(TAPE 11) Nicola Interview Nov 9, 1989
(Includes: Japanese vs American, U.S. Japan Trade [for most of tape]}
SIDE A
(Counter 000)
(JAPANESE VS. AMERICAN)
A: …(re Emperor’s Death). He was declared dead in January, but like he died in September or October. Because of the business relationship between New Year’s and all that shit and Xmas is coming. Japanese have to make-bank their sales and all that. So they decided to make him die on a Friday night or something like that, so it didn affect…business…Saturday and Sunday…Then open Monday…Remember that bullshit. Yeah. Well if you made the mistake and said the wrong thing in the wrong place…like an ultra nationalist is around and you say “Oh that fucking Emperor, he died a long time ago….they’re liable to take a knife out and kill you. They’re fanatics, the Japanese, when it comes to certain, certain things. And they will be fanatic again. Like now you say the magazines, and being restricted, you can’t write what you want, you can’t get a job….Hey listen, that thing is gonna spread all over the United States. And then eventually the white man is gonna be the nigger in the United States, and the Japanese is gonna be the white guy….
But here’s a country, you say it’s 2,000 years old, or whatever you want to say it…here’s a country that is so far progressed economically because of Uncle Sam’s help.
And yet they’re so prejudiced.
Can it be that years and years ago the doors were opened and anybody can come in? They won’t let the Koreans in. You know, you go down to Kyushu you see a lot of names that are Chinese originated, but today a Chinese is considered a second-class citizen. So I guess history repeats itself.
When an Italian can’t get elected in New York City, you got something to worry about. That used to be 25% Italian. …Although I think he’s a fool for running. If I was him, I’d just get up and move out. Give it to them.
Want some coffee? Hey Matsubayashi? Hey (calls waiter, no response).
Boy I tell you they don’t want to hear me.
You know there used to be a time when they’d get their salary and say thank you very much. Now, they don’t even say that to me anymore. Fucking Ugly American. But we’re not ugly anymore. We’re subservient. We got promoted. From ugliness to slave.
You know we always say the Japanese make good servants and bad masters. That saying is gonna show up pretty soon.
(U.S. JAPAN TRADE)
Q: What was the name of that program you were watching the other night.
A: “Washington This Week” ….From the U.S., …& the guy’s name was Wollman, he looks Jewish, he looks Italian….This guy is a well-dressed commentator, he knows his news, he knows his business very well, he was the guy in between the crossfire in between the Japanese and the America. He was always bringing the subject back and he had a Japanese over there, the guy who was a Diet member, who was strictly a politician. You give him a chance to talk and he never stops talking and he don ‘t say anything. Politicians are very good at that. And one American on the show who I would say had a little sense, he knew what he was talking about, a little bit, cuz he don’t have Japanese experience, he says, the first thing…he says says there should be a series of actions. And the first one should be to lower the dollar to 100 yen. Remember I told you that theory? See? And before he got a chance to talk or say whatever he was supposed to say after that, some smart aleck Japanese professor from Todai or some shit like that, oh, but you don’t like the idea that we’re buying property in America….if you make it 100 yen to the dollar, we have more purchasing power.
And the guy stopped. Now me, I would have said, like he said, that’s only one thing. The next thing, you got to, you should, to me….America could defeat the Japanese…like I told you, I went home and I thought about it…and I wrote a long thing about it, but then I …you know, after I write something, I generally throw it away because I’ve convinced myself that I wrote it…
I tell you what it basic is…1st you gotta say, you gotta have the first thing is: lower the dollar. Next thing is you gotta have a fair playing field, where everything is imported honestly and fairly. No bullshit.
(remainder not yet transcribed)
Tokyo Junkie 