Aging Japanese veterans voice concerns about military policy shift

There's some real gold in what these guys are saying here. I feel as though the veterans of the IJA like these men aren't heard enough - especially if they make wise and pertinent contributions like this.

I believe he does not need to pay a visit to Yasukuni at the price of ties with China and South Korea, if he hopes for safety and peace of mind of the Japanese people,

That's gold.

A soldier is often more noble than the cause he fights for. Germans have generally confronted the painful horrors of their Nazi lapse. Japan for years equivocated, euphemized, alibied, telling itself it was more victim than instigator.The business of war is killing. If you don't like that, don't start one.

Proponents say Japan needs to be able to exercise its right of collective self-defense, or helping a friendly country under attack, to respond to a tougher security environment.

Does anybody actually believe this guff they keep spouting? The main reason they changed the constitution was so Japan could make money from arms sales. There is also the fact they are now able to blow any ship or plane up that comes into Japanese territory, whether it's a disputed territory or not. It's good to see the older generation making these claims and giving the people a voice, but the j-gov an military are not listening. Abe and his cronies first changed the regulations of how to change the constitution without a public referendum and introduced the secrecy act and then, they went ahead and changed the constitution without any public input. It's not a democracy! It's a fanciest regime.

If only the current bunch of politicians in Japan could listen to the few surviving peoples stories and feelings about being involved with war and how to conduct themselves rather than looking back at the past with rose coloured glasses to a time that never really existed.

Abe is hopeless.

The ones that start the wars,,,,never go to war......

Please listen to these people more. Before long, their wisdom in matters like these will be gone forever.

This guy should be the PM instead. Respect.

peace and the constipation of peace is the best defender of Japan, the peace continuation was an admiration for the rest of the world,, for how long we will try to settle disputes through wars why not settle it through peace and negotiations,, peace is the only way forward for a peaceful world.

The main reason they changed the constitution was so Japan could make money from arms sales.

That is part of it. The reinterpretation, a complete lie and an act of treason actually, is also about giving the Japan the dubious ability to get sucked into a future American war, also for the purpose of arms sales, but to their own government. Both the foreign and domestic bases are covered. Profits loom. What do they care who dies so long as its not them.

I wish I had a name list for all responsible. They should pay pre-emptively.

Edit: Fasciest regime! Damn auto type!

A future American war?

Pfft. Americans don't want war. We are good at it but that doesn't mean we want it.

"If you give em enough rope they'll hang themselves" I'm pretty confident that's what Japan is going to do. Japan is the only country since WWII that hasn't learned it's lesson yet. Germany obviously learned from it, corrected itself.

After 2 Atomic Bombs they still want to go back to it?

The answer is simple. The Emperor still exists! As long as he exists, things will remain the same. But things aren't the same, are they? Nope, not with satellites, stealth technology and nuclear weapons. Sneak attacks are a thing of the past. Cyber-warfare is also a new front. Economies can be destroyed with a brilliant key stroke.

Japan is ready for none of these things. When you pick up a gun....you are no longer a victim. You:re a combatant. You are now officially worthy of a targeting package.

Takehiko Ena, 91, a survivor of two aborted “kamikaze” suicide missions, agrees,,, can any one explain what they used to do in Kamize or suicide mission? were they crushing their vehicles or plane to in the enemy convey or something else?

the thing is the pacifist constitution hasn't changed. japan is still constitutionally prohibited from waging war. its just been reinterpreted to allow japanese forces to go to the aid of allies. and its ironic. the reason for reinterpretation is in response to the china's increasingly militant stance in the south china sea.

“If you raise your fist in response to your opponent’s fist-lifting, that only leads to a fight.”

That is true, but if you don't you will get punched in the face. Interesting dynamic in seeing the difference between Japanese soldiers in WW2 and US. When you look back on some of the comments that US GI's make from their time in WW2, they do say war is not good for everyone, but at the same time, they are at the front of leading the cause for patroitism (i.e. American Legion, VFW, etc) and making sure that America had a strong military to protect itself. They have dissented in the various military entanglements the US has been in and not just a bunch of war mongerers, but at the same time, the recognizce the need for a country to be able to defend itself.

I guess that is the diffrence between a victor and a loser, not trying to make light of the subject but there is a difference in mentality.