APA hotel chain under fire over book denying Rape of Nanking

@hachikou Regardless of how you interpret these two pages, they only tell "the issue is still controvertial". As long as the issue is still controvertial (unsubstantiated), anyone have every right to debate based on their reasons. So you can't just take one side as "unconditional fact" and bash the opponent without righteous reason, that's violating constitutional rights as far as Japan is concerned. It is quite clear that PRC had been advertising "Nanking Massacre" with the emphasis of two points "the scale of casualty" and "the nature of brutality" that seem to differentiate from any other massacres occurred in known wartime. So you cannot dismiss the number of casualities while discussing "Nanking Massacre" and you should know better if you really know this debate over 15yrs. (To me, it is quite amazing you didn't even know about the joint investigation if you knew the debate for such a long time, well, that unfortunately happens alot) If you still insist on "the massacre was a massacre regardless the number of casualities", then you need to explain why would "Nanking Massacre" so special or significant as compared to any other massacres like Tungchow mutiny otherwise it only makes you a double-standard.

The guy is just explaining alternative facts. I think he's trying to build a wall to keep out the Chinese tourists (not to mention Hong Kong, Taiwanese and Korean). He just wants people to stop spreading all this falsehood and is sick of the fake news from outside Japan. He just wants to make Japan a beautiful country. It's going to be beautiful.

I wonder what would happen if there's a book doubting the atrocities in hiroshima and Nagasaki. Would it make headlines around the world I wonder....

I think it would. Probably not top page, but you'd see it in various newspapers world-wide.

I wonder what would happen if there's a book doubting the atrocities in hiroshima and Nagasaki. Would it make headlines around the world I wonder....

He has the right to do and think his way in Public Just like we have.

Which is why everyone has the right to boycott, as much as he has the right to say what he wants.

As for writing in the book, there's a good chance that would be considered defacement of their property - it could potentially get you in legal trouble.

I doubt they will lose any money. Far right-wingers will make it their hotel of choice and fill up the rooms.

Why don,t use use democracy instead of trying to change it to suit time and place. I suggest If you disagree with book you are allow to. Every book printed in the word has a blank page at the start and at the end for you to Sign for a present, or to Comment on the book contains with good or bad criticism. This book is place in a public space so one has the right to do so. So I suggest not boycotting the Hotels but staying and had your comment on the book. Sounds fair. Ed Snowden ( Quote ) "if you don,t care about privacy because I have notting to hide", is the same has "I don,t care about free speech because I got nothing to say". He has the right to do and think his way in Public Just like we have. So boycotting has less political values then stay and commenting on the Book.

Akito Shimano

http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/area/china/pdfs/rekishi_kk_j-2.pdf You can read about the Nanking Massacre on page 270 and 271 of the report.

I have known a debate of Nanking issue for more than 15 years. This is a great help. So Japanese and Chinese scholars research concluded that Nanking Massacre did happened , but it is just that the death toll, Chinese says 300000 and Japan says from 20000 upto 200000. But even if it had been only 20000, still it would be a Massacre and something that Japan should be remoseful about. I thnk it is very unfortunate that in past Chinese side used wrong pictures of beheaded people as an evidence of Nanking massacre, beause that gave a chance to Japanese right wing to claim to deny a whole Massacre.

The owner of this hotel chain does not seem to be a very prudent man, as the Tokyo Olympics are getting ever closer.

Is he trying to embasses <>Japan?<>

Oops, pardon me, apparently surrounding letters with underscores will italicize them. You can see the report now if you can add underscore before and after "kk" part of "rekishikkj-2.pdf" in the original URL.

Or, just simply click the link below.

http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/area/china/pdfs/rekishi_kk_j-2.pdf

I seriously don't see what APA has to gain by providing literature like this but has plenty to lose. Perhaps he is allergic to the Yen. Not surprised that they are standing by their owner as, he is the owner, unless you don't want to work there any more.

As it is his freedom to put what he wants on that magazine, its also my freedom to visit any hotel as i see fit during my visit to japan. It is the only thing I can do.

I'm not giving money to a company that turns around and spends it on providing false history to its customers. No more staying at APA hotels for me, or anyone travelling with me.

If it is possible still, and if they are willing, perhaps the matter could be settled by placing the Survivors of these ordeals into the same room with those who deny it, Police the event, and Televise the whole ordeal. Get this matter over and done with, no preparation, no per-prepared speeches, just a matter of fact invite and meet, and discuss.

