How can the British embassy in Japan explain this??

[Du1point8]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-12756366

"The team has had excellent help from the Japanese embassy in London and the authorities in Tokyo but it broke down when they couldn't get the relevant paperwork from the British embassy in Tokyo,"

Surely that is not some jobs worth that is doing that???

[randlemarcus]

Seems not unreasonable to me. Official team in and working without issues. Unofficial rescue team needs official recognition, UK Embassy unwilling to supply that, as it then means that the UK Embassy has full legal responsibility under Japanese law.

[sjn2004]

It was covered on R2 today. This team had everything they needed except transport, accommodation and somebody who could speak/read Japanese. Not much use really.

With 100,000 Japanese soldiers helping out do they really need 12 foreign volunteers getting under their feet? Think not.

[ClintonB]

sjn2004 said:

With 100,000 Japanese soldiers helping out do they really need 12 foreign volunteers getting under their feet? Think not.

Presumably covered in usual BBC style then? I'd hazard a guess that those experienced volunteers are worth quite a bit more than their fair share of confused/stupid/scared Jap Army chaps, wouldn't you?

[Bing o]

ClintonB said:

Presumably covered in usual BBC style then? I'd hazard a guess that those experienced volunteers are worth quite a bit more than their fair share of confused/stupid/scared Jap Army chaps, wouldn't you?

Why would the Japanese army be confused/stupid/scared? Because they have slitty eyes and don't speak english?

[jamoor]

ClintonB said:

Presumably covered in usual BBC style then? I'd hazard a guess that those experienced volunteers are worth quite a bit more than their fair share of confused/stupid/scared Jap Army chaps, wouldn't you?

Ever heard of kamikaze pilots?

[Bing o]

jamoor said:

Ever heard of kamikaze pilots?

Not to mention the fact that they kicked our arses all the way down the Malay peninsular not so long ago.

But because they have slitty eyes and don't speak english, they are only worth 0.05 of a Brit

[AJS-]

In fairness it sounds like the Japanese authorities are being pretty rigid about this bit of paper as well.

Governments are stupid the world over.