# Japan Questions 9/11 and the Global War on Terror **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 1, 2008, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-questions-9-11-and-the-global-war-on-terror/470620 "2008-11-01T19:36:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![EasyPhil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47c2d/32.png) [@EasyPhil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EasyPhil)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 7:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-questions-9-11-and-the-global-war-on-terror/470620/1 "2008-11-01T19:36:01Z")
From this link: [http://www.projectcensored.org/top-stories/articles/24-japan-questions-9-11-and-the-global-war-on-terror](http://www.projectcensored.org/top-stories/articles/24-japan-questions-9-11-and-the-global-war-on-terror) > [@](#): > > The Japanese parliament viewed several slides from the Pentagon and World Trade Center (WTC) sites as Fujita explained each. The slides showed evidence inconsistent with official explanation: damage in and around the Pentagon was not consistent with the damage a 757 airplane would cause. Fujita noted, “Also, there were more than eighty security cameras at the Pentagon, but officials have refused to release the footage. In any case, as you have just seen, there is no picture of the airplane or of its wreckage in any of these photographs. It is very strange that no such pictures have been shown to us.” A US Air Force official corroborated the fact that the plane executed a U-turn and avoided the Defense Secretary’s office, a feat that would be impossible for an unskilled first-time pilot to maneuver; and no air defense was made in the ninety-minute interval between the initial impact of the planes at the WTC and the Pentagon. Fujita added, “It is baffling that no flight records were found at any of four sites.” On the ground at the WTC sites, both sounds and visual evidence from explosions were verified. Flying debris shot out as far as 150 meters consistent with buildings exploding. A New York fireman during rescue operations confirmed that a series of explosions resembled a professional demolition, and a Japanese survivor heard explosions while fleeing the site. The World Trade Center Building 7 (WTC 7), forty-seven stories high and located one block away, collapsed into its footprint, seven hours after the main WTC buildings were attacked, in five or six seconds, although no plane struck it and it had minimal fire damage. Not only did the 9/11 Commission fail to mention WTC 7, but the US Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA and National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) made no mention of it in their reports. > > Fujita went on to detail proof of insider trading from September 6 through 8, when investors executed “put options” to sell stock in United and American Airlines at a fixed price. Finance specialist Keiichiro Asao responded with confirmation that such complex transaction would be the work of insiders rather than al-Qaeda. > > Fujita then addressed Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, “I would like to know why the Prime Minister thinks it was the Taliban who was responsible for 9/11.” He continued, “We need to go back to the beginning and not just simply and blindly trust the US government explanation and indirect information provided by them. . . . We need to look at this evidence and ask ourselves what the war on terrorism really is. . . . We need to ask who the real victims of this war on terrorism are. I think the citizens of the world are its victims.” Have some in Japan subscribed to the “conspiracy” theories of 911 or is this an indication of some real questions that need to be answered about this event? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-questions-9-11-and-the-global-war-on-terror/470620/2 "2008-11-01T19:43:56Z")
He might have a point about the lack of proof the Taliban was involved - I think Bush said something like “We don’t need to talk about guilt or innocence. We know he’s guilty” when Afghanistan challenged his claim. But I have to wonder: if it wasn’t a 757 that hit the Pentagon, then an entire airplane and all its passengers have mysteriously disappeared; where’d it go? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-questions-9-11-and-the-global-war-on-terror/470620/3 "2008-11-01T19:44:56Z")
At most, this just demonstrates that stupidity knows no borders. ---
**Author:** ![C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/b2d939/32.png) [@C\_K\_Dexter\_Haven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/C_K_Dexter_Haven)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-questions-9-11-and-the-global-war-on-terror/470620/4 "2008-11-01T20:24:08Z")
The compelling argument for me has always been: if it was a government conspiracy, surely they would have made George W Bush and Dick Cheney look like heroes, taking a strong stand, instead of running underground like scared rabbits. However, the Japanese have always been attracted to conspiracy theories, so this is no surprise. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-questions-9-11-and-the-global-war-on-terror/470620/5 "2008-11-01T20:32:19Z")