If Japan has had a bad history (I'm trying not to take sides by saying "if"), then grow up, [a] admit it, [b] show real penance, [c] move on, and [d] without continuing to cause grievance to others....

With respect to the last point, there's a lot of news about a particular Shrine that apparently causes Grief to many within this area of the World, simply because it is associated with, what has been deemed outside of Japan, as association with a number of Persons who have committed War Criminal acts. But more-so, since Japanese Political figures, go to that same Shrine, to pay Homage, to those same individuals (or at least, that's how it's being made out to be). If this is really the case, then its a bit like living within a Village where those who liked the Person who killed your Family, turn out each year at their graveside in order to say how great they were and saying how unjust it was that they were killed over their actions. [grimace]

Why not simply do as other Nations - and create a separate place where remembrance of War dead can take place - ideally in honor to the "Unknown Soldier" ? That, now-a-days has more commonality than it does towards what a particular side did - and should it ever be achieved (be it a place within Japan or elsewhere), may even see Chinese , Korean, and other Global leaders together joining in an act of remembrance - that War is a Sad loss to everyone, and should be avoided.

Fred Wallace, you did it again! You've posted a link to an article written by... who is this? "I am passionate about what I do - content writing and blogging services. I want to provide solutions both at a personal and corporate level; turning your dreams into realities, REAL-TIME! Building healthy networks is my passion..." He does not sound like a historian to me... If he must talk about the War in Pacific, then he must at least learn about "Freedom Betrayed: Herbert Hoover's Secret History of the Second World War and Its Aftermath" by George H. Nash and President Roosevelt's authorization of JB355. Anyway, here is a report made through a joint research between Japanese and Chinese scholars. You can read about the Nanking Massacre on page 270 and 271 of the report. It's in Japanese, but I believe Google translate is accurate enough to give you an idea. (No, it does not deny the crime.) Please use this as a future reference.

http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/area/china/pdfs/rekishi_kk_j-2.pdf

If your emphasis is on that, you may not want to push your historical stance so hard.

It's not my historical stance, it's the official record of what happened based on the facts and evidence. It's not an opinion I hold.

History has shown that avoiding atrocities had not been one of its strengths.

Ridiculous. The world is safer today than it has ever been. We see very few atrocities nowadays, and when they happen, we're all over them because we have learned from history.

As far as Japan is concerned, Nanking pales in its importance and "universal appeal" to Hiroshima as an event that shows the horrors of war.

Hiroshima is a lie that is perpetuated by those who want to pretend that the Americans did something bad to Japan. It was actually the Japanese who set off a bomb so they could save face by surrendering. You must know that, right?

@StrangerlandJAN. 20, 2017 - 02:49PM JST

Rather than working to ensure that atrocities don't happen again

If your emphasis is on that, you may not want to push your historical stance so hard. History has shown that avoiding atrocities had not been one of its strengths. You see, while memories of atrocities can deter their recurrence, it depends on HOW you remember them, and whether you treat them as special cases or general cases.

As far as Japan is concerned, Nanking pales in its importance and "universal appeal" to Hiroshima as an event that shows the horrors of war. As for the rest of the world, Nanking is a special case, conducted by Japanese with a special mental structure. The main role Nanking had in terms of ethics is to justify the atrocities of the Allied Nations and to promote the concept of the good war ... as demonstrated by American B-29s over Korea, American B-52s over Vietnam and Americans are still fighting wars everywhere today.

As for China, its main side (desired?) effect is to instill a latent sense of anti-Japanese hate in the average Chinese, because complete isolation between the act and the man is impossible with emotional humans (and China makes every effort to link the present as a continuation of that past). Normally, it shows up in the relatively harmless form of demanding infringements of human rights of particular Japanese. But make no mistake, the margin of morality of all Chinese against Japanese has likely been reduced thanks to this education. If a Sino-Japanese War starts, and some occupied town gets "Nankinged" by Chinese troops, this "truth education", which you so encourage, would have been a contributing factor.

On other topics, I'm puzzled by your impliance that actually dealing with revisionists in their publications (say a nice book) will greatly inconvenience mainstream historians. It seems inconsistent with your stance that this issue is settled to the point any mistake must be deliberate and malicious. If that's so, replying should require little more research than actually finding out what issues were raised by the "revisionists" and answering them in the book, which is insignificant compared to the kind of research he should be putting into a new book. The more work he has to do beyond that, the less the idea the issue "is settled" is justified.

