Posted: Tue Aug 15, 2006 11:06 pm Post subject: Honouring Japanese War Dead or Insulting Former Adversaries?
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited Yasukuni Shrine on Tuesday, the 61st anniversary of the end of World War II, triggering an immediate, expected outcry from parts of Asia that have long criticized his visits to the Shinto shrine that honors war criminals with the war dead.
Defying criticism from abroad and growing opposition in Japan after revelations of the late Emperor Hirohito's displeasure with Yasukuni Shrine's secret inclusion of Class-A war criminals, Koizumi honored a five-year-old campaign pledge to go there on the Aug. 15 anniversary before stepping down in September. Koizumi, in formal tailcoat, arrived at Yasukuni in a government limousine around 7:40 a.m., as media helicopters circled above and a huge crowd gathered in the rain.
Unlike last year, when he paid his respects at the altar for general worshippers, Koizumi entered the main hall of the shrine and signed the visitor's book as "Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi." He paid 30,000 yen for flowers for the shrine out of his own money, according to an aide.
Koizumi, who steps down as prime minister next month, defended the visit and criticized China and South Korea for inflating their Yasukuni ire and refusing to meet him in a summit unless he halted the pilgrimages.
"I go there to remember and reflect on past wars and renew our resolve never to go to war again," he told reporters. "Today's peace and prosperity are not just because of those who are alive now, but were built based on those who sacrificed their precious lives."
It was Koizumi's sixth visit, and the last before leaving office, to the central Tokyo shrine, which is highly controversial domestically and abroad because it honors 14 Class-A war criminals as well as 2.5 million war dead.
Koizumi is the first prime minister to go to Yasukuni Shrine on the anniversary of the end of the war since 1985, when then Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone went.
The Chinese Foreign Ministry reacted immediately and strongly protested the visit, while South Korea said it was disappointed and infuriated. Criticism came even from within Koizumi's own circle. Takenori Kanzaki, leader of coalition partner New Komeito, which is backed by Japan's largest lay-Buddhist group, Soka Gakkai, called the visit "regrettable."
Finance Minister Sadakazu Tanigaki also criticized the visit. Tanigaki is a contender to be the next Liberal Democratic Party president, and thus prime minister. Koizumi said in April 2001 during his successful campaign for the LDP presidency that he would visit Yasukuni on the surrender anniversary as prime minister. He has visited the shrine once a year on different dates, but always avoided the sensitive day.
Last week, Koizumi said, "I'm criticized no matter when I go, be it Aug. 15 or not. So it makes no difference when I make the visit."
Supporters claimed the visits are an internal affair. War veterans and ultra-rightists thronged the shrine Tuesday, some carrying banners with slogans such as, "The Great East Asia War was not a war of aggression."
"I'm here for those who died for the country," Keiko Hara, 79, said as she visited the shrine Tuesday, Japanese flag in hand. "Other countries are blindly opposed to the visit, but our position is different."
Yasukuni, as Shinto, which at one time revered the emperor as its head priest, has long been a symbol of imperialism. It played a high-profile role in promoting wartime fervor, and even today it hosts a museum that seeks to justify Japan's invasions of its neighbors.
Within Japan, recent opinion polls show that last month's revelation that Emperor Hirohito stopped visiting the shrine after it secretly enshrined the Class-A war criminals in 1978 shifted the public decisively against visits to Yasukuni by the prime minister.
Source: Japan Times, August 15, 2006 _________________ Wer tanzen will, muss die Musik bezahlen
I understand some points of view by other countries, but I think everyone has the right to mourn their dead and I think everyone should remember the past.
The Chinese and Koreans are not the only one's to lose thousands of men, women and children through torture and execution during WWII at the hands of the Japanese, but they're the only ones who consitently complain about it.
Chinese children are taught, from drawing their first breath, to hate and despise all Japanese, some are told why, some are not, they don't even know why they hate them, they just do.
Were the Chinese an innocent nation, where they do no wrong, didn't invade and dictate over other countries, just to bleed dry all of their resources to feed it's own people, thus leaving the native populations to starve and suffer, then I'd agree with their outrage.
But, the Chinese are not innocent, they do conquer their neighbours, bleed them dry, leave their citizens to starve and die, just look at Mongolia.
Every year, Aug 15, hundreds if not thousands of Japanese businesses in China are burned to the ground, riots ensue, the Japanese businessmen/women hide for a week or so.
Does China not breed and practice the same contempt for others, just like the Japanese did?
That the Chinese have the gall to be outraged is an attrocity in itself! _________________
As Hewer said, two sides to this story - I personally can't really judge either party involved because I think BOTH parties have a valid reason for feeling the way they do.
That being said, due to current popular opinion, this event probably won't go over well with most in the Far East (and China has the most people ).
But, I'm sure other countries also whine and moan about what happened to their citizens in WWII (and look at what they victors did to Germany in WWI - that was a classic case of moaning and groaning too much - and that of course led to the second war). _________________ Dongguan Expat - Your online Community!
