Japanese-American is first officer to refuse to go to Iraq

[Sukotto]

It is not as easy as one particular poster here thinks to just "get" Japanese citizenship.

From what I've heard it is very very difficult to obtain Japanese citizenship.
And even if you did, that would not necessarily gain you more respect from Japanese people. From what I have heard, it's better to get permanent residence than to try to get citizenship for those non-native born. Would it just be a matter of looking at you funny for wanting citizenship? Or knowing that they wouldn't have to treat you as a guest any more? I do not know.



For Watada's case this site is run by his mom:
Thank You Life & Travel - Travel. Love. Life. Grattitude.

 

[undrentide]

Like Lt. Watada, I am American with Japanese roots. (Hapa hakujin similarly also) Is there any truth to the assertion that anyone with Japanese blood could apply for Japanese citizenship? And since neither country recognizes dual citizenships, wouldn't you have to renounce one before accepting the other?

I don't think anyone with Japanese blood could apply for Japanese citizenshiop.
If you want to claim Japanese citizenship, basically at least either your father or mother must be a Japanese citizen when you were born.
Japanese nationality law - Wikipedia

 

[KirinMan]

From what I've heard it is very very difficult to obtain Japanese citizenship.
And even if you did, that would not necessarily gain you more respect from Japanese people. From what I have heard, it's better to get permanent residence than to try to get citizenship for those non-native born. Would it just be a matter of looking at you funny for wanting citizenship? Or knowing that they wouldn't have to treat you as a guest any more? I do not know.
For Watada's case this site is run by his mom:
Thank You Life & Travel - Travel. Love. Life. Grattitude.

Sorry about the "mis" quote there, I re thought the first post and edited out that line, I apologize to you Sukotto for it messing you up here.

I agree with this too. SOme people with never accept you as being Japanese even if you have citizenship, you will always be seen as a gaijin. There is a rather (in?) famous "former" American living in Japan by the name of Debito Arudo who dropped his citizenship and took Japanese citizenship. He still reports cases of being denied access to hot springs because they refuse entrance to all "gaijin". Yet his passport is Japanese, and he has shown it to people as well. Well that's a different story.

I guess there are benefits for some people, particularly those that have no desire to return to their native country. Some for business purposes some for other reasons. I have PR status here and have no desire to take on citizenship at least until Japanese recognizes dual citizens.

But I am not holding my breath here either.

 

[sabro]

I thought the citizenship thing seemed shakey.

Also- double jeapordy usually doesn't attach in a mistrial... prosecutors are usually able to refile the charges right away.

 

[jonathancameron]

From what I've heard it is very very difficult to obtain Japanese citizenship.
And even if you did, that would not necessarily gain you more respect from Japanese people. From what I have heard, it's better to get permanent residence than to try to get citizenship for those non-native born. Would it just be a matter of looking at you funny for wanting citizenship? Or knowing that they wouldn't have to treat you as a guest any more? I do not know.
For Watada's case this site is run by his mom:
Thank You Life & Travel - Travel. Love. Life. Grattitude.

Did you know that Kikokushijos Isseis who were born in Japan but lived in say US or Canada since they were little, when they repatriate, they are NOT treated like guests? I heard that they envy us a bit for never having that wonderful Japan that we white folks get to experience. They never get that sugoi, sono nihongo, despite being ten times better than myself, who got constant praises.

 

[Capster78]

You're pro-war and that's great.
ha. just kidding.....just kidding.
Iraq did not, nor was imminently about to attack the US.
Thus it was not preemptive.
The administration attacked Iraq on the theory that they might someday in the future attack the US (with presum... claimed, fabricated words of WMDs)
Going on the basis that Iraq is an illegal war, no soldier has an obligation to obey any order to fight in it. In fact might even have a legal obligation not to. Since soldiers have a legal obligation to disobey illegal orders. They are not legally obligated to "just follow orders". (I am not a lawyer, so do not listen to me. Ah, circles....
If you don't like the war in Iraq why do believe US soldiers should be there, "not make friends", and kill people who are not their/our enemy?

