crime

Foreign couple detained after newspaper set on fire at Yasukuni Shrine

21 Comments

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Hmmm. -14 dislikes. Perhaps I should rephrase. By saying that only tens of thousands to 200,000 were killed instead of 300,000 to make one look better seems ludicrous because 10,000 killed is still a tragedy and outrageous. And to those who claim that it never took place, your voice is far out numbered. At some point reconciliation is the best way to move forward. Look to other countries who have done this despite the differences. This endless hatred has to stop.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@semperfi

Hmm I can't agree. "An insult to Japanese tradition and their religious system" the social studies geek in me asks which ones? Where?? The neighborhood shrines where I live date from 800 AD or earlier, there's a pride in them and their continuation of ancient rites--about agricultural cycles--so to say a shrine founded in the modern era in 1869, nothing agricultural, fertility, health, or "luck" -related about it, is somehow representative of "Japanese traditions and religion" doesn't make much sense.

Given its history, who it was made for and by, and how it is used today as a sore point by both right- and left-wing ideological groups, I would say Yasukuni represents to the public neither Shinto nor tradition, but the zeitgeist of political posturing.

That's why this guy chose Yasukuni for his protest and not your neighborhood OO hachimangu. There are people who deface even obscure temples, shrines, and graves, but I think the motivations are different.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Good to hear these dangerous arsonists have been arrested and will be punished to the full extent of the law.

Can you imagine what would happen if a foreigner tried to start a fire outside the great hall in Tiananmen Square? Hint: they would be tortured to death over a few decades

7 ( +8 / -1 )

I saw this on the news this morning. The newspaper was rolled up and had some kanji written on it. He set it on fire in the middle of a courtyard in front of the gate. He then held up a protest banner while the newspaper was burning. There was no way there was any potential for damage, even if it was left completely alone on a windy day. This article makes it sound like he was trying to burn down the shrine.

-10 ( +0 / -10 )

Both sides need to grow up. Celebrating war criminals isn't a good thing in 2018 neither is setting things on fire.

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

I'll say the same thing I always say when I see a headline about a foreigner.

Oh thank god it wasn't an American.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

Best solution to this problem would be to toss the Chinese couple into jail and then deport them plus adding them to the black list. They are troublemakers. Shame on them!

9 ( +10 / -1 )

No PICTURES ?!

Its not news paper but mortuary tablet named Hideki Tojo which looks made of paper or fabric.

Moving image in the middle

https://snjpn.net/archives/83992

1 ( +1 / -0 )

FouxdefaToday Somehow I don’t think the majority of people here think or care much about what you just spouted.

It doesn't make it less true. :-)

7 ( +9 / -2 )

No PICTURES ?!

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

What this old Chinese guy did was stupid. Burning a newspaper is a small crime in my book.

A year ago a Korean planted a bomb in the bathroom at the shrine and then left to Korea. The explosion was powerful enough to kill others if someone was inside went it exploded.

8 ( +9 / -1 )

Obviously they haven't read Smythe's "War damage in the Nankin Area, December 1937 to March 1938. If they had've they would've had a different view of things.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

They'll get more punishment than a mom who murders her kids, knowing how judges here work. In any case, the act of vandalism will be top news in the Yomiuri and Sankei, but not the reasons why the people committed the crime.

-13 ( +5 / -18 )

Stick him in jail with some Uyoko as fitting punishment for a few weeks and then flag him to ensure he can never re-enter Japan.

7 ( +11 / -4 )

Tens of thousands, two hundred thousand, three hundred thousand. After a certain point it is just a heck of a lot of people that were killed.

-14 ( +0 / -14 )

Why on earth would he sincerely apologize, Jonathan?

He came from Hong Kong with the intent to do wave his flag and protest the day before the 81st anniversary of the Nanjing massacre, he is an active member of a protest group re the Senkakus, and he admits to the charges. Can a leopard change his spots? Even if in the unlikely chance he did apologize in order to be freed, there is no way it would be sincere. This guy took a calculated risk, and he will take whatever comes.

15 ( +16 / -1 )

To do what the couple did at Yasukuni Shrine is an insult to the Japanese tradition, their religious system and to the soldiers who gave their lives for their country ( regardless of ideology).

Somehow I don’t think the majority of people here think or care much about what you just spouted.

-18 ( +2 / -20 )

Ok all he did is set fire to paper outside any building. Where is the arson ? Risk is zero but against rules of proprer behaviour and anyway he is a zealous foreigner against japan.

If he does not sincerely apologize, send him back to never come back.

About the woman, a complicit friend no doubt.

-4 ( +8 / -12 )

Another headline grabbing ploy..... whether this is by design, or by two emotionally overwhelmed Chinese, don't know. Lets see how this plays out.

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

Traveller beware!

Each country has its 'sacred" places.

To do what the couple did at Yasukuni Shrine is an insult to the Japanese tradition, their religious system and to the soldiers who gave their lives for their country ( regardless of ideology).

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

Well if you do silly little things you may have to pay the silly little price. I’m sure they will be given a heroes welcome back home.

So send em back! China would probably beat and torture a Japanese who did the equivalent.

15 ( +21 / -6 )

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