And what would the point be anyway? To facilitate an invasion against Iraq? Then why not blame Iraq? To make themselves look good? If it were me and that was my goal, I’d pick a domestic scapegoat, or a foreign scapegoat already in my custody. It’s all really very silly. ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-questions-9-11-and-the-global-war-on-terror/470620/6 "2008-11-01T20:35:00Z")
> [@](#): > > “Also, there were more than eighty security cameras at the Pentagon, but officials have refused to release the footage. In any case, as you have just seen, there is no picture of the airplane or of its wreckage in any of these photographs. It is very strange that no such pictures have been shown to us.” [http://www.rense.com/general32/phot.htm](http://www.rense.com/general32/phot.htm) ---
**Author:** ![EasyPhil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47c2d/32.png) [@EasyPhil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EasyPhil)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 10:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-questions-9-11-and-the-global-war-on-terror/470620/7 "2008-11-01T22:10:51Z")
> [@The\_Tooth](#): > > And what would the point be anyway? To facilitate an invasion against Iraq? Then why not blame Iraq? To make themselves look good? If it were me and that was my goal, I’d pick a domestic scapegoat, or a foreign scapegoat already in my custody. > > It’s all really very silly. Perhaps an invasion of Afghanistan? Perhaps to facilitate the passing of laws that curtail civil liberties? Perhaps to facilitate the subsequent invasion of Iraq based on phoney evidence of WMDs? ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-questions-9-11-and-the-global-war-on-terror/470620/8 "2008-11-01T22:21:11Z")
> [@EasyPhil](#): > > Perhaps an invasion of Afghanistan? Perhaps to facilitate the passing of laws that curtail civil liberties? Perhaps to facilitate the subsequent invasion of Iraq based on phoney evidence of WMDs? Those are arguably means; I’m curious what you think the ends were. ---
**Author:** ![EasyPhil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/e47c2d/32.png) [@EasyPhil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EasyPhil)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-questions-9-11-and-the-global-war-on-terror/470620/9 "2008-11-01T22:34:37Z")
> [@DanBlather](#): > > [http://www.rense.com/general32/phot.htm](http://www.rense.com/general32/phot.htm) Is that the same site that’s hosting this article? \*\*FBI Claims 84 Videos Show NO Flight 77 Impact \*\* > **[FBI Claims 84 Videos Show NO Flight 77 Impact](https://rense.com/general67/fbicl.htm)** > [@](#): > > In the Sneak Preview - 911 Pentagon Tapes article, a helicopter was prominent in the ‘leaked’ stills. Its function was to remote control the aircraft at the construction entrance located at ground level to make it appear the plane actually penetrated the Pentagon: ---
**Author:** ![DanBlather](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@DanBlather](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DanBlather)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-questions-9-11-and-the-global-war-on-terror/470620/10 "2008-11-01T23:23:24Z")
> [@EasyPhil](#): > > Is that the same site that’s hosting this article? And even wierder stuff. Still, it had nice pictures of aircraft wreckage in the Pentagon. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-questions-9-11-and-the-global-war-on-terror/470620/11 "2008-11-01T23:28:37Z")
> [@EasyPhil](#): > > Perhaps an invasion of Afghanistan? So then why invade Iraq? And why not just make up stories about Afghani WMD’s? > [@](#): > > Perhaps to facilitate the passing of laws that curtail civil liberties? Why? Most of the laws passed in the wake of Bush’s failure to maintain US security regard the violation of the rights of foreigners in any case. I doubt there are too many American citizens in Guantanamo Bay aside from the staff. > [@](#): > > Perhaps to facilitate the subsequent invasion of Iraq based on phoney evidence of WMDs? Then why bring up bin Laden at all? Just manufacture evidence that Iraq is a threat and go to town. It makes little sense, even taking into accoun the fact this is the Bush Administration we’re talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [November 1, 2008, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-questions-9-11-and-the-global-war-on-terror/470620/12 "2008-11-01T23:33:48Z")
> [@The\_Tooth](#): > > He might have a point about the lack of proof the Taliban was involved … I don’t think anyone says the Taliban was involved in 9-11, except in the sense that they harbored, sheltered, and protected Al Qaeda, and were still willing to harbor, shelter and protect them on 9-12. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-questions-9-11-and-the-global-war-on-terror/470620/13 "2008-11-02T00:11:14Z")
I’ve read they were willing to turn him over to a neutral party for trial on the condition the US showed he had planned the deed. It makes a sort of sense, because there’s nothing wrong with sheltering someone who didn’t plan to blow up four major US buildings. I refer to [this.](http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2001/oct/14/afghanistan.terrorism5) ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-questions-9-11-and-the-global-war-on-terror/470620/14 "2008-11-02T00:19:39Z")
