Japan dramatically expanded its control in Asia before, and during WW2. It killed hundreds of thousands of people in its conquest. Its bushido spirit had nothing but contempt for countries like Korea and China who they saw as cowards when they surrendored to their superior forces. They were eventually repulsed before they could capture all of south east asia but not before they had commited all manner of atrocities upon the citizens of these countries. One particular event of horror is "The Rape of Nanjing." Japanese officers basically gave their soldiers leave to do as they pleased to the people of Nanjing. Men/women/children were beheaded in the thousands. Women were raped over and over then murdered. Children were forced to shoot their parents as the Japanese soldiers looked on laughing. The Japanese especially in smaller places like Taiwan attempted to obliterate the cultures of the people. Chinese was forbidden and Japanese had to be learned. Even today very old Chinese people in Taiwan speak Japanese, sometimes exclusively.
Theres the Bataan death march, the creation of the puppet govt Man Chu Guo, the list goes on and on, and then 2 atomic bombs stopped everything.
Everyone went back to work, we raised monuments to honor those who gave their lives for their countries, and we pay our respects to them everywhere, Japan is no exception.
Every year on the day of Japanese surrendor the Japanese Prime Minister has to decide if he is going to visit the WW2 war memorial that was built to honor the Japanese dead, (this monuement also includes several war lords who were executed for war crimes.) Every year the Chinese and Koreans throw a fit and state that Japan has no properly attoned for the crimes it commited during WW2. They have yet to state what they think proper atonement entails.
Japan has officially apologized to China and Korea for its war crimes 7 times. Japanese interestingly enough though traditionally ignoring China and Korea are split down the middle as to whether Koizumi should visit the shrine. Its Koizumi's last year in office and he is leaving in September, it seems he does not care about what China and Korea have to say this year.
My question is, do you think its improper for the Prime Minister to go to a war memorial that includes the names of several war criminals and pay his respects?
If no what do you think a more proper protocol would be? Does Japan owe China or Korea anything? Do China and Korea need to bury the hatchet already?
Ill post my opinion later, though you might be able to glean it from my synopsis of the events.
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posted
What about a visit in which he makes a speech that states that although the war criminals were not right to commit atrocities, it is still important to remember history, including the bad parts, that it may not be repeated, and to remember the sacrifices of those who fought for their country, however misguided the war itself is? Is that an option?
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quote:Originally posted by ketchupqueen: What about a visit in which he makes a speech that states that although the war criminals were not right to commit atrocities, it is still important to remember history, including the bad parts, that it may not be repeated, and to remember the sacrifices of those who fought for their country, however misguided the war itself is? Is that an option?
hrm... maybe, you have to also remember though that in Japan there is a strong feeling in regards to "How we treat our dead, directly effects their status in the afterlife."
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Well, part of the disagreement is that it is theoretically possible to have the offending war criminals 'moved' to another shrine. That is, the shrine isn't a shrine for general war dead, but a shrine to an extremely long list of specific war dead. So it is theoretically possible to remove people from that list and, say, move them to another shrine, or delist them entirely.
However, the shrine priests state that it is impossible to remove names from the list (or in their view, spirits from the shrine) once enshrined.
There are also relatively minor diplomatic issues over the blatant revisionism of the 'historical' museum at Yasukuni, but since its a private institution those could be ignored were the war criminals not interred there or prominent politicians chose not to visit.
It is possible that Koizumi is legitimately motivated by religious or spiritual belief in his visits to the shrine, though it is regrettable those possible beliefs might cause so much antagonism with the rest of Asia.
posted
It's also possible that he (or his party) feels some obligation to bring attention to the opinions of the Yasukuni shrine people, since they contribute to the LDP. I am a bit sick of the entire thing, actually, but I am surprised he managed to do it. It was one of his campaign promises, and since this was his last chance, I guess he just decided to go for it.
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quote:Originally posted by Ryuko: It's also possible that he (or his party) feels some obligation to bring attention to the opinions of the Yasukuni shrine people, since they contribute to the LDP. I am a bit sick of the entire thing, actually, but I am surprised he managed to do it. It was one of his campaign promises, and since this was his last chance, I guess he just decided to go for it.
I really think Koizumi did it because he has nothing to lose, as he will soon be leaving. Might as well go out in a display of Japanese pride.
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posted
Koizumi has been visiting the shrine repeatedly over his term, to the extensive protests of China and Korea and the overall disapproval of the Japanese people (as polled). This is merely the first time he's gone on the specific anniversary of Japan's surrender.
He likely chose to go on that date because he had nothing to lose, but the general choice to go is clearly motivated by something else (as he has gone even when significant political stakes were on the line for him).
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quote:Originally posted by fugu13: Koizumi has been visiting the shrine repeatedly over his term, to the extensive protests of China and Korea and the overall disapproval of the Japanese people (as polled). This is merely the first time he's gone on the specific anniversary of Japan's surrender.
He likely chose to go on that date because he had nothing to lose, but the general choice to go is clearly motivated by something else (as he has gone even when significant political stakes were on the line for him).
You are right that this is the first time he has gone on the anniversary which for many makes all the difference.
I guess I was trying to open debate more on whether or not China and Korea are over reacting, or if Japan is in fact being too insensitive.
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posted
I actually haven't noticed a significant difference in the ruckus from China and Korea compared to the other times, interestingly. I mean, he's several times gone almost on the anniversary, such that its clear his intention.
As for the scale of reactions, its an easy way for China and Korea to score political points, so they're reacting strongly. Unfortunately, its also keeping economic ties low key, when stronger ties would benefit both countries, but overall economic benefit typically takes second place to political point-scoring. Additionally the Chinese and Korean people are legitimately offended by the practice, as what Japan wrought was atrocious and monstrous, and there is a legitimate grievance against those who honor, even by association, the architects of those actions, particularly at a place that refuses to acknowledge the atrocities (which the Yasukuni museum does).
So it would likely be better for Japan if Japanese prime ministers were to not go to Yasukuni. However, it would also be better for China if when Japanese prime ministers went to Yasukuni, they didn't make such a big fuss over it.
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