The Japanese PKK

Years ago, I went to Japan. I liked it so much that I found an opportunity and went again.

Turkish Airlines' direct flights made these visits quite easy.

Since I didn't have a column in a newspaper back then, I couldn't put my Japan visit into writing, so I just kept it in the back of my mind.

With a 100-dollar tourist pass I bought in Istanbul, I traveled all over Japan from top to bottom.

Trains were free for those who bought this travel card.

I was a guest in the homes of Japanese people in villages.

Authentic homes of local people that only provided bed and breakfast services.

Their prices were also quite cheap.

The hot springs emerging from underground and their baths are worth seeing.

Fresh meats, fish, and all sorts of island-specific delicacies offered in local eateries that serve in the evenings and consider tipping an insult.

Capsule hotels in the center of Tokyo.

For 15 dollars, you both stay and spend time in their baths.

My Japanese colleague, whom I met at university, took me around quite a bit.

There was a plateau 2000 meters high, kilometers away from Tokyo, accessible by train and cable car, that was worth seeing.

We chatted quite a bit with my colleague over dinner.

Especially with the influence of Umesu, a drink with plums floating in it—which resembles what our immigrants distill themselves—and Sake, we talked about the tragedies of the Second World War, the samurai films we watched as children, and geishas.

I wasn't very surprised when I learned that the prefixes for older brother and sister that we use are also used there.  

When I examined their traditions, I already thought it was impossible to address elders only by their names.

In the meantime, Kurds coming from Turkey and the PKK also came up.

My colleague stated that Kurds coming from Turkey, and especially from the European region, were causing discomfort.

He said they were creating problems for social life and public order.

He also explained their concern about the PKK actively organizing terrorist activities in simple language.

It is understood that this unease, which began ten years ago, has taken concrete form in the social media videos that have come across my feed today. 

As for the PKK-supporting politicians in Turkey, they jumped right into the issue, making statements saying, "We will not remain silent about hate and racist attacks against Kurds in Japan, and we are following the matter."

The PKK, which has been the nightmare of Turkey's last forty years, has turned its route to Japan.

It has also fattened up quite a bit over the last ten years in the island country ten thousand kilometers away.

Fortunately, they have not been successful in ethnic separatist propaganda in Japan.

Perhaps it is because German social scientists have not yet discovered the region.

They haven't been able to divide the people by saying "lower Tokyo, upper Tokyo," or by claiming the Yamato Japanese are the oldest in the region to awaken the Ainu and Ryukyuan Japanese. The Emishi and Hayato Japanese haven't paid much attention to them either.

Apparently, the PKK hasn't watched many samurai films.

The terror-supporting politicians in Turkey should stop transferring concepts like "self-governance" or "hate-monger," translated from Germany, to Turkey, and instead send short summaries of samurai films to the Japanese PKK. 

The sound of the Shoguns' swords from the films we watched 40 years ago is still in my ears.

Consider yourself warned.