In a free-market, we have choice, and entities (and their ideologies) are supported or not supported by our choices. However, usually we do this without any intent to change or deny "the loser's" choice. If we buy Coca-Cola instead of Pepsi, generally we are not thinking Pepsi needs to change its taste, much less its management style and even less what positions its owners happen to have on history.

When you boycott, you are actively doing this. Though the objective aspect is pretty much the same (money doesn't go to APA), the mental state (subjective aspect) with which you are doing this is different, and this mental state is not really healthy for the free market.

He is clearly the one who is affecting the free market, not me. The problem is that he has inextricably linked the product he is selling (hotel room accommodation) with the political message he is peddling so that I can't buy the one without financially supporting the other. Bottles of Coca-Cola don't generally come with booklets denying the Nanking massacre (or espousing other controversial views) attached to them. As a result I can buy a bottle of Coke without being bothered by political or other considerations - I only buy it because I like the product.

But by explicitly making his business product itself a conduit for distributing his views, he is clearly the one to blame for the consequences if people who disasgree with that don't buy it.

Akito and Kaz, this nation, Japan is an incredible country as you well know. However, by continuing to perpetuate stories that deny massively well documented acts of human brutality, you only serve to satiate the disdain other nations feel about this wonderful land. Akito you posited that I posted a link with a questionable individual. My mistake. Please try this on for size.

http://www.enkivillage.com/japanese-war-crimes.html

Even armature historians in Japan value primary sources and they are studying them and learning what took place where and for what reasons. Sometimes photos from other place and other time are used as a "proof" of the genocide, and such wartime and post-wartime propaganda are only empowering denialists like the owner of APA Hotel. So please be extremely careful and sincere when you decided to rant with denialists or revisionists.

Dear Akito Shimano, Thank you for your comments (before you get scores of thumbs down by the angry crowd)

Picking up random websites praising a work of Iris Chang which was extensively criticized by scholars will take us nowhere.

Kazuaki Shimazaki: Your Good at history and nationalist that your teachers pick up on when you were young and feed you Heroism History of Japan with all the pro and con worked in to it to change history so to make the imperial Japan look good. I bet you were score very well in History. You actual believe in your own bovine exscreetor, which is sad but I must say you do defend your nationalism eloquently with your tipical Japanese denial of true History.

A question for our 'revisionist' friends let by Kaz Shimaz: which is more intellectually honest, seeking historical truth or seeking to defend Japan come what may? Because that's what it comes down to. Ignorance, foolishness or dishonesty are the only three possible explanations for denying historical facts. Some people seem happy with one or other of those labels, maybe even wearing them with pride. But most of us are not and do not.

@rainydayJAN. 20, 2017 - 02:02PM JST

The only thing that is up for debate is the extent of the massacre, which is hard to determine based on the available evidence.

To throw you a bone, I actually agree with this statement. Given what I know of the current evidence plot, it does seem a very long stretch to say it didn't happen at all. However, that is separate in my mind from the issue of his right to make such an argument, or whether his argument is less healthy than people leaping to conclusions about his motivations, or the consequences of condoning economic coercions against him.

Further, I recognize that I had not so much as given him a chance to change my mind yet. If he had that chance, I might be convinced of his position. I might not agree but see he has something on his side. I might decide he is wrong, but decide his mistake was reasonable given what he had. Of course, I might decide it's really all his irrational pride. This awareness of a gap in my knowledge helps keep me from taking too self-righteous a stance.

If it is a historical question ("did a massacre take place?") then the only un-biased way of honestly determining an answer is to look at all the available evidence (both for and against) and after weighing that coming to a conclusion.

I actually also agree with this one's essence. The problem is why are you so sure this took place? Even with issues where the world does not come down on you just for doubting the current mainstream, myths that were formed by a misjudgment of the reliability of "evidence" can stick for decades. The simple problem of whether most of the strike force was on the flight deck or in their hangars at the moment the Japanese carriers were hit at Midway took about 5 decades to sort out. For decades, Kursk had the largest tank battle in WWII history. For two or so decades, students were murdered in droves in Tiananmen Square (amazingly, China actually "WON" this skirmish, and the Western news reporters eventually conceded they had no basis to say droves died in Tiananmen Square proper, so the mainstream of historiography actually now say the deaths happened, but not in the Square). Let's just conclude by saying I don't share your faith that the mainstream direction must be the correct one and that anyone challenging it is not only wrong, but morally deficient.

