Fuurin Kazan Blog (October 30, 2007)

Translated by: gekka_no_neko (@LJ)

Please do not copy, take, redistribute, retranslate or repost this translation without my permission. Thank you~

10/30 Nagao Kagetora (Uesugi Kenshin) Gackt

“Asians” as a keyword

My dream is that “Asia will become one” and that “the people[1] will become one.” But when I say things like that, people will often think, “that’s impossible.” I guess it’s because my goal is just too big.

Still, just as Kagetora observed the dispute between vassals and lamented, “Generals from the same country are foolishly at war with each other,” I myself really wonder why fellow Asians must fight and hate each other. 

I’ve been continuing my activities in Asia all this time, but I have never used the word “Japanese”. The way I put it is, “I am an ‘Asian’, and I am Japanese[2]; an Asian from Japan.” This word “Asian” is a keyword, and I believe it’d be great if this word would spread all across Asia.

In reality, it’s not politics that ties together and narrows the gap between countries or the hearts of the people who live in those countries. There’s no doubt that its culture. If we can accept each others’ culture, then we can accept the people who created that culture. Politics can then be based on that foundational relationship. I think the awareness of that fact is still weak, or in other words, the value of culture is being underestimated.

That’s why I want to continue using music and images to convey and to deliver this thing called culture. I believe that when the word “Asian” becomes a common keyword that everyone uses, the walls formed by countries will be crossed, and Asia and its people will become one.

Notes:
[1] minzoku (民族): nation; people; race; ethnic group.
[2] In this sentence, he actually says "I am an 'Asian', and I am a Japanese among Asians; an Asian from Japan." I shortened it just to make it read easier.

Source: Fuurin Kazan blog

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