> [@The\_Tooth](#): > > I’ve read they were willing to turn him over to a neutral party for trial on the condition the US showed he had planned the deed. It makes a sort of sense, because there’s nothing wrong with sheltering someone who didn’t plan to blow up four major US buildings. While the latter sentence is true enough, this was after the attack on Afghanistan had begun, supported by many nations who would later want nothing to do with Iraq. Disingenuous doesn’t begin to describe it. All evidence pointed to bin Laden from day one; all evidence. ---
**Author:** ![Whack-a-Mole](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/whack-a-mole/32/141_2.png) [@Whack-a-Mole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Whack-a-Mole)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-questions-9-11-and-the-global-war-on-terror/470620/15 "2008-11-02T00:48:25Z")
Isn’t Japan a First World country with a substantial intelligence service of its own (their equivalents of the CIA/NSA/DIA)? They need to rely on dubious conspiracy theory junk all over the internet rather than trot out reliable intelligence they gathered on their own? For their own government? Color me unimpressed. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-questions-9-11-and-the-global-war-on-terror/470620/16 "2008-11-02T05:24:47Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > While the latter sentence is true enough, this was after the attack on Afghanistan had begun, supported by many nations who would later want nothing to do with Iraq. Disingenuous doesn’t begin to describe it. > > All evidence pointed to bin Laden from day one; all evidence. Oh, certainly. I’m not questioning it. But I can see how a conspiracy theorist might take Bush’s attitude towards the Taliban’s request. ---
**Author:** ![cckerberos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@cckerberos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cckerberos)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-questions-9-11-and-the-global-war-on-terror/470620/17 "2008-11-02T05:31:45Z")
For all the talk of “Japan” in this thread, it’s worth noting that the article only discusses the views of a single opposition Diet member. ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 5:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-questions-9-11-and-the-global-war-on-terror/470620/18 "2008-11-02T05:48:36Z")
I seem to recall that some major Japanese defense figure was just fired after claiming that Japan wasn’t responsible for starting hostilities with the U.S. in WW2. Is there any connection to the case at hand? ---
**Author:** ![MEBuckner](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mebuckner/32/2896_2.png) [@MEBuckner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MEBuckner)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 9:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-questions-9-11-and-the-global-war-on-terror/470620/19 "2008-11-02T09:46:53Z")
> [@Alessan](#): > > I seem to recall that some major Japanese defense figure was just fired after claiming that Japan wasn’t responsible for starting hostilities with the U.S. in WW2. Is there any connection to the case at hand? You know, I’ve always wanted to see some solid proof that Japan was actually responsible for the attack on Pearl Harbor. Do we really _know_ for sure that the U.S. government didn’t stage an attack on its own Pacific Fleet in order to justify war with Japan? There are lots of “anomalies”: Why were the warnings from the radar posts that detected the (allegedly Japanese) aircraft approaching ignored? Why were the aircraft carriers all conveniently out to sea, leaving only the battleships (which were less important by World War II)? Why were crucial oil storage facilities carefully spared? Why was it that a number of B-17s just _happened_ to be flying in from the mainland right as the attack took place? Several of the B-17s were shot down by so-called “friendly fire”–how do we know the Navy didn’t shoot down the Army bombers because the Army bombers were the ones dropping bombs on them and sinking their battleships? I mean, I’m just asking questions is all. [/tinfoil-hat-wearing Internet conspiracy theorist] ---
**Author:** ![ExTank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/35a633/32.png) [@ExTank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ExTank)\ **Post date:** [November 2, 2008, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-questions-9-11-and-the-global-war-on-terror/470620/20 "2008-11-02T16:06:14Z")
> [@The\_Tooth](#): > > He might have a point about the lack of proof the Taliban was involved - I think Bush said something like “We don’t need to talk about guilt or innocence. We know he’s guilty” when Afghanistan challenged his claim. But I have to wonder: if it wasn’t a 757 that hit the Pentagon, then an entire airplane and all its passengers have mysteriously disappeared; where’d it go? That’s the great part: _they never existed._ [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/japan-questions-9-11-and-the-global-war-on-terror/470620.md?page=2)