Joi has a fascinating blog entry trying to interpret to us non-Japanese the reception the released hostages received. An excerpt:

I think one of the things that made many Japanese I know upset were the parents of the hostages making public statements about how the government should help get the hostages back without apologizing first about causing trouble for the government. Even if they didn’t believe it, it would be proper Japanese etiquette to say this first…

In the comments is a link to this long and moving account by Marine Lieutenant Colonel M.R. Strobl of his experience escourting the body of Lance Corporal Chance Phelps back to his home town.

Categories: misc dw