(Mt. Fuji of January 1, 2010; Japanese Shintoism sometimes regards a mountain as a shrine body itself - Mt. Fuji is also a shrine.)Rebellion, Restoration, and Salvation
Now the holy three days from January 1 were over in Japan.
But some 800 jobless and homeless people in Tokyo have been especially taken care of by the Government providing them shelters and other aid for them to spend the New Year season decently, as the Japanese media have been covering those victims of a great recession since the second half of 2008.
Yet, I recommend the Bank of Japan to lend those jobless and homeless people $1000 per month per person under the government's guarantee, since it totals only $0.8 million per month while the Government can print its own yen bills as many as needed or wished by law.
If BOJ would not, the Government should establish a new bank for this function, the National Bank for Poor Japanese (BPJ). Then, other nations would follow suit with, say, the National Bank for Poor Americans (BPA).
SECTION I: Ryoma Sakamoto
Late last night, when I checked some satellite TV channels before finally switching off the TV, a certain TV station happened to present a mysterious history program.
It extended a unique theory that Sakamoto Ryoma was assassinated by his friend Nakaoka Shintaro at Kyoto in 1867.
Sakamoto Ryoma (family name is Sakamoto) is No.1 samurai hero Japanese people respect so much, since he contributed to success in ending the feudalism samurai period and opening a new era for modern Japan. Without him, it is believed, more bloods should have been shed and more chaotic situations should have lasted longer through civil wars between the last samurai regime of the Tokugawas based in Tokyo and emerging power of anti-Tokugawa samurai groups associated with the noble class and the imperial family based in Kyoto.
However, Sakamoto Ryoma was assassinated in Kyoto at one cold night, though he was talking with his long-time samurai friend Nakaoka who was also attacked and died two days later. Sakamoto was an expert in swordplay, but he always carried a handgun imported from America, since he had been attacked sometime before by Tokugawa police forces. Yet, he was killed by sword without effectively fighting back in his hiding room of a merchant house in the middle of Kyoto, the imperial capital of Japan.
Who sent the assassins is still a mystery without evidences. Who those samurai assassins were is still a mystery today without evidences. Though there is a common theory that Sakamoto was killed as some leader of the Tokugawa samurai government ordered a police platoon of Tokugawa's branch troops stationed at Kyoto to attack Sakamoto.
The TV program of the last night presented a new theory that Nakaoka betrayed and actually killed Sakamoto, but Sakamoto fought back with his handgun to wound Nakaoka; yet some foreign figures, most probably English diplomats or merchants, were involved behind the scene in this historic assassination of Sakamoto Ryoma who is still respected as a revolutionary samurai hero by many Japanese who voted the last summer in the general election to realize the regime change paving the way for the Hatoyama Cabinet.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sakamoto_Ry%C5%8Dma
SECTION II: Japan in 1860's
Around 1860, many samurais were victimized in assassination, attack in darkness, terrorism, and bloody machinations, while all the samurais, samurai clans, and samurai groups were divided into the Tokugawa camp and the anti-Tokugawa forces backed by the noble class and the imperial family.
Eventually, the era of samurais had gone with old social structure based on feudalism.
Both the pro- and anti-Tokugawa samurais, after the end of the Civil War in 1868, changed their clothes, hair styles, and habits, to be Western-style ministers, politicians, governors, bureaucrats, military officers, police, teachers, post masters, and medical doctors and professors in addition to businessmen, while gradually opening to ordinary people, namely non-samurais, the gate for the politics and other fields with the higher social status.
The Chiyoda (Edo) Castle used by the Tokugawas for 270 years was changed to the Imperial Palace.
(To be continued...)
*** *** *** ***
(This piece of music is called "Spring Sea," the most revered sound as so expected to be played in a new year social party of a Japanese style.
http://www4.osk.3web.ne.jp/~kasumitu/harunoumi.mid
Source:http://www4.osk.3web.ne.jp/~kasumitu/home.htm)
Hab 1:1 The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.
Hab 1:2 O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!
Hab 1:3 Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.
Hab 1:4 Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.