Earlier today in Japan, a special security committee okayed legislation that expands the Japanese military’s role. People outside the Diet building protested as did lawmakers did inside the assembly. And folks on Twitter? They made memes.
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This is a serious moment in Japanese history as the bills are a reinterpretation of the country’s pacifist constitution, allowing Japan to take a more proactive military role. The legislation is slated to go to the lower house for a Thursday vote, where, according to Bloomberg, it is likely to pass.
Politicians held up signs that said they were against the politics of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe as well as against the way the legislation is being rammed through.
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Some Twitter users decides the unsual tableau of politicians holding up protest signs would make terrific meme fodder. Thus, there’s now a “shit Photoshop gran prix.”
Picture: ThxSMITH_De
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More here.
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One of the signs reads, “I want to watch adult videos for free,” while another reads, “We demand to watch x-rated videos.”
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The text at the bottom is asking politicians to show photos of their “daughters.”
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“Very cheap sushi.” “Sushi.” “Cheap.” “Delicious.” “Sushi.” “Sushi.” Sushi.” And so on…
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The signs read things like, “I’m anti shit Photoshops” and “Don’t turn this into a meme.” Too late.
Comments
5 responses to “Japanese Political Protest Turned Into A Photoshop Meme”
For those wondering what they’re actually protesting about, currently Japan has pacifism enshrined in its constitution (a requirement of peace with the US after WW2) which limits their military to ‘self defense’ only and their overseas military deployments to UN-sanctioned peacekeeping.
Initially they wanted to amend the constitution, but couldn’t gain support so they’re making some extremely unpopular legislation changes instead. The changes essentially re-interpret the constitution using some apparently shonky logic to allow overseas deployments on other grounds. The element that is getting people most upset seems to be that it will allow Japan to deploy troops to ‘protect allies’, and people are worried this will mean Japan gets dragged into the US’s wars.
I’d be pissed with that too, wait, I am pissed about that, I don’t want Australia in wars the US shouldn’t be in either.
Thanks for the explanation, have an upvote.
Potential solution: military medical personnel are allowed to carry firearms, for self defense. So increase the medical military facilities, and offer them as aid to those foreign deployments of troops.
At the risk of a bad pun, I call this a ” bandaid solution”.
It’s an interesting movement coming up to the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII. The pacifist constitution can be seen as a form of apology for what imperialist Japan did back in the day. Germany has already had a similar change in their military stance as primarily for defense, with the term defense applying to international peacekeeping in order to ‘defend’ Germany from conflict. They did this about 19 years ago.
Apparently Japan’s PM is setting up for a speech next month addressing this. I’m interested in what he will say, especially with China, the US and Korea listening.
Going political, what possible benefit is there for Japan in jumping into a US led “peacekeeping” mission?
I can’t imagine that the USN base at Yokosuka or the Marine base on Okinawa aren’t potential talking points either.