of Japan had made during its occupation of Taiwan.
But along with expansion of democracy and culturally independent movement in Taiwan, most of Taiwanese people have been able to counteract the poison of the anti-Japanese doctrine.
Nonetheless, anti-Japanese Taiwanese form an alliance with anti-Chinese in mainland China. So, they danced for joy when they saw the great tsunamis hitting northeast Japan and the nuclear power plant getting crippled in Fukushima in March 2011.
It is true that China sent to Japan 15 rescue workers, 10,000 tons of gasoline, and many tents and blankets. But, these rescue workers acted as if spies taking pictures of Japanese Self-Defense Force troops and policemen engaged in rescue work and collecting related information.
On the other hand, Taiwan sent 28 rescue workers and more than a $200 million fund to Japan as emergency aid in the wake of the 3/11 Tsunami/Earthquake Disaster of 2011. Other aid from Taiwan included 688 power generators, 900 stoves, 53 heating appliances, 16.5 tons of foods, 2,587 boxes with sleeping bags inside, 4,488 boxes of warm clothing and other clothes, 870 boxes full of drinkable water bottles, etc.
Taiwan showed the biggest compassion on Japanese disaster victims, while Chinese aid was very moderate in contrast to its economy size.
However, it could be understand. Taiwan did not become a battleground during WWII, though it was part of the Empire of Japan from 1895 to 1945. The US did not try to land on Taiwan (but it launched massive attacks on Okinawa).
But, the Imperial Military of Japan was drawn to battles deep in mainland China by Chiang Kaishek in 1930s and early 1940s. As they were offended so acutely by Chinese troops, without full preparation, Imperial troops dispatched hundreds of thousands of soldiers in China where they were ordered to collect foods from Chinese farmers living in villages. So, it is very understandable that some Chinese still hold a grudge against Japanese. But even Taiwanese argue that it was the thing that happened 70 years ago, so that today's Japanese are not responsible for the past wars; we have to face the future but not the era in and before WWII.
Anyway, South Korea and China are the two major countries where anti-Japanese sentiments are abused by some political politicians to collect or boost support for themselves from their citizens and voters.
But Taiwan is one of the most pro-Japanese country as proved by their response and aid for Japanese victims of the 3/11 Disaster, though it was part of the Empire of Japan from 1895 to 1945.
A Japanese female high-school student sent her message of gratitude to the Taiwan diplomatic office in Tokyo.
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Act 8:3 As for Saul, he made havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women committed them to prison.
Act 8:4 Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the word.
Act 8:5 Then Philip went down to the city of Samaria, and preached Christ unto them.