12 Comments

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  northlondon at 12:01 PM JST - 14th April

  What a joke. Has Zoellick ever seen TV over here ?

  If it's not gluttony competitions (the Prime Minister even hosted Gal Sone the other day), then it's the world's longest yakitori.

  This country is an embarrassment when it comes to over-eating and food wastage.

  Zoellick has chosen the wrong place to help him.

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  some14some at 12:17 PM JST - 14th April

  northlondon, Zoellic is asking Japan to take lead in **discussion only **and that should not be the problem.

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  jerseyboy at 12:39 PM JST - 14th April

  some14some...spot on. The Japanese can be counted on to discuss something -- ad nauseum. But, taking any pro-active action in a leadership manner would be out of the question. Hell, Japan has like a 500% tarriff on rice to protect their rice farmers. Which they will never voluntarily reduce in order to stimulate free worldwide agricultural trade/lower prices. Fukuda can not do anything but talk. His hands are tied by the LDP-led lobby that protects the agricultural interests.

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  rjd_jr at 01:06 PM JST - 14th April

  Robert needs to shut his mouth, "leaders" need to stop harping on Japan to take leadership role here, money there, etc. etc. Japan's only good for its money and resources, and nothing else. Why help when Japan's help for others in needs is continuously ridiculed, scorned, and accused of ulterior motives. If I were Japan's leaders, I'd say, screw these ungrateful cretins.

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  rjd_jr at 02:08 PM JST - 14th April

  I fail to see the connection between competitive eating, creating large amounts of food, and whatnot have anything to do with a country's ability to assist other nations in their food problems. Last time I checked competitive eating was huge where I live, they create world record food items all the time, and have all sorts of eating issues, yet that does not mean it can't help others food problems. Totally irrelevant issues as always.

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  northlondon at 02:46 PM JST - 14th April

  rjd_jr,

  What an uneducated response.

  If you cannot see the utter hypocrisy about a country that promotes shameful food-bingeing programmes (let's not call it competitive eating please) on prime-time TV and which makes stars out of it's champion gluttons and draws in large amounts of TV advertising from the food corporations for those TV programmes, being quoted in a complimentary way as a country helping the World Bank's policies on hunger, malnutrition and starvation, then you don't get it at all and I can't help you.

  Whether you like it or not, television has a powerful influence on young people and the rest of the nation, so instead of making stars out of these pigs how about making stars out of those who work hard for the food assistance charities ?

  You just don't get it rjd_jr so I can't help you.

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  nigelboy at 02:56 PM JST - 14th April

  Sorry northlondon. I agree with rjd jr. I don't see the connection.

  What does competitive eating have to do with a certain nation's ability to contribute to world hunger? The "uneducated response" is yours.

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  Sarge at 03:03 PM JST - 14th April

  "developing nations' food problems"

  Lessee... too many people... not enough food...

  Solution 1 - cut the number of people. Nah...

  Solution 2 - produce more food. Sounds like a winner!

  Seriously, Japan can help developing countries to do this, even if they have some world class competitive eaters.

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  rjd_jr at 03:06 PM JST - 14th April

  Actually northlondon, there's nothing hypocritical at all about this news blurb. The World Bank is the one asking Japanese leaders to assist in helping with food problems, and one of the key things Japan can assist with is its agricultural expertise. Japan's not asking or offering anything, the other world leaders are, so exactly who or what is being hypocritical here?

  Now, the only way anyone or any group can be hypocritical is if it offers their opinions on an issue which they are directly guilty of. For example, China complaining about the olympic torch issue and all the world protests is pure hypocrisy, because the Chi comm government themselves have encouraged protests and stirring up hatreds towards other countries. So nothing at all about this news blurb remotely resembles hypocrisy. Once again you are so determined to find fault with everything Japanese that you make false assumptions and non issues.

  And again, what is on t.v. is absolutely irrelevant to a country's leaders and government. Competitive eating is big where I live (I'm sure you heard of the 4th of July Coney Island hot dog thing right). Huge numbers of people have eating disorders. And western nation after western nation have entertainment that is totally immoral and ludicrous (including the UK). Yet what relevance does that have anything to do with the government or political matters.

  Oh, I forget, this is Japan we are dealing with. My bad, different rules apply. I think I get it.

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  northlondon at 03:31 PM JST - 14th April

  nigelboy/ rjd_jr,

  Who said anything about Japan being able or not able to contribute financially ? The whole world knows that Japan can throw large amounts of money at various funds and charities to compensate for it's lack of political correctness.

  I'm talking about the importance of education and educating your nation. So when Japanese people get their influences from television and the media, instead of saying 'the food at that restaurant where Gal Sone is stuffing her face looks nice, let's go and eat there sometime' they could actually be saying 'this programme about the food charity was interesting, I'd like to contribute a little money towards that charity'.

  Moderator: Readers, references to speed eating contests are not relevant to this discussion. Back on topic please.

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  okapake at 09:06 PM JST - 14th April

  rjd_jr said - "Japan can assist with is its agricultural expertise"/

  They cannot even feed their own people, importing 60% of what they consume!

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  westurn at 02:26 PM JST - 16th April

  Bickering aside folks, This sounds like a brilliant idea and a possible new strategy to get Japan to square away it's own closed food markets. I mean really, what better way to get the Japanese to publicly talk about their own digressions than to ask them to teach the world about "the Japanese" way. Once the Japanese start to explain how they interfere in the markets, protect their farmers at the expense of the consumers, and engage in programs that limit production and drive up costs... well, I'm sure they will realize how laughable they have become.

  I think this is great ! And I can't wait to hear the pack of lies the Japanese government will try to spew the first few months. Let the fun begin !

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