The next G8 summit shall be taking place in the same prefecture as me in just a few days, and the folks of Hokkaido are fully embracing the ‘ECO CHALLENGE!’ encouraged by various state and private entities through a variety of mediums. Indeed, by trading in those ring-pulls and bottle caps you can offset carbon emissions and the horrendous waste of disposable chopsticks! Likewise, the police are searching anyone even slightly resembling a foreigner. And just as predictably, the local foreigner population are getting into a frothy liberal rage about it all.

From denouncing the ‘fascists’ to organising drunken left-wing parades through airports to basically stir crap, I have become increasingly embarrassed to be associated with these hooting gibbons. Nonetheless, because I’m so impartial in my opinions (that’s sarcasm for the slow-witted), I did briefly think about the whole affair. Are the Japanese police really being overboard automatons of ‘the man’ in the run-up to the summit, stomping on our civil rights and acting like they own the place? Or are they simply ratcheting up security for a meeting of the world’s most important – and often hated – leaders?

To be certain, it’s inconvenient being questioned, however politely, about your destination, origin, occupation, age, last bowel movement and so on. It seems pointless and makes an extremely bad impression upon those foreigners living, visiting and passing through Japan. On return from Cambodia I had my pack completely emptied and searched extensively, while the policeman asked where, why and how I went about my holiday. He was incredibly polite, and once I showed him my foreigner’s card he seemed to relax completely, but my heart did skip when they found the malaria pills. It took about 30 minutes, but in the end, by simply being as polite back to them (despite being freaking tired from backpacking across Asia I might add), patient and compliant, I was able to move on afterwards. They even showed me where the train station was. So yes! It’s inconvenient, and when you’re not planning to kill George Bush it’s a pain in the ass. But this kind of extra security targeted against foreigners should only be worrisome to those who really have something to hide.

I have concluded that it’s more indicative of the blind hypocrisy of the far left in that, should something happen, like a bomb blast, assassination attempt or somesuch equivalent disaster, they would be the first to wail about the incompetent security management, the lack of foresight, the flawed policies of the Diet and so on. Personally I would far rather face a plain clothes policeman asking for my ID and reasons for being where I am than witness the death of a president (unless it was Mugabe. That’s ok!) Clearly I am in the minority in my prefecture when it comes to this viewpoint. If the G8 proceeds without a hitch, aside from the hordes of anti-globalisation idiots who flock to these things like lemmings to a cliff, there will still be a flurry of protests on my Hokkaido mailing list on how ‘unnecessary’ the extra security was. As if the extra deterrence had no empirical effect on lessened crime. With the left, it seems, even when you win, you lose.

When the police tazer you in the face for no good reason, when they arrest you and detain you until the summit is finished, when they stop asking questions politely and start wailing on your head with a truncheon, then you can get indignant and start whirling those poi balls and drum circles in protest. Until then, shut the hell up! You’re clogging my inbox with your inanities.