I’ve written before about how one of the least enjoyable aspects of living in Japan is having to be so close to North Korea. Whether it’s kidnapping at least 17 Japanese citizens to serve as language teachers for North Korean spies, engaging in state-sponsored programs to flood Japan with illegal drugs and counterfeit 10,000 yen bills or shooting “peaceful space satellites” over the Japanese islands, living this close to the world’s craziest country is just no fun. Now things are getting tense again, with North Korea making noises about launching missile(s) again sometime after April 10, perhaps to mark the 1-year anniversary of Dear Leader Kim Jong-un’s rule or the 101st birthday of his grandfather Kim Il-Sung, who Wikipedia informs me is the designated “Eternal President” of North Korea. The country does seem somewhat obsessed with dates. After Japanese singer and illusionist Princess Tenko traveled to North Korea to perform in a gesture of goodwill, then-president Kim Jong-Il (the really creepy one) reportedly became obsessed with her. He tried to entice her into staying in North Korea, and when she refused and returned to Tokyo she started getting harassed by North Korean agents who would call her and plead with her to return, always calling exactly at either 2:16 P.M. or 2:16 A.M. (Kim Jong-Il’s birthday is Feb 16). Of course, we’re not really that concerned with these latest threats, since we’ve been here before, but on the off chance that this is J-List’s last update, thanks for all your support, and hope you enjoyed the shimapan!
Missiles from North Korea, another example of #GaijinWorldProbems
