Recently Japanese newspapers repeatedly criticize the attitudes of Japanese people as inward-looking (内向き). The newspapers state that young people in Japan do not want to go abroad, and they do not study abroad. I'm not sure it is true or not, but it could be true that Japanese people are not interested in the foreign affairs. We may not concern about world situations.
In addition, I have noticed Japanese people hesitate to express opinions abroad. They have their own opinions and views. They like to write them. You will find them easily in blogs and homepages in Japan, but they are written by Japanese language. We have to write our opinions and views in English in order to send messages abroad, but we hesitate to express our opinions in English.
Japanese people should look outward, care about foreign affairs and let out their voices. Not to criticize others, but to do it myself. Concerning such an idea, I begin to write this blog in English. “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” (by Mahatma Gandhi) まず隗より始めよ。Let’s write English and let out our voices to abroad.
なんか、とりとめもない文章になってしまいました。
最近の新聞の「内向き批判」を読んでいて、単なる批判に反感を覚える反面、自分自身、海外を意識した意見の発信を全くしていなかったことに反省します。今後は拙い英語であっても、声を出していきたいと思う。