Zara Posted January 11, 2008 Report Share Posted January 11, 2008 I know this has nothing to do with Armenia but I think it will be interesting. Next week there is going to be a Town Hall meeting with a presentation about Japanese-American relations by the ambassador to Japan from America. I'm going to go and see what he has to say. If you guys are interested I can report what happens. There is a briefing packet (haven't read it yet so I don't know what the presentation is about beyond country relations). There are a bunch of articles from the net. If you guys are interested I can post them. I attended a Town Hall meeting a few months ago to hear the Comptroller General of the United States. He spoke about the national debt, baby boomers, ect. I can also give some articles about that if anyone is interested. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashot Posted January 11, 2008 Report Share Posted January 11, 2008 If you may please post the briefing... also you may post anything you want to, I don't think it would bother us to know more! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVO Posted January 11, 2008 Report Share Posted January 11, 2008 I second Ashot. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashot Posted January 11, 2008 Report Share Posted January 11, 2008 is that 1 second or I second, if it's I second I don't get it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AVO Posted January 11, 2008 Report Share Posted January 11, 2008 What would 1 Second Ashot mean? I got lazy and didn't type the rest of the sentance. It should've been I second Ashot's request and would love to read what the ambassador has to say. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashot Posted January 11, 2008 Report Share Posted January 11, 2008 I second certainly didn't mean anything for me, 1 second would mean please don't rush into knowing something, or hold on I want to post something... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zara Posted January 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 (edited) ok...so his name is The Honorable J. Thomas Schieffer and the packet is about 40 or 50 pages so I'll just leave a bibliography-ish thing with the sites "Overview of Japan-US Relations". Embassy of Japan in the United States of America, June 2007. http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/english/html...rview2007_2.htm Reynolds, Isabel. "Tokyo Trims Funding for US Forces in Japan." Boston.com, December 12, 2007. http://www.boston.com/news/world/asia/arti...orces_in_japan/ Kitazume, Takachi. "Despite Improvement, Japan-US Relations Need More Work." The japan Times, March 3/2005. http://classifieds.japantimes.com/ads/kkc/...kc20050303b.htm "Japan-US Summit Meeting (Summary)." The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, June 6, 2007. http://www.mofa.go.jp/region/n-america/us/summit0706.html Schieffer, J. Thomas. "Remarks to the Houston Chapter of the Asia Society." Asia Society, October 5, 2007. http://www.asiasociety.org/visit/texas/07_schieffer.html "Press Release: Opinion Poll: 2007 US Umage of Japan Study (Summary)." Embassy of Japan in the United States of America, June 25,2007. http://www.us.emb-japan.go.jp/english/htm;...s/2007/0625.htm Walsh, Bryan. "Can Shinzo Abe Find His Way?" Time magazine, February 15, 2007. http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/...1590160,00.html Fackler, Martin "As Japan Ages, Universities Struggle to Fill Classrooms." The New York Times, June 22, 2007. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/22/world/as...amp;oref=slogin Life at a Japanese High School. http://chikushi.fku.ed.jp/kouryu/dailylife.htm and http://chikushi.fku.ed.jp/kouryu/culture.htm Edited January 12, 2008 by Zara Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zara Posted January 12, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 Also...here is the bio of the ambassador http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/44295.htm Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iskouhie Posted January 12, 2008 Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 Also...here is the bio of the ambassador http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/biog/44295.htm ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What about the armenian relations with Japan ? As I know, they are very good. An Armenian girl has studied three years in Kyoto and had a diploma. She returned to Erevan and founded a travel agency. She organizes visits of Armenia for Japanese travelers. She speaks Japanese. A few years ago, a Japanese Photograph published a book In Japanese "The Armenians of Japan". I had sent her a short story of my father. But I could never buy that book, as, is had been all sold. Last year another book appeared, in Japanese about Armenian Genocide. I have been informed that it was conform to the reality (not negative). As soon as I know some more about it, I'll let you know. I would like to know how many Armenians live in Japan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashot Posted January 12, 2008 Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 This is the only site I have found on the internet stating how many Armenians are there around the world... Surely I can tell the numbers are old... pay attention or Armenia, Russia, Turkey, and Los Angeles in particular!!! http://www.armeniadiaspora.com/followup/population.html Even though it says there is 10 people in japan, I strongly beleive there must be at least couple of thousand imigrants that are not in the count!!! Same goes for all the other