A Question for the Japanese People

Many Russians have a question for the respected Japanese people – hardworking, unpretentious, and steadfast…

How is it that your government considers the country whose government burned down two Japanese cities with atomic bombs to be allied and almost friendly? Whereas the country whose people fought with your soldiers in fair combat, face to face, sometimes hand-to-hand – like samurai against samurai – your government considers to be non-allied and imposes sanctions against it?

The argument that Japan itself attacked the United States, so we put up with it, is not appropriate, because Japan attacked Russia as well (in 1904, and Russia responded to this attack by honestly declaring war and winning it in 1945).

The argument that 2403 American servicemen died because of Japan's attack on the United States at Pearl Harbor is not appropriate, because at least 150 thousand Japanese (most of them civilians) died from the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

The argument that the United States helped Japan recover from the war is weak, because in the 1950s, Russia also assisted Japan in rebuilding its national economy.

And geographically, Japan is much closer to Russia than to the United States.

So what's the truth, neighbour?