Eye-Opening Cover Page of NEWSWEEK JAPAN EDITION: "OBAMA UNWORTHY OF NOBEL PRIZE" (My Translation)

Newsweek Japan (Japanese language version) Oct 21, 2009 Issue ^ | October 14, 2009 | Newsweek Japan (translation)

[AmericanInTokyo]

Out on stands in Japan today!

Title:

"Obama Wa Nobel-sho Ni Ataeshinai" ("Obama Unworthy of Nobel Prize")

Sub-title caption (also on cover overlay of monochrome Obama photo):

""The Idiocy Of Him Receiving Such An Award, With Less The One Year In Office With No Accomplishment"

[AmericanInTokyo]

My translation.

Have at it.

URL link here to online version of Newsweek Japan, which can be purchased in Japanese bookstores and kiosks.

Have not read the article yet, but should be a good one (unless it is riddled with, "but on the other hand" equivocation) like Business Week and others tend to do, without coming to a clear conclusion.

Point of order: Is this also on the Newsweek US Edition Front Page? Just wondering.....

I might also add as a general observation over here that more and more mainstream articles and books in Japan are coming out these days with the premise that Mr Obama may well not serve out his entire term, for a variety of reasons. Interesting Japanese analysis, very critical eye(s).

[AmericanInTokyo]

ping!

[library user]

I added this to “breaking news.” Mod can remove if deemed overboard. I thought this was such a great post because, wait, I thought the ENTIRE WORLD loved Obama. That isn’t so? /sarc

[library user]

"The Idiocy Of Him Receiving Such An Award, With Less The One Year In Office With No Accomplishment"

BUMP!

[Eye of Unk]

Anyone making Obama sepukku (sp?) jokes yet?

[B.Lyle]

“The Idiocy Of Him Receiving Such An Award, With Less The One Year In Office With No Accomplishment”

‘That hurts my feelings.’ as Hillary would say.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Thanks.

Even the high brow "Sentaku" Monthly Magazine for October, carries three articles on Obama.

The one that will be of interest to Freepers is:

早くも「オバマ再選」危うしの声 「怒れる市民」じわじわと

"Even So Early On, Voices Questioning "Obama Reelection"

Subtitle: "[Angry American Citizens], Gradually and Gradually"

Sentaku October Issue (nothing to laugh about or dismiss, White House jackass lurkers):

[AmericanInTokyo]

No but his teflon sure has worn off pretty quickly in Japan, I would say. Methinks, having north korean missiles launched at you repeatedly with a chinese fire drill in D.C. each time in response, will do that to a (japanese) guy....

[SunkenCiv]

Olbermann and Chrissy will be calling for a declaration of war against Japan any minute now.

[snowsislander]

"Obama Wa Nobel-sho Ni Ataeshinai" ("Obama Unworthy of Nobel Prize")

BTTT.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Oh, don't worry Olberwoman and Chrissy. There just may be a Freeper--at least one--who loathes modern day, postwar Japan even more than terrible Red China or Blood Curdling North Korea right next door. Just you watch. ;-)

[AmericanInTokyo]

thanks. hi to you...

[library user]

No problem. Hoping Drudge will pick up your post here and link to the Japanese Newsweek cover .jpeg image, as well as report that sub-caption. It’s the sub-caption I like the most and that has the most damning effect.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Agreed.

I am sure Drudge will get it up there, if some of the morning talk show hosts or Beck or somebody doesnt beat him to it.

I was laughing for 1/2 a block in Tokyo after seeing that at a bookstore during lunch today. lol going to go buy it now, i think

[Lazamataz]

The whole world LAUGHS at the Ignoble Piss Nonprize committee, and at Obama.

What a wonderful way to wake up this morning. :)

[AmericanInTokyo]

would you care for some green tea this morning with your weekly magazine, sire?? :-) thanks

[Lazamataz]

Dear sir, the Schaedenfreud is best taken with coffee. :)

[newfreep]

"...more and more mainstream articles and books in Japan are coming out these days with the premise that Mr Obama may well not serve out his entire term, for a variety of reasons. Interesting Japanese analysis, very critical eye(s)."

Birthers or other reason(s)?

[KarlInOhio]

"Obama Wa Nobel-sho Ni Ataeshinai" ("Obama Unworthy of Nobel Prize")

Sub-title caption (also on cover overlay of monochrome Obama photo):

""The Idiocy Of Him Receiving Such An Award, With Less The One Year In Office With No Accomplishment"

Obama addresses a joint session of Congress to tell them "No, this is the date that will truly live in infamy. The other one was minor compared to this."

[spokeshave]

New tag line...in the interest of "multi-culturalism"....

But the unjumping shark is cute....

Mnt tnks

[TexasNative2000]

Nobel Prize winner
Dear Leader of the Free World
Only in Left's dreams

[thethirddegree]

Thank you for your post. American media, with the exception of Fox News, is totally subservient to Obama. I have also thought that he would not finish his first term for a variety of reasons. I would be interested in knowing what the Japanese rationale would be for Obama leaving before his first term is finished.

[missnry]

The only people that did not gasp when word came out about Obama's "Political Special Olympics Gold Medal" from Alfred Nobel were the people that worship lord Zero.

This Dummies book will be in your local bookstore shortly.

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

Wow.

Thanks for posting this.

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

Quick question.

Is this line of analysis in keeping with how they usually present these articles, or has there been a shift with the new (more anti-American) party elected recently?

[Sasquatch the Original]

My Translation - Godzilla Attacks Tokyo 8-)

[Madame Dufarge]

Do you have any particular take on this?

Japanese learn English from Obama speeches

[Bushbacker1]

Anyone making Obama sepukku (sp?) jokes yet?

Only on Fridays.

But, I did hear he won the "jackass of all trades" award.