@rainydayJAN. 20, 2017 - 11:41AM JST

Give me a break. It is obviously a highly politicized issue that is constantly a source of political (rather than academic) debate among politicians and people with political view points they want to push.

It is highly politicized, but mostly by China, who sees it as a fine moral club (political weapon).

Almost half of this article is related to the political implications of this.

Which can be reduced to "China went hysterical again" (this time, it isn't even a government official...). But does the fact that China went hysterical mean that any attempt to push a no-Nanking viewpoint is automatically "political"? If that's what you are argue, aren't you kind of saying "Even if your viewpoint is at least somewhat historically defensible, you shouldn't push it because it'll piss China off?"

his stated reasons for publishing this stuff (which seems to run contrary to what actual historians say) is that China is using it for political ends against Japan.

The text actually said "The video shows passages from the book calling the 1937 massacre an “imaginary” event concocted by China to blame Japan." Now, if you are convinced that X did not happen, is it even possible for you to call X anything other than an "imaginary event"? And having established that, is it "political" or factual to suggest that someone may be gaining advantage from this "imaginary event"?

Whether or not his agenda is objectively "bad" is besides the point. I have a right to my opinion and a right not to spend money at a place where I know it will be used to propogate a viewpoint I disagree with. Your argument that people like me are unfairly restricting this guy - who I should add is a multimillionaire with a printing press who seems to have no problem getting his views heard - by refusing to give him money to spread his highly politicized views is one of the most obnoxious arguments I have ever read.

I have never denied you those "rights", just that it isn't a particularly good use of those rights.

In a free-market, we have choice, and entities (and their ideologies) are supported or not supported by our choices. However, usually we do this without any intent to change or deny "the loser's" choice. If we buy Coca-Cola instead of Pepsi, generally we are not thinking Pepsi needs to change its taste, much less its management style and even less what positions its owners happen to have on history.

When you boycott, you are actively doing this. Though the objective aspect is pretty much the same (money doesn't go to APA), the mental state (subjective aspect) with which you are doing this is different, and this mental state is not really healthy for the free market.

I see revisionist stances to be a net loss.

I see them to be a net gain.

Nope. Anytime anyone tries to pretend something that happened didn't, out of a sense of pride, it stops all advancement in a forward direction. Rather than working to ensure that atrocities don't happen again, we get stuck arguing that something that has been proven to have happened, actually happened, simply because some people don't want to accept the truth. It stalls us as a society, as a civilization. Revisionists are anti-society. They are more concerned with false pride, than with the forward movement of the human race. It's pretty disgusting.

People like you often wonder what's so alluring about "revisionist" history, and failing to come up with proper answers, assert they must be irrational. There's a simpler explanation. The revisionist works actually show an awareness of the opposing position, and if they talk them down, it is as a conclusion. The "mainstream" don't and if they even acknowledge the existence of an opposing position, the talk down will be as an assertion. It is easy to see why the latter often becomes a loser as soon as the person actually contacts a "revisionist" history text.

Nothing that you are saying makes any sense on this issue.

If it is a historical question ("did a massacre take place?") then the only un-biased way of honestly determining an answer is to look at all the available evidence (both for and against) and after weighing that coming to a conclusion.

Professional historians who have done so all come to the same conclusion - the massacre definitely occurred. There is a massive amount of direct evidence confirming that. Among people who look at the direct evidence there is no debate because the evidence to support the claim that it didn't happen simply doesn't exist. The only thing that is up for debate is the extent of the massacre,. which is hard to determine based on the available evidence.

"Revisionist" versions of history can be useful only to the extent that they are based on new evidence that can prove old understandings wrong. Revisionist versions of the Nanking story like the one spouted by APA and yourself have no such evidence and simply revert to infantile and irrelevant observations on China today ("China doesn't like Japan, the Chinese government supressess dissent, therefore in 1937 the Japanese army did not commit a massacre in the city of Nanking.")

This is a question of historical fact, and it is historians, not the Chinese or Japanese governments, who are the ones actually researching that question. Spraying your opponent with a bunch of random "bad stuff about China" arguments tells us nothing about what actually happened in 1937. Its literally worthless.

The mental acrobatics you are clearly doing to support a pre-determined conclusion on this are amusing to watch, but none of what you are saying stands up to any scrutiny whatsoever.

@kazuaki

For all your bluster, I'm pretty sure there's no way you can add spin to these facts::

http://www.pacificwar.org.au/JapWarCrimes/Cross-section_JapWarCrimes.html

No amount of denial will rub this blight from history. No, not one!!

