Shame
You'd think that being a freed hostage would earn you some sympathy, but then,
you wouldn't be Japanese (nytimes). After all, the foreign ministry
told the nation not to go to Iraq.
'You got what you deserve!' one Japanese held up a hand-written sign at the airport where they landed. 'You are Japan's shame,' another wrote on the Web site of one of the hostages. They had 'caused trouble' for everybody. The government, not to be outdone, announced it would bill them $6,000 for airfare.
Treated like criminals, the three have gone into hiding, effectively becoming prisoners inside their own homes. The kidnapped woman was last seen arriving at her parents' house, looking defeated and dazed from taking tranquilizers, flanked by relatives who helped her walk and bow deeply before the media, as a final apology to the nation.
* Ray, 4/26/2004 03:01:08 PM