I really don't know where to start with this thread. There are so many posters I dissagree with. As a current military member who signed up during the Iraq conflict I will weigh in with my opinion.
As a civilian you have the right to protest the war as a military member you do not. Nor do you have the choice to decide the legality of the war. Before you sign the dotted line as a CIVILIAN you have made the choice you will follow the lawfull orders of your commanding officers and thouse who reside over you. The war in Iraq has not been considerd illegal by the US or Internationally. If military members were allowed to pick and choose what they are going to do and not do based on their ideology then our military would fold in on itself and become ineffective. Once you join the military you understand that you are allowed to have an opinion but you have to seperate your opinion from your duty to do your job if they conflict. My opinions often conflict with what im told to do on a daily basis but because the people who tell me what to do have the authority to do so based on rank I am obligated to fullfill that duty. I don't have to like it but I am obligated because I choose to agree to that obligation when I joined the military. This is why I get so upset when people from host countries tell me to "go home" because we are not wanted in their country. Personally, I do not want to be in a country that does not want me there but I do not have the choice to be here or not. So think about that next time you encounter a servicemember from the US. They may share your views and you don't even know it. We do not have the luxury of deciding where we are going to live or what we are going to decide to do or not. We can not just quit our jobs. We do however have a choice once it comes time to renew our contracts. All military members have a choice in the end. We sign up for 4-6 year contracts in the Air force. I believe the army has some people on 2 year contracts. We can decide at that time if our ideology clashes so much with what we are being told to do. We can simply opt to not extend our contract which makes us civilian again. However, we still do have an obligation to the military usually 4 years after our contracts are up. We can get recalled any time during that time period to serve again. This is also understood prior to signing a contract to join the military. My point is, we have to do what we are told regaurdless of our personal ideology. This is designed purposefully in order to keep good order and discapline in the military. Without it, the military and the country would fall on its face.
Now, my ideology is the reason why I joined the military. The war in Iraq/Afghanistan is the reason I joined but this is off topic for this thread so I will not go any further with my opinion on the war in Iraq as it belongs in another thread.

 

[Jitenchakun]

Enlisting

I signed up for the delayed entry program in the U. S. Army when I was 17. Soon after, my friends persuaded me to back out before I actually enlisted. There were many reasons aside from personal safety. The main reason was not having a choice to do as I believed. Over the years, I've come to trust our government less & less. Thank goodness I didn't sign away my right to choose my own destiny! That being said, this guy seems to have made poor choices. It is significant that he offers to go to Afghanistan, & I think the war in Iraq is illegal, but he should not have signed up in the first place. Just my opinion.

 

[Capster78]

I signed up for the delayed entry program in the U. S. Army when I was 17. Soon after, my friends persuaded me to back out before I actually enlisted. There were many reasons aside from personal safety. The main reason was not having a choice to do as I believed. Over the years, I've come to trust our government less & less. Thank goodness I didn't sign away my right to choose my own destiny! That being said, this guy seems to have made poor choices. It is significant that he offers to go to Afghanistan, & I think the war in Iraq is illegal, but he should not have signed up in the first place. Just my opinion.

While it is true, once you join the military you give up some freedoms, you dont really give up your rights in any way. Some of your rights may be a little more limited but they are still there. It's probably a good thing you did not go thru with your decision to join the army because you obviously had the wrong idea about what the military was like before you joined. Many people sign the dotted line before reasearching what to expect and what is expected of them. Being in the military is truly a service you provide your country because you give up some of your freedoms to do what your country needs you to do. It comes down to your ideology. If anyone on here is in the Air Force you know what our values are as they are hammerd into our heads from day one. Sometimes I roll my eyes when I hear someone say these words because I think they are all ate up. Integrity, Service before self, and excelence in all we do. But they do ring true.