＜prologue＞
I started a blog called “The Baby Boomer Generation’s Miscellaneous Blog”（Dankai-sedai no garakutatyou:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳） in July 2018, about a year before I fully retired. More than six years have passed since then, and the number of articles has increased considerably.
So, in order to make them accessible to people who don’t understand Japanese, I decided to translate my past articles into English and publish them.
It may sound a bit exaggerated, but I would like to make this my life’s work.
It should be noted that haiku and waka （Japanese short fixed form poems） are quite difficult to translate into English, so some parts are written in Japanese.
If you are interested in haiku or waka and would like to know more, please read introductory or specialized books on haiku or waka written in English.
I also write many articles about the Japanese language. I would be happy if these inspire more people to want to learn Japanese.
my blog’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多（がらくた）帳 | 団塊世代が雑学や面白い話を発信しています
my X’s URL:団塊世代の我楽多帳（@historia49）さん / X
１．”Popular Uprising” in Japan
In the past, Japan has experienced some popular uprisings, such as ‘Hyakusho Ikki’ (peasant rebellions), ‘Uchikowashi’ (urban dweller rebellions), ‘Ikko Ikki’ (rebellions by followers of the Jodo Shinshu sect), and ‘Rice Riots’ (protests against skyrocketing rice prices), but it did not produce a large-scale revolutionary movement like the French Revolution.
On May 19, 1946 , just after the end of the war, the “Food May Day” (People’s Rice Acquisition Conference) was held in the plaza in front of the Imperial Palace.
This was a protest rally against the government’s “delays in food rationing,” and 250,000 people gathered against the backdrop of the rise of the socialist movement after the war.
At this protest rally, a Communist Party member was charged with lèse majesté for holding up a placard that read.
“The national polity of the Emperor system has been protected. I have had a luxurious meal and am full. You people should starve to death.”
I feel that the content of this placard is a direct reference to Kim Jong Un of North Korea.
２．The possibility of a North Korean “popular uprising” topples the Kim dynasty’s “dictatorial and terror-ridden regime”
According to stories of defectors, the current situation in North Korea is likely far worse than the food shortages experienced in Japan after the war.
And it appears that what is happening is “oppression,” “suppression of freedom of speech,” “violation of human rights,” and “information blackout” that exceeds the suffering of the French people on the eve of the French Revolution.
I believe the only way to “normalize” North Korea is to overthrow the Kim dynasty’s “dictatorial and terror-ridden regime” through a “popular uprising.” The key to making this happen is to get the “correct information about a liberal and capitalist society” to the North Korean people with the cooperation of former ruling class figures such as former envoy to the UK Thae Yong-ho, who defected to South Korea. To achieve this, we must thoroughly corner Kim Jong-un without relaxing the “sanctions.”
“Free Joseon,” which protected the son of the assassinated Kim Jong-nam, recently declared the “establishment of a provisional government,” which means a new movement has emerged. “Free Joseon” is a renamed organization called “Chollima Civil Defense,” which seems to have previously supported Kim Jong-nam in opposition to Kim Jong-un.
I think it is up to the North Korean people to decide whether to “regenerate” as a socialist state or to unify the two Koreas as a capitalist state. However, if they unify as a capitalist state, South Korea will have to suffer from the huge negative legacy of North Korea, just like Germany.
The images broadcast by North Korea’s state-run television are still filled with parades showing off military power and the affluent and contented expressions of Pyongyang’s citizens. I think this is propaganda very similar to the “Imperial Headquarters Announcements” of prewar Japan.
Kim Jong-un has been hereditary for three generations, following Kim Il-sung and Kim Jong-il.Although it calls itself the “Socialist People’s Republic,” in reality it is the “Kim dynasty.” It is no different from the French “Bourbon dynasty” (Louis dynasty).
Moreover, Kim Jong-un does not care about improving the lives of his people, but instead pours public funds into strengthening his military, including nuclear development. Even when ordinary people are suffering from food shortages and famine, and people are starving to death, he continues to act selfishly by asking the United Nations for “humanitarian aid” and “economic assistance.” It is the responsibility of those in power to protect the lives and safety of their people.
Furthermore, the general public of North Korea is blocked from receiving any information from the Internet from abroad, preventing them from learning about the freedom of speech and prosperity that exists in countries like the West, Japan, and South Korea.
The only people living a wealthy life are the “privileged class” consisting of Kim Jong-un’s family, his close aides, senior officials and their families.
In North Korea, the Kim Dynasty rules by terror and has a system of informants, and any coups or riots are suppressed before they happen, and the ringleaders are executed.
３．”Second U.S.-North Korea Summit” on February 27-28, 2019
I feel very uncomfortable seeing Chairman Kim Jong-un, who is only concerned with maintaining his dictatorial regime, holding a farcical second summit with US President Trump at the end of February.
It is difficult to understand President Trump’s willingness to turn a blind eye to the truth that Chairman Kim Jong-un is bringing about an economic crisis and food crisis himself by engaging in human rights suppression, information blackouts, counterfeit dollar bill production, drug manufacturing, and cyber attacks, and yet he is trying to help guarantee the Kim dynasty’s regime.
It is a blessing in disguise that the talks broke down without reaching an agreement between the United States and North Korea.
I believe that now is the time for the U.S. Secretary of State and Secretary of Defense, as well as rational Republican lawmakers, to stop President Trump’s erroneous rampage and prevent him from making any further concessions to North Korea.
I sincerely hope that the Japanese government will not be fooled by the lie of North Korea’s “denuclearization,” a lie that has been repeated so many times, and will not provide “humanitarian aid” or “economic assistance” to North Korea.