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Japan marks 77th anniversary of end of World War II

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As long as the class-A's are on the list at Yasukuni on this day, it sadly muddles Japan's future and will remain robbed of true change and progress

-7 ( +18 / -25 )

A government-sponsored ceremony to mourn the around 2.3 million military personnel and 800,000 civilians who perished in the war on the Japanese side was held in Tokyo,

No mention of a ceremony to mourn the around 30 million dead soldiers and civilians defending against Japanese soldiers. All the dead should be mourned when you begin a large scale war against many nations. Shouldn't they?

6 ( +31 / -25 )

did not touch on Japan's wartime aggression in Asia

Kishida was very likely thinking about the word of Victim (of atomic bombs).

-3 ( +17 / -20 )

Looks like such a diverse group invited to the ceremony!

Excellent to see some women invited to provide musical accompaniment.

-8 ( +12 / -20 )

August 15th surrender. This was 9 days after Hiroshima. And 6 days after Nagasaki. And, as I understand it, still then the military leaders did not want to give up, but did so under the refusal of the emperor to carry on with the disaster.

Correct me if I’m wrong.

-1 ( +15 / -16 )

Correct me if I’m wrong.

You're right. More specifically, the Supreme War Council of six members was deadlocked over unconditional surrender, with all three from the military opposed. So they took the issue to the emperor who made the singular decision.

The military then launched a coup, while thousands of military people and their family members committed suicide over the following days.

Kishida's only reference to war was that taking place on or over Japanese soil, which only lasted about eight months. The 13 years of conflict that Japan waged overseas resulting in a death toll in the tens of millions -- were ignored. No surprise the Koreans and Chinese are so steamed.

-4 ( +15 / -19 )

Correct me if I’m wrong.

You’re correct. What’s more, in what has become know as the Kyūjō Incident, senior military officials launched a coup d’etat. They attempted to assassinate the Prime Minister, place the Emperor under house arrest, and destroy the record of the Emperor’s surrender before it could be broadcast. They were willing to turn on their own “god” in order to keep the war going, even after two atomic bombs were dropped. Sorta puts paid to the notion that Japan was ready to give up even prior to the atomic bombings.

If you want to know more about the Kyūjō Incident, I highly recommend the film “The Emperor in August”.

1 ( +16 / -15 )

It is quite right and honourable for Emperor Naruhito, to express his "deep remorse" again this year for Japan's wartime past.

Emperor Naruhito a gentle man stands above politics, in a country that is devoted to peace, now 84% of the population were not even born when such crimes were committed, today would not know one end of a gun from the other.

Yet what has been learnt from such a devastating and bloody conflict?

Nothing!

The Government of China, and Russia are the 21st century tyrants aggressors, genocide, war crimes, daily threats of thermonuclear war, the reopening of concentration camps.

The constant march of the jack boot, tramping over any spec of democracy/freedom.

Look back and rightfully so, but it is the future that the global community should be afraid of.

It is not Japan that is developing the next generation of hypersonic missiles. 

If finger pointing makes people feel safer you are in for a wake up call.

8 ( +15 / -7 )

Looking at the picture of this memorial service marking the 77th anniversary of Japan's World War II defeat, and you see nothing but row and rows of men in the audience as if women does not exist. The sheer lack of their numbers and their presence shows 77 years later even after a war they still have no voice.

-7 ( +9 / -16 )

War is a terrible and 77 years ago this anniversary celebrates the loss of those who lost their lives in the bombings. Personally I think this is one sided. If the emperor or the Japanese government want to talk about war never happening again and talk about peace they should atone and give a moment of silence for EVERY LIFE LOST (that means enemies and citizens) that had to do with the result of the bombing and not just give a moment of silence for their war dead, and those killed in the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Emperor Naruhito, being the successor to his grand fathers throne, should not only express "deep remorse" for Japan's wartime past but also for his grandfathers selfish decision.

-7 ( +6 / -13 )

(With all due recognition of the horror suffered by Japanese innocents)

Japan was also nominally pursuing the development of the atomic bomb during the war. But they showed disunity, lack of commitment, and lack of confidence unlike the US which went straight for it.

These characteristics show even now in Japan’s mishandling of Omicron in 2022.