countries, estimated 10,000,000.00 around the world could actually be alittle mroe than 12,500,000.00 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iskouhie Posted January 12, 2008 Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 This is the only site I have found on the internet stating how many Armenians are there around the world... Surely I can tell the numbers are old... pay attention or Armenia, Russia, Turkey, and Los Angeles in particular!!! http://www.armeniadiaspora.com/followup/population.html Even though it says there is 10 people in japan, I strongly beleive there must be at least couple of thousand imigrants that are not in the count!!! Same goes for all the other countries, estimated 10,000,000.00 around the world could actually be alittle mroe than 12,500,000.00 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Thank you for the population by regions. It is very interesting. I'am sure Armenians are not 2.000.000 in Turkey. That was before 1915. And only 10 in Japan ? Who bought the books of the photograph ? I'll examine the other countries. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashot Posted January 12, 2008 Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 actually there should be over 2.2 million armenians in turkey, beleive it or not!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iskouhie Posted January 12, 2008 Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 actually there should be over 2.2 million armenians in turkey, beleive it or not!!! ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Then how do you explain that there are less and less pupils in armenian schools ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashot Posted January 12, 2008 Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 maybe we haven't been searching in the right areas... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iskouhie Posted January 12, 2008 Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 maybe we haven't been searching in the right areas... ------------------------------------------------------------------------------- I asked a friend who lives in Istanbul, he told me that there are no more than 50 000 Armenians in Istanbul, and a few thousands in the rest of Turkey. He says that those people that you think Armenians are assimilated. I was born Armenian, in France, so I have a French culture. My children are nearly assimilated, and my grand-chidren more assimilated. If my father was alive, he would be distressed. It is not our fault. There was no armenian school. My grand- mother used to take us to the Armenian Church in Paris, every sunday, when we were children, but that is not enough. A neighbour taught us to read and write Armenian. That's all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashot Posted January 12, 2008 Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 do your children know they are Armenian? will their children know they are Armenian? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AK-47 Posted January 12, 2008 Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 maybe we haven't been searching in the right areas... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Iskouhie Posted January 12, 2008 Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 do your children know they are Armenian? will their children know they are Armenian? ------------------------------------- oh yes, they know very well our story, they know my parents and ancestors were armenians under turkish domination, but from armenian origin, they know a few words, they want to learn to speak,i have a book, but they have no time, my children work, their children are studying, may be when they are old they will try to learn; everything is possible. Only one of my daughter is able to tell armenian tales, in French, that I have translated for her. She had much success during the year of Armenia in 2007, in many towns. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashot Posted January 12, 2008 Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 Basically, the children of your grandchildren might not even know anything in Armenian, but still know they are Armenian... they might even marry to french and change their last name, they might even just change the last name to make it shorter or whatever, but they are count to be as Armenians, their count is included in the population of Armenians!!! even their grand children will be in the count... there is no way to avoid it... there has millions of armenians that have changed their lastnames to turkish or iranian last names, there has been so many children that were taken in by non Armenian families and kept there safe... they are still Armenians, they are still in the count!!! so by stating that there is over 2 million Armenians in Turkia now is correct! 2 million was counted back in 1998 I remember it so clearly, when they said that everyone was in shock, everyone was saying it's not possible - but it is!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashot Posted January 12, 2008 Report Share Posted January 12, 2008 Ak jan, very informative video, thank you for the link!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zara Posted January 13, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 13, 2008 I think that the reason there are not too many Armenians in Japan is because Japan has a very low immigration rate. The country is too small to furnish more people than it already has. Also, Ashot is right. Everyone is counted, even those who may not consider themselves very Armenian, if at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashot Posted January 13, 2008 Report Share Posted January 13, 2008 Too expensive! