"Andy Hall" wrote in message
...

I would be extremely disappointed if it were sackcloth and ashes. Over
half a century, or a couple of generations, means it is definitely part
of history. I believe they've still got the laws in place to prevent a
similar thing happening again, and I think this is a good thing -
learning from history is sensible (mmm, Afghanistan...), but otherwise it
really is far enough away that it is well past the time to forgive and
move on.

Forgive. Possible for most, not for some.

Forget. No, and that would be wrong...

Indeed - history isn't about forgetting, rather the opposite.

(now if one were eg berating the Japanese for some of their current
cultural problems, I'd not be arguing so much...)

One thing that I have learned over many years of traveling and meeting
people in a wide range of countries and cultures is that it really isn't
appropriate to berate them for theirs. They are what they are and I
think that it's bogus to propose changes for the purposes of "betterment"
(meaning do what we do).

I suspect you may be thinking of different "problems" to those I'm thinking
of. I was remembering what I've heard that being Gaijin in the country
presents problems beyond the obvious language and cultural barriers. Not
severe, but still relevant to the topic which started this subthread.

FWIW would you say that the significantly more severe problems which regimes
like those in Burma present "are what they are", or are worthy of berating
(though probably not while actually in the country...)

Perhaps people don't actually want McDonalds, Starbucks and Nikes.

I sympathise with that view, but that's a different matter.

clive