-11 ( +3 / -14 )

The world has come to recognize the horror of the Holocaust. Japan should remember at least the "Rape of Nanjing," 20,000 mostly women and children raped and another 200,000 males butchered by the Japanese soldiers. The dead bodies were dumped into Yangtze River and the water tuned red. The atomic bomb was intended to quickly stop the war.

-3 ( +13 / -16 )

The Government of China, and Russia are the 21st century tyrants aggressors, genocide, war crimes, daily threats of thermonuclear war, the reopening of concentration camps.

It’s like you woke up after sleeping for 22 years and turned on CNN.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Modern Italy and Germany look at such day as the liberation day and are still thankful to the allies for free their country.

Here on the other side by these ulta right wing politicians that rule the country it is seen as a humiliation day to respect and worship their criminals.

-14 ( +7 / -21 )

The world has come to recognize the horror of the Holocaust. Japan should remember at least the "Rape of Nanjing," 20,000 mostly women and children raped and another 200,000 males butchered by the Japanese soldiers. The dead bodies were dumped into Yangtze River and the water tuned red. The atomic bomb was intended to quickly stop the war.

Correct. Japan got off too lightly after the war. In my opinion Hirohito should have been tried as a war criminal.

-6 ( +8 / -14 )

The British general had no choice but to retreat or surrender when the Japanese came. England preferred to watch Hitler instead. England gave up Asia. The focus of Japan was to get China. It conquered the smaller neighboring countries to enslave them to help build up the momentum. Don't forget. There was a total of 8 western countries trying to divide and own China since the Ching Dynasty. They already got to Korea while Japan moved into Korea and took it.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

I hope countries don't cause a third world war again, it will be the last..

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Little known factoid is that after the war ended, the Netherlands thought Indonesia would return to them, and British and Australian forces hooked up with some remaining Japanese personnel to reinstate Dutch rule.

Didnt work....and yes, its true to say Japan's invasion of many Asian nations hastened those nations move to throw off the European colonial yoke.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Fortunately, Japan has renounced to war as a conflict resolution way, this was a wise decision that made Japan a prosperous country, economically and socially, hope that peace makers continue to prevail over the war lovers. The good thing about remorse is that it may lead to true repentance. Remorse is a feeling that comes from time to time, of something wrong that was done in the past, and until it does not turn into genuine repentance, will always ghost mind and heart. As Germany did, Japan should consider go beyond remorse towards China, Korea, other attacked nations in the past. The good thing about remorse is that it may lead to true repentance. Remorse is a feeling that comes from time to time, of something wrong that was done in the past, and until it does not turn into genuine repentance, will always ghost mind and heart. Hope that the next anniversary they mention it clearly, repentance, not only remorse.

9 ( +10 / -1 )

Japan killed millions of Chinese people. Japan was not the innocent war victim.

-5 ( +6 / -11 )

Japan killed millions of Chinese people. Japan was not the innocent war victim

mao zedong killed more chinese people than the Japanese ever did. The Cultural Revolution was in fact mass genocide of the chinese people by their own people.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

A moment of silence was observed at noon for the war dead, including those killed in the U.S. atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

Nice that it was recognized all were part of the war dead, as opposed to singling out certain peoples as "victims".

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

I like the way the Japanese always refer to it as 'the end of the war' rather than defeat.

-4 ( +5 / -9 )

I feel something is very very wrong when the purpose of the memorial specifically omits to mourn all the military and civilians that were killed in your war, and only to include your Japanese military and civilians. It stings. You are not really against war, you're against losing. "Proactive Contribution to Peace" my %s#.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Makoto Shimizu Today  07:59 am JST

Fortunately, Japan has renounced to war as a conflict resolution way, this was a wise decision that made Japan a prosperous country, economically and socially, hope that peace makers continue to prevail over the war lovers. The good thing about remorse is that it may lead to true repentance. Remorse is a feeling that comes from time to time, of something wrong that was done in the past, and until it does not turn into genuine repentance, will always ghost mind and heart. As Germany did, Japan should consider go beyond remorse towards China, Korea, other attacked nations in the past. The good thing about remorse is that it may lead to true repentance. Remorse is a feeling that comes from time to time, of something wrong that was done in the past, and until it does not turn into genuine repentance, will always ghost mind and heart. Hope that the next anniversary they mention it clearly, repentance, not only remorse.