[Eagle Eye]

What do you mean Obama has no accomplishments?

He won the Nobel Peace Prize didn’t he?

[FourtySeven]

Haha! Thanks for the report; maybe some of the news talkers will pick this thread up (especially Rush) to spread the word.

[MindBender26]

Ah!

So the sun is rising on the Landof the Rising Sun!

[hellbender]

Who will be the assistant chosen to do the traditional lopping off of 0's head to end the agony of seppuku? Rahm the Table-Stabber ("dead! dead! dead!")? Hillary?

[Jeff Head]

[Edgerunner]

Well, liberals destroy anything they touch, so the Nobel Peace Prize has been reduced to a joke.

[CincyRichieRich]

This is fairly big news...our media will of course ignore it.

Someone smarter that me in world affairs please help. Where is Japan in our sphere of allies with respect to the US? Since they were part of the “secret group” who wanted to eliminate using the $USD, where does that leave them and us?

I’ve always wondered/pondered why we aren’t more strongly pushing them to arm themselves...I believe but could be wrong that we’ve eliminated their ban on nuclear weaponry but their liberals running the government bodies don’t want nucs...am I right? Someone correct my points.

[thesearethetimes...]

Much better way to start the day - bump :)

Tatt

[Dr. Ursus]

I guess it’s only the white race of the world that has to indulge the “Dear Leader?”

[AmericanInTokyo]

In some articles—at least those I have seen casually, so-called “Birthers” are in fact referred to, but they are not a central piece of the analyses. It actually does dominate the chapter of one new Japanese book out (which I have not bought but which I reported from Tokyo on FR on about a month ago). As I said, a variety of reasons seems to be mentioned. One had resignation due to pressure, some kind of (scenario) of being forced out due to scandal, mental cracking, and others.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Some view into that could be gained in the recent post I just put up.

The Sentaku article, however, (at least from the title of it) clearly says Mr. Obama is heading for a situation where he will not be reelected, due primarily to dissatisfaction by the American People.

It is interesting to have these articles only nine months into his regime, isn't it?

[envisio]

We are headed from one extreme to the other.

Obama and his followers will be shocked to learn that not everyone in the world thinks he is Christ risen.

[Bahbah]

that Mr Obama may well not serve out his entire term, for a variety of reasons

Now that is fascinating.

[NonValueAdded]

Excellent work, AiT. You’re FR’s #1 foreign correspondent. I trust Japan realizes they are on their own for the next few years.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Thank you. I might also add here that my Japanese to English translation of the sub-caption is that which is actually ON the magazines one sees in the stores tonight here. The online version carried some slightly different Japanese sub-title, but essentially the same thing.

I thought the words used (if there are any old Japan hands out there, Navy/Army/AirForce/Marine guys who were here, karate dojo types, even misssionaries, or what not they will recognize the Japanese "baka"　馬鹿 ) which means a fool, or an idiot, an imbecile. Bakarashii　馬鹿らしい means a variety, such as "idiotic, extravagant, absurd, unbelievable, preposterous, unreasonable", and so on and so forth. It is used in the sub-caption. I also think Newsweek International Edition came out this week, with a Christopher Hitchens article, and it too had a monochrome picture of The One, and simply said (in English of course), "He Does Not Deserve It". Saw that in Japan today, too. Quite power cover pages. Lovin it.

[JoyjoyfromNJ]

This thread was a happy moment this morning! Thank you for posting (and translating).

[Zeppelin]

Well I heard that Obama tried to perform seppuku, but rose from the dead a few hours later.

[AmericanInTokyo]

A) it has nothing to do with recent Japanese elections, B) the new Administration here is not particularly "anti-American", and the DPJ itself has both warm, to not so warm vis a vis USA, factions. Overall the change is not as dramatic as some would suspect and as US press has stoked.

The Newsweek Japan thing I would say does seem to reflect more critical Japanese reporting in recent months on Obama. Whether that engenders overall Obama Fatigue (OF), or simply they want to sell more papers, or what not, I am wondering myself, but it is indeed growing phenomenon--(and most welcome at that I might add), although vast segments of official Japanese media still do tend to portray The Messiah in a rather positive, uncritical or neutral light, akin to their US colleagues. Probably as he stumbles more in international affairs, particularly in Asia, the pace will pick up and will be quite a different tone in two or three years' time, compared to their treating him like an exciting new brand of laptop or manga series that was released. They had all the public in a tizzy as the US media did with the US public, same phemonenon. Perhaps they are snapping out of their funk earlier than the US MSM, because they do not have direct, beholden interests which would otherwise force them, like the US MSM, to parrot the official US government/controlled press line. They may have independence and distance in that regard. In fact--yes, I would say they do. Particularly good dailies like Sankei Shimbun.

[polymuser]

When has he ever declined something he didn't deserve?
How often has he taken credit for the work of others?

[HollyB]

I believe AIT said the teflon wore off - this is an overall public view.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Yes, those tapes and DVDs are still out--to help Japanese give speeches or presentations or just to learn English. They had them for (John) Kennedy, I think for Clinton too. Also, I saw them for Reagan, so they were at least balanced. I saw Japanese listening on headphones and reading those books on subways in Tokyo, in the waaaaay early days of Obama Administration, when he was still a hot, unique, worthy-of-worship status and before his international crown had fallen off, and as a mere mortal, he fell to earth.

You can find them in J-bookstores, but they are no longer prominent as before. More critical, serious stuff is emerging. Good stuff, too, I might add, regarding Hussein.

[AmericanInTokyo]

Japanese articles are saying that yes, the stature of said award itself has been somewhat diminished. I even saw the Japanese word for “lightened” as in “of lesser substance or importance” as a result of this cavalier awarding for political purposes by the Euros—in one of the articles recently.