Dave Fossett wrote:

> Eric Takabayashi wrote:
>
> > [No, the show did not explain how the US military
> > served the US or Japan, nor how they are risking life
> > and limb in the Middle East this very moment, while
> > they whine and bitch (or ooh and aah) about the "free"
> > and "easy" lives of the US service personnel.]
> >
> > I am certainly not holding my breath for the show to
> > remind Japanese that despite all the Japanese pain
> > during and after the war, the US military is the single
> > biggest reason they are free today, or why North Korea
> > is listening to what they have to say.
>
> I saw this too, but I think you might have misunderstood the point of the
> show...

That there is some significance to teaching Japanese tv viewers about the US
military, and the producers chose to go the way of showing how "nice" life
was with the US military in Japan living an American style life at low cost
or free of charge, instead of focussing on who they are and what they do.

> It was supposed to be just a quiz about how much things cost.

Recall that is not what it was. They made a show out of how cheap or free
life on base was, instead of asking quiz questions about it. They also had
to guess the length of the steam catapult on the aircraft carrier while
showing us how cramped ship's quarters were, having a teen idol sit in the
Captain's chair, and telling us how remarkably young the captain was, though
he is not single but their guide was. Why not something more relevant like
asking how much the carrier cost, what or how much the crew ate in one day,
or what military salaries actually were in cash terms?