Constructive Criticism

[MB]

Fellow Gaijinpotters, a question.

Anybody got an opinion on the following letter I sent to Japan Times? Having adhered to their 'we will not discuss / acknowledge' type rules in sending, I post it here knowing that it will now automatically be disqualified for publication - not being 'solely' sent to the JT as of now.
Problem is, I think it is true and the shocker for myself at least comes in particular from the lack of acceptance I see of constructive criticism by such media outlets.


Dear Editor,

I, like the vast majority of your readers I presume, look forward to reading some of the comments of your readers each Wedneday and Sunday.
However, in recent months / years I regularly find myself believing that the Japan Times Readers in Council Page is nothing more than a forum upon which a limited selection of writers are offered the opportunity to air their opinions. Again and again we see the same names, repeatedly I think to myself "are these the only people with opinions worthy of publication in the eyes of the of the Japan Times staff" and, almost weekly, I find myself coming to the conclusion that it is not so much how you write but the name you write under that is of primary import.
Japan, and Tokyo in particular, are hotbeds of literary dreams with many a budding novelist, poet or journalist producing, in English, their own version of the world around us. Are we, the readers of Japan Times, to believe that none of these ever bother to submit letters of worth to the nation's leading English language daily?

MB

[Anonymous]

i've had about a half-dozen letters put to ink in the J-times, and as much as i'd like to feel a sense of accomplishment at this i can't. if anything i think the opposite of what you say in your letter is true--they seem to print some pretty lame letters--it's hardly an exclusive club. i see a lot of racially inflammatory letters, penned by japanese rightists or disgruntled gaijin. **** that would never make it through a quality paper. but i do tend to see the same names from time to time, my own among them, though it's been a while since i wrote. i know when i write them i almost expect it to be printed. part of that might be that i live outside of japan. i know one japanese bloke in LA also is in there all the time. they may like the international aspect of their op-ed/reader's forum page. funny thing is i've never seen one of my letters in the paper--i can only access it online. in all the years i spent in japan i never wrote a letter. maybe it's the common view that you can only get your head around a subject when you gain a little distance.

or, perhaps it's that you spelled wednesday wrong.

[sosa]

Funny you should mention it, I wrote a letter to the Japan Times only a few days ago, but they didn't publish it in todays Readers in council section. I have noticed that a few names appear over and over again, but you can probably notice that in most papers if you read them long enough. Some of the letters in the JT are absolutely idiotic, others are pretty spot on. Its a pity they only publish letters twice a week instead of daily like most papers.