I have great admiration for Satsuo Matsumoto's Aug. 20 letter, "Left keeps trying to disgrace Japan," because conceiving and executing such a piece of writing that is so obtuse is almost a work of art. No, it is a work of art! It is a work of brilliant surrealism that I will frame for my wall.

For the record, it was homegrown Japanese political rightists that took Japan into the Pacific War and brought disgrace down upon the country. Matsumoto's blaming of the left is like blaming crime victims for their suffering. Matsumoto must hail from an alternate universe where everything is in reverse from what it is in this one.

If he is so distraught by the contents of The Japan Times, then Matsumoto is free to discontinue reading it and avoid being lumped with us "retarded aliens." But I must say, in Matsumoto I recognize a kindred spirit of sorts.

Long live retarded aliens!

grant piper