Please watch the following video clip which shows a press briefing by Shintaro Ishihara, the Governor of Tokyo since 1999. It doesn't matter whether you understand Japanese or not. What's noticeable is the continual blinking of his eyes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&NR=1&v=NBZQe7tKaoc Shintaro Ishihara http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ShintarÅ_Ishihara What keeps him blinking? The answer may be found in the article headlined "Blink" at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blink It says: "Eye blinking can be a criterion for diagnosing medical conditions. For example, excessive blinking may help to indicate the onset of Tourette syndrome, strokes or disorders of the nervous system. A reduced rate of blinking is associated with Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's patients have a distinct serpentine stare that is very recognizable." One interesting thing about people suffering from blindness or poor vision is that some of them can be bolder and have a better mental vision than those who have normal eyesight. Shintaro Ishihara is one of Japan's most right-wing and nationalist politician. He is notorious for his anti-China stance. His proposal to buy the disputed islands in the East China Sea is a calculated gamble. That fellow is no fool, and may have come to the conclusion that China has no response to his move. How will China take up the gauntlet after Japan has shown its hand? Let's look at the response China has at its disposal. 1. Some demonstrators in the widespread protests across China on 15 September even called for a war against Japan. The Chinese government must warn and educate its people that a war with Japan over a few small rocks in the sea will draw in the US and may lead to the end of the world. 2. The second response is to recall each other's ambassador. 3. The third response is an all-out economic war including the total suspension of tourism. The "Blinking Eyes" might have considered this destructive move in his calculation, but he might have come to the conclusion that the Chinese government has no will power to make such a move. Let's wait and see.
