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Opinion

Aoki Case Shows Cultural Differences

By CHRISTINE CUNANAN-NOMURA


青木大使と文化の違い

ペルー大使公邸人質事件が解決したあとの記者会見で、青木大使がたばこを吸っていたのが不謹慎だという批判の声が聞かれた。それでは、腰を低くし、謝罪の態度を取るべきだったのか? 筆者は、日本人と外国人の間では、大使の態度の受けとめ方に違いがある—と論じる。

The furor over the press conference appearance of former Japanese Ambassador to Peru Morihisa Aoki at the end of the Lima hostage crisis has almost died down. Nevertheless I'm writing about it because it shows a cultural gap between Japan and many other countries. It's always good to be aware of how other people perceive the same situation to create a balanced perspective. Not without great influence from the Japanese press, Japanese society's relief at the end of the crisis soon turned into disdain and anger at Ambassador Aoki's behavior during the interview.

My husband and I both watched Ambassador Aoki on television. Interestingly, we had opposite opinions. "He should have been sorry for all this trouble," my husband said. "And he shouldn't have been smoking!"

"What has smoking got to do with his being a good ambassador or not?" I replied. "It's easy for you to severely criticize him since you weren't the one who was a hostage for months, not knowing whether you were going to live or die. I think it's a very normal and acceptable thing to smoke especially since we all know he was under so much stress."

"He didn't even act like he was sorry for all this," my husband continued. "He was so arrogant."

"What should he be sorry about?" I countered. "The hostage crisis may have been his responsibility as the top Japanese authority in Peru, but everyone knows he couldn't have prevented such an incident.

"Besides, the party he hosted was not a private party but an official reception that most Japanese embassies plan every year on December 23," I added. "And in some countries, such parties really are large because embassies want to avoid offending locals by not including them. The local society expects it."

This discussion continued with both of us in disagreement. Personally, I felt I could understand Ambassador Aoki's situation very well. My father is also an ambassador and I come from a country where large receptions are normal and, until recently, terrorism was a way of life in the countryside.

Growing up in such an environment, I learned that terrorist targets could take precautions but could really do little else to protect themselves. The most determined rebels will always find a way to carry out their plans. Meanwhile people have to go on with their lives as normally as possible.

I also felt that foreign journalists would have thought it strange and wimpish if Ambassador Aoki had appeared at the conference red-eyed and apologetic particularly in view of the "macho society" of Central American countries and the determination and aggressiveness showed by Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori and his government. If Ambassador Aoki had acted meekly, the stark contrast with the Peruvians would have been surprising, funny and unflattering to Japanese.

So to many foreigners, Ambassador Aoki upheld Japanese pride by his actions. Isn't that what an ambassador is supposed to do?


Shukan ST: Aug. 8, 1997

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