Originally published on February 7, 2020. This essay criticizes the reality of China’s surveillance society exposed through the novel pneumonia outbreak in Wuhan, the rushed hospital construction, the neglect of public hygiene, and NHK’s reporting stance on the Huawei issue. It also questions intellectuals shaped by Asahi Shimbun-style masochistic historical views and anti-Japanese ideology.

February 7, 2020
In a deep voice, the authorities’ voice rang out in the street, rebuking the man: “What are you doing? Stop immediately. Put on a mask. Do not go outside…” and the man immediately left the spot and began walking away.
I have mentioned several times that North Korea is a modern cartoon state.
However, watching the situation in Wuhan this time, I thought this.
China, too, like North Korea, is a modern cartoon state.
And this novel pneumonia virus uproar has proved that the reality of China, as clearly stated by Mr. Kawashima, a scholar worthy of someone who studied at the University of Tokyo, was entirely correct.
That reality is the manner in which China continues to neglect the unsanitary conditions characteristic of the Chinese sphere, while building something called a hospital by rushed construction in only 10 days.
At the same time, among the men playing mahjong on a street in what appeared to be Wuhan, there was one man who was not wearing a mask.
It was footage from surveillance cameras spread throughout the city, probably made by Huawei.
There must have been loudspeakers installed.
In a deep voice, the authorities’ voice rang out in the street, rebuking the man: “What are you doing? Stop immediately. Put on a mask. Do not go outside…” and the man immediately left the spot and began walking away.
A film starring Jim Carrey that I saw quite some time ago, about a town whose residents were under surveillance, existed there as reality.
It was footage that vividly proved that China is exactly the surveillance society depicted by George Orwell.
Last night, NHK rebroadcast a special program titled “Tracking the Huawei Shock.”
I watched a little of it, thinking that it might be a sequel to the other day’s program.
The other day, I had already written that this program was one in which NHK sided with China.
Last night, I became convinced that my assessment had hit the mark.
By featuring the manager of a rural American telecommunications company who opposed restrictions because Huawei was cheap, the program made propaganda as if America’s decision were unreasonable… it was almost a Huawei propaganda film.
To European countries led by Germany, blinded by money, and to African and South American countries that are China’s specialty, it was saying: look, as you can see, Huawei products are spread everywhere.
The true intention of this program was to say that America’s decision was wrong.
But I want to say this to the NHK program producers who broadcast this program twice in succession, at least from what I myself saw, and to the people of the above-mentioned countries who are adopting Huawei products without the slightest doubt.
Are you adopting Huawei products while knowing the reality of China’s surveillance society?
One of the stock phrases of the Asahi Shimbun is “the philosophy of noble poverty.”
If the Asahi Shimbun were a decent newspaper, it would have to preach that philosophy to the world and admonish countries not to side with China… needless to say, that is something they could never do.
Back when I was still subscribing to the Asahi Shimbun, I once mentioned a man who claimed to be a poet from Ishinomaki in Miyagi Prefecture.
Since this man seemed to be writing while his entire body was ravaged by cancer, I thought all the more that perhaps he was decent.
However, the other day I learned that in reality, he was a tremendous fool, a mass of masochistic historical views and anti-Japanese ideology… in other words, a brain formed merely by subscribing to the Asahi Shimbun.
That is because this man who calls himself a poet has written the most absurd nonsense imaginable, saying that Japan is a surveillance society and that the Abe administration is the root cause.
Most likely, he has never written any criticism of China.
Speaking of Ishinomaki, it also produced Azumi of the Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan.
There is truly delicious kamaboko there, but as for the people, they are simply far too poor.