The aussies also have a problem with the shrine visit. Due to the presence of class A war criminals.
I also see reason on both sides but my instinct tells me that the visits in themselves are harmless but they do play into the hands of those koreans and chinese and others who promote the hatred of Japan. _________________ Asia Expats Forum Expat Friends Dating
I understand some points of view by other countries, but I think everyone has the right to mourn their dead and I think everyone should remember the past.
The Chinese and Koreans are not the only one's to lose thousands of men, women and children through torture and execution during WWII at the hands of the Japanese, but they're the only ones who consitently complain about it.
Chinese children are taught, from drawing their first breath, to hate and despise all Japanese, some are told why, some are not, they don't even know why they hate them, they just do.
Were the Chinese an innocent nation, where they do no wrong, didn't invade and dictate over other countries, just to bleed dry all of their resources to feed it's own people, thus leaving the native populations to starve and suffer, then I'd agree with their outrage.
But, the Chinese are not innocent, they do conquer their neighbours, bleed them dry, leave their citizens to starve and die, just look at Mongolia.
Every year, Aug 15, hundreds if not thousands of Japanese businesses in China are burned to the ground, riots ensue, the Japanese businessmen/women hide for a week or so.
Does China not breed and practice the same contempt for others, just like the Japanese did?
That the Chinese have the gall to be outraged is an attrocity in itself!
Excellent post. I must admit, I expected the expats on China to jump on this and I was badly mistaken. For some reason I expected your affinity with China (or barinwashing by living there) would lead you to take up the cause so to speak.
I agree with you - I don't think China or Korea has the right to be outraged about these shrine visits. I think every country should be able to honour its war dead regardless of whether that country has historical "goodie" or "baddie" status.
For Aussies and Kiwis, ANZAC Day is probably more patriotic than either of the two national days they celebrate, and ANZAC Day is all about remembering war dead. As an Aussie myself, I couldn't very well point the finger at Japan when doing exactly the same thing is such an important part of my own culture.
My grandmother was in the Australian Women's Land Army during World War II, and she thinks it's ridiculous that the Japanese Prime Minister gets criticised by the Chinese for honouring the war dead.
The great irony of all of this is that most Japanese people are actually opposed to these Yasukuni visits, however Koizumi has his head too far up his **** to notice. _________________ Wer tanzen will, muss die Musik bezahlen
I understand some points of view by other countries, but I think everyone has the right to mourn their dead and I think everyone should remember the past.
The Chinese and Koreans are not the only one's to lose thousands of men, women and children through torture and execution during WWII at the hands of the Japanese, but they're the only ones who consitently complain about it.
Chinese children are taught, from drawing their first breath, to hate and despise all Japanese, some are told why, some are not, they don't even know why they hate them, they just do.
Were the Chinese an innocent nation, where they do no wrong, didn't invade and dictate over other countries, just to bleed dry all of their resources to feed it's own people, thus leaving the native populations to starve and suffer, then I'd agree with their outrage.
But, the Chinese are not innocent, they do conquer their neighbours, bleed them dry, leave their citizens to starve and die, just look at Mongolia.
Every year, Aug 15, hundreds if not thousands of Japanese businesses in China are burned to the ground, riots ensue, the Japanese businessmen/women hide for a week or so.
Does China not breed and practice the same contempt for others, just like the Japanese did?
That the Chinese have the gall to be outraged is an attrocity in itself!
Excellent post. I must admit, I expected the expats on China to jump on this and I was badly mistaken. For some reason I expected your affinity with China (or barinwashing by living there) would lead you to take up the cause so to speak.
I agree with you - I don't think China or Korea has the right to be outraged about these shrine visits. I think every country should be able to honour its war dead regardless of whether that country has historical "goodie" or "baddie" status.
Hewer, I wouldn't say they don't have the RIGHT to be outraged ... the Chinese did go through plenty of suffering during the war (though nothing compared to what the US nukes did to Japan, and succeeding Japanese generations) ... Every side has a tale to tell, and the prudent thing to do is to listen to both sides in this case.
BUT, I totally agree with this statement "I think every country should be able to honour its war dead regardless of whether that country has historical "goodie" or "baddie" status." - After all, we are all HUMANS - and death affects all humans the same way.
Thus the BPR - follow this religion, and no-one gets killed . (ok, they may need to take shelter momentarily, but no cullings ). _________________ Dongguan Expat - Your online Community!
And plus we BPR converts don't get brainwashed so easily (except maybe when confronted with the Tsingtao girl :drool:).
Maybe I'm a BPR agnostic. I tell people I'm right into it but the reality is that I don't really practice it enough. _________________ Wer tanzen will, muss die Musik bezahlen
does anyone go to Hitlers grave and honor him? does he even have a grave?
if he did and they did... imagine the outrage?
Gee Mike, now who in their right senses would want to honor Hitler?? The guy doesn't qualify as war hero - he qualifies as pyschopath in my book. _________________ Dongguan Expat - Your online Community!
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