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantom22 Posted January 13, 2008 Report Share Posted January 13, 2008 Basically, the children of your grandchildren might not even know anything in Armenian, but still know they are Armenian... they might even marry to french and change their last name, they might even just change the last name to make it shorter or whatever, but they are count to be as Armenians, their count is included in the population of Armenians!!! even their grand children will be in the count... there is no way to avoid it... there has millions of armenians that have changed their lastnames to turkish or iranian last names, there has been so many children that were taken in by non Armenian families and kept there safe... they are still Armenians, they are still in the count!!! so by stating that there is over 2 million Armenians in Turkia now is correct! 2 million was counted back in 1998 I remember it so clearly, when they said that everyone was in shock, everyone was saying it's not possible - but it is!!! There are more Armenians in Japan that one imagines. I see young mixed Armenian-Japanese couples quite often. How do I know they are Armenian? They are speaking Armenian to their buddies (you see it is usually the woman who is Japanese and the man who is Armenian). These guys carry their Japanese girlfiends or wives on their arms like a throphy. You can just feel the electricity between them. Many of these guys are in the jewelry trade. Ditto for the Armenian population in the USA, which is much greater than the numbers show. Very often I come by an "odar" who turns out to be either 100% Armenian or a mix, but has no Armenian last name. There are hidden Armenians scattered throughout the USA, even in places such as Wyoming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ashot Posted January 13, 2008 Report Share Posted January 13, 2008 100% hamamitem qo asatsi het! Ch@ morananq vor mer hayer@ shate sirum "XOPAN" gnal hetevyal@ chi kareli antesel, kan tasnyak hazaravor erexaner voronts mayrer@ Hayen, bayts hayrer@ heten gnatsel Hayastan yev aylevs chen veradartsel! Ayt yerexaner@ metsanalov imanumen vor irents hayrer@ Hayen yeghel yev shat mets hetaqrqrutsyamb irents netumen depi Hayeri koghm pndelov vor irenqelen Hay!!! der chem hashvi arnum aqsorvats hayerin voronq unetselen 2 kin, mek@ Hayastanum myusnel aqsorum! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zara Posted January 19, 2008 Author Report Share Posted January 19, 2008 Ok...so today was the day. I was at the Omni Hotel in downtown LA. It's a nice place. Anyway, the meeting was, in my opinion, not good at all. I mean, it was nice that he showed up and gave his speech but...he never addressed any of the issues with, say, suggestions or ways in order to address them (i.e. no plans of action). It was like re-reading the entire briefing packet, but with salad and water served on the side by a swanky and suave waiter. On top of that, the ambassador 'sugar-coated' everything. He made the many situations in Asia seem very small and unimportant while he kept on trying to reassure us and telling us to be less "pessimistic" about everything. There was an American man who asked a question regarding America's "arrogance, insensitivity, and pushiness" with its policies regarding other countries around the world and how that leads to many people disliking, and even hating, the US in the long run. The ambassador first said (well, first he got upset...maybe even a little angry) that he was going to be upfront and "say it as it is" and then, five minutes later, he says that other people and countries do not dislike the country and that if the US didn't do anything than the world would not be the same as it is because other countries and organizations wouldn't do anything to solve the problems in the world. Basically, the US has power and money so that means that the US can do anything that is wants. A Korean man asked if the situation in N. Korea (with the abductions and the nuclear developments) were going to be directly tackled by the US in any way. The ambassador said that acting upon the issue is almost as bad as not acting upon it. If the US pushes through and starts taking action then that would destabilize Asia in general. If the US doesn't do anything, it can at least keep the area stable but at the risk of having a nuclear N. Korea. So…says the ambassador …the US should act as the stabilizer of the region and not do anything about it. How does that work??? It seems to me as though, with those prospects, that the area is going to be unstable no matter what the US does. And didn’t he say that the US should do everything in its power to ‘liberate’ the world with whatever policies and actions it wanted to implement??? Then he asked himself (yeah...I know...lame ) if the actions by the US in the mid-east had taken away the efforts that could be made to help with issues in Asia. He went off-topic after asking himself that question. Basically, he said 'no' and started talking about how the president’s job is very difficult (like no one there knew that). He never answered his own question. Here are some quotes I pulled out in my notebook: "The world would not be the world without America and America would not be America without the world." "We don't want to take control of China, but, instead, to lead and liberate it." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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