It's reassuring to know that there are people like you that regardless if it was their own country, can look behind the bias and acknowledge the difference between right and wrong instead of endless denials and whitewashing based on nationalism.

I've always felt it strange that WWII memorial ceremonies in Japan never mention anything about the millions of victims in other nations who were killed by Japan's aggression and starting a war. Emperor Tenno was the only major public figure who acknowledged victims of other nations year after year, Sadly, we won't be seeing that anymore.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

I’ve always been somewhat impressed with the current emperor and his father before him. They always seem to take an additional step beyond the politicians when it comes to the recognition of Japan’s past militarism, acknowledging some remorse, and making vows of not repeating it. Basically Hirohito was the figurehead used by the military to wage war, apparently his descendants aren’t so eager to be used in the same way again. What concerns me now is, could Japan actually protect itself from say, China in the future? What if China started claiming Okinawa as it’s own (definitely within the realm of possibility) and took measures to take it?

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Never forget the atrocities of the WW2

…such as hanging people by their tongues on iron hooks or burying people to their waists and watching them torn apart by German shepherds. So sickening was the spectacle that even Nazis in the city were horrified.

https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Rape_of_Nanjing

-6 ( +2 / -8 )

@Makoto ShimizuToday  07:59 am JST

Fortunately, Japan has renounced to war as a conflict resolution way, this was a wise decision that made Japan a prosperous country, economically and socially, hope that peace makers continue to prevail over the war lovers.

The good thing about remorse is that it may lead to true repentance. Remorse is a feeling that comes from time to time, of something wrong that was done in the past, and until it does not turn into genuine repentance, will always ghost mind and heart.

As Germany did, Japan should consider go beyond remorse towards China, Korea, other attacked nations in the past.

The good thing about remorse is that it may lead to true repentance. Remorse is a feeling that comes from time to time, of something wrong that was done in the past, and until it does not turn into genuine repentance, will always ghost mind and heart.

Hope that the next anniversary they mention it clearly, repentance, not only remorse.

Thank you for repeating the same paragraph. In case you didn't know there is only one country in history that apologized to its ex-colonies for what is simply and idiotically defined by the same word " colonization". That is Japan. Germany never ever apologized for the crimes against humanity/peace except regarding Holocaust and only very recently regarding massacre in its one of ex-colonies Namibia last year for the first time ever.

“I was born in a family of a very poor farmer and so I could never dreamed of going to school. It was a Japanese official who persuaded my parents to send me to primary school. And it was a Japanese teacher who recommended me to the Japanese Army War College. The reason I am here today is because of the compulsory education system they introduced, and because of the clean and honest Japanese people”

President of Korea Chunghee Park

*For those who always compare Japan with the 3rd Reich, I stress again, Imperial Japan never thought of extinguishing a particular race. Not to mention what they have done to the Jews, Nazis oppressed Polish saying " It's enough for them to be educated up to around 4th grade in elementary school level, if they can count the number up to 500 and can write their own names, it's just enough" It abducted and murdered about a million intelligence in Poland. *However, Polish still preferred to be occupied by Germans rather than Russians because they believed Germany had culture. This is the terrible reality of the humane history.

 

*Did Japan ever treat, say, Korea like that? Japan ended slavery over there and introduced compulsory education for every children including those unable to attend the school due to their ex-slave status or poverty. The 2nd Imperial University was established in Korea even before Osaka Imperial University. Oh Yes I don't doubt Japanese then had some kind superiority complex over them.* But Comparison of Japan and Germany IS totally ridiculous.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

@kenji

Déjà vu.

You cannot change history. No matter how hard you try.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

You look seriously intoxicated.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Never forget the atrocities of the WW2

…such as hanging people by their tongues on iron hooks or burying people to their waists and watching them torn apart by German shepherds. So sickening was the spectacle that even Nazis in the city were horrified.

https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Rape_of_Nanjing

Classical Chinese methods

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Thus wrote Mahatma Gandhi: "If we are to reach real peace in this world and if we are to carry on a real war against war, we shall have to begin with children; and if they will grow up in their natural innocence, we won't have to struggle; we won't have to pass fruitless idle resolutions, but we shall go from love to love and peace to peace, until at last all the corners of the world are covered with that peace and love for which consciously or unconsciously the whole world is hungering".

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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