Re: Exporting crypto from Japan

[Adam Back <aba@dcs.ex.ac.uk>]

Joichi Ito <jito@eccosys.com> writes:
> At 16:30 97/11/16 -0700, Tim May wrote:
> > This discussion is hardly going down in flames. You're apparently too
> > sensitive to engage in robust debate.
> 
> This is true. I am not going engage in what you probably call a robust
> debate. A lot of people read this list and any robust debate will
> probably lower my reputation capital in some important area for me
> no matter what the outcome. I am not currently willing to take this risk.

I am not sure why discussion should lower your reputation capital,
unless open discussion is frowned upon by those who you wish to
influence.  Perhaps you fear that you will be dismissed as a
cypherpunk, a hardliner, whilst you are trying to appear less radical.

> > So, Joichi, why don't you stir the shit on this one? And I don't mean with
> > "constructive engagement." That's a synonym for inaction.
> 
> Sorry. I am stiring the shit way too hard already. Not enough for you,
> I'm sure, but my risk is already rather high just talking to you here. :-)

I am pleased that you are discussing with us crypto politics in
Japan... we have few contributors from Japan in the past.  The lower
protection for political speech in your country I always suspected was
the problem.  Dissidents who speak out against the government line in
Japan I suspect are taking bigger risks than in the US, UK, and
Europe.

> > Declare war on the NSA. You've several times trumpetted the Japanese
> > Constitution as supporting basic rights even more than the Amerikan
> > Constitution does, so this is your chance to say "Fuck the National
> > Security State."
> 
> Nope. You're not going to catch me declaring war on the NSA on this
> mailing list. ;-P

I would've thought that the NSA's world policeman attempts would be
resented by Japanese secret service types.  I get the impression there
are tensions between EU, UK and US secret services.

> So... I am a wimpy moderate, but at least I'm talking to you folks.
> If you want me to shit or get off the pot, I think I'll get off the
> pot.

Well be careful of doing deals with the devil.  Several crypto
lobbying groups in the US some suspect did more harm than good.  These
groups lost their no compromise stance, and ended up helping to draft
laws to ban crypto because they thought they could make the laws
mildly less obnoxious by doing so.  It may even have been the case
that they had a net negative impact on freedom of crypto.  Making
deals with politicians is a dangerous game to play.  They are
opinionless power brokers, and will just use you as a bargaining chip.

> P.S. I am going out of town for two days and may not have
> net connectivity. So, if I don't respond to something, it's not
> because I'm hiding. If you don't hear from me in 3 days, call John
> Markoff for me. ;-P

Don't know how things work in Japan, but I hear from people who've had
spooky attentions that the best protection against spooks is harsh
bright lights: they hate publicity.

Adam
-- 
Now officially an EAR violation...
Have *you* exported RSA today? --> http://www.dcs.ex.ac.uk/~aba/rsa/

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