Trump made a Pearl Harbor joke in front Japan’s prime minister and press.  The Japanese will view that interaction much differently than Americans do.  This post on X may offer some insight.

Do you truly understand what Japan just gained? As a Japanese citizen, I’m telling you—this moment changed history. 

Trump’s Pearl Harbor joke wasn’t an insult. It was the key that finally unlocked something buried deep in the Japanese soul.

I have been to every US state, except for Kansas, most Western European countries, and a little bit of Africa and Asia.  More importantly, I’ve worked in Hong Kong and Madrid.  Most people, everywhere, are regular.

Very few Americans are wearing pussy hats to protest the lack of Black lesbians on Mount Rushmore.  Very few South Africans are sharpening their machetes to more efficiently kill the Boer.  Few Japanese women are dressed as lolitas and they don’t giggle as much as you might expect.  Even Arab sheiks don’t usually sprawl on cushions surrounded by harem girls and a few big Black guards with scimitars like Bugs Bunny in that one cartoon.

A regular American could have a drink with a regular person from somewhere else, and have a nice time.  I once spent a few hours at the bar at Orly Airport in Paris, having drinks with a guy who spoke French, Hebrew and Arabic.  We couldn’t have a conversation, but enjoyed drawing pictures, buying beer, pantomiming and goofing around.

Everybody wants to go to work, come home, see the family and spend time with friends.  On daily life, most humans are on the same page.  When you get into history, people have very different ideas about what happened.

I had a student who was born here, but her Brazilian heritage was important to her family.  She asked if the Wright Brothers really invented the first airplane.  Her uncle in Brazil talked about some other guy, probably a Brazilian, who was credited with inventing the airplane.

Being a caring professional, I told her, “That Americans are proud of the Wright Brothers, and here, we are proud that they were from Dayton.  People in North Carolina boast about the first flight taking place in their state, at Kitty Hawk.  I think people in Brazil, should celebrate Brazilian inventors.”

I added that most inventions are incremental, so it’s fair to pick the milestone that suits you.

I don’t know what the Japanese will make of Trump’s joke.  You don’t know either.  Even the Japanese won’t agree.

To older Americans, Pearl Harbor represents a shameful and sinister sneak attack.  My mom was always concerned that my students didn’t know that December 7th was Pearl Harbor Day.  My Aunt Helen was still pissed at the Japanese well into her 80’s.  She had a new friend who was Japanese, so I think she softened up on that.  She never got used to the idea of women wearing pants.

To younger Americans, Pearl Harbor may be just a sneak attack.  An honest account of history can be taught from different perspectives, emphasizing different events.  People in China may not be taught much about Pearl Harbor, but are understandably bitter about the Rape of Nanking.

I don’t know what Japanese children are taught about World War II.  It may be that they are taught that even good people can be swept up in old thinking about god-like emperors and that can lead to a devastating war that ended with the use of an unimaginably powerful weapon.

I don’t know.  Japanese adults may think of Pearl Harbor as a reasonable attack in an unreasonable war.  When Japanese and American leaders are together, it’s the elephant in the room with them.

Trump offered the elephant a peanut.

We will see how this shakes out, but Trump’s joke is historic.  I don’t like embedded tweets because it may not show up properly or may be deleted.  The whole post will be quoted here, and embedded at the end.

Do you truly understand what Japan just gained? As a Japanese citizen, I’m telling you—this moment changed history.

Trump’s Pearl Harbor joke wasn’t an insult. It was the key that finally unlocked something buried deep in the Japanese soul.

For 80 long years, we’ve carried apology and guilt like a permanent shadow—haunted by the past, bound by the Constitution America wrote for us, forever in “reflection mode.” He turned that raw wound into a shared laugh between equals.

No more endless atonement. No more vassal shadow.

The curse is broken. Japan is free now.
Thank you, Mr. President.
We’re allowed to stand tall again—as true partners, not subordinates.
The strongest alliance in the world is rising—equals, brothers, ride-or-die.