This topic is sensitive and often very confusing. I don't know about the owner of the hotel, but most of so called denialists are denying the Chinese version of the story. Even Japanese and Chinese scholars haven't agreed with the damage caused by the aftermath of the battle. (I believe most of Japanese scholars would estimate the casualties way below 30,000 line, and most of the casualties were caused by unlawful executions of soldiers which were common in both side of the party.) I am not sure if Chinese government is teaching its people about how Chinese warlords used to fight their wars. They did not care about their people, and they made sure to destroy everything before they retreat, completely disregarding casualties to their own people, and Nanking was not an exception. (Ex. the 1938 Yellow River Flood. the Changsha Fire) Mass evacuation from the city has been reported and recorded in a film. Chiang Kai-shek had slashed reports from Time Magazine which one of them wrote "Nanking's greatest fear, which explains the sudden evacuation of the capital despite the fact that the Japanese troops are still 110 miles east of the city gates, is looting by Chinese troops—not fear of bombardment from Japanese warships." (WAR IN CHINA: Chaos Into Ruins Monday, Jan. 10, 1938) People must stop bashing Japan based on wartime propaganda and try to discuss history in more scholarly manner. Otherwise, they will simply give more power to the denialists.

@StrangerlandJAN. 19, 2017 - 07:36PM JST

I see revisionist stances to be a net loss.

I see them to be a net gain. Just the stance of welcoming them implies strength and confidence (and the integrity to correct a mistake if proven), and vice versa. Or do you think that China's suppression of dissidents is because of confidence in the unimpeachable correctness of its position, or at least a willingness to correct mistakes?

Further, I find history stronger and better made when it is challenged, and proven correct. A champion proves it is the champion by taking on matches periodically, not by refusing to fight while launching smear campaigns onto the motivations of challengers while applying economic pressure against them.

People like you often wonder what's so alluring about "revisionist" history, and failing to come up with proper answers, assert they must be irrational. There's a simpler explanation. The revisionist works actually show an awareness of the opposing position, and if they talk them down, it is as a conclusion. The "mainstream" don't and if they even acknowledge the existence of an opposing position, the talk down will be as an assertion. It is easy to see why the latter often becomes a loser as soon as the person actually contacts a "revisionist" history text.

If the owner doesn't like it, then he should keep his mouth quiet.

In other words, have his freedom of expression stripped (by civilian rather than government pressure). I see. I'm "glad" to see your low regard for that Constitutionally protected right in favor of ... something.

government would likely keep pushing and eventually take extreme measures to shut down a business that continually did wrong things.

And our Chinese boycotters can continue to boycott causing continuous financial loss, and they may escalate to tactics like arson.

@smithinjapanJAN. 19, 2017 - 08:01PM JST

Kazuaki: "For one thing, I'm not sure if suggesting Nanking, or any other atrocity did not happen can rightfully be considered political at all." Well, there goes what's left of integrity out the window. I bet you would get pretty upset if someone suggested the Sex Slave statues are not political. Did you know one is going to be put up on Dokdo? It's not at all political, though, right?

I am not one that thinks the South Koreans have a good (legal) claim on Takeshima, but under the circumstances, if they want to put one there, fine.

As for statues in general, I do find them political. The discriminator is less the content than the purpose. You do notice how often the demands that Japan assume "legal responsibility" comes up? In short, the goal is expressedly to put another country into a disadvantaged position - this is not even a "side-effect", it is a goal! As of this moment, I don't remember that many Nanking apologists suggest that China or anyone should bear legal responsibility for spreading "lies". Do you see one difference?

Still, I'm less concerned about that than the ratio of their social utility versus their dangerousness. At this moment at least, 200K Sex Slave is the dominant narrative. A statue that pushes that viewpoint thus teaches nothing new and thus has insignificant social utility. If I'm even slightly interested, I can learn more on Wikipedia.

If a foreigner finds a book saying the Nanking Massacre does not exist in his hotel room, it is likely actually a rare opportunity for him to learn a viewpoint that was introduced to him only in derogatory one-liners so far. Whatever he concludes, to just know this viewpoint on a deeper level has its own social utility. He might not like the whale offering, but at least he had the chance to try whale (and for no extra charge), something that may not be a real option back home. Now for the harms.

Human brains generally find it impossible to completely isolate an entity's acts from the entity per se. The plethora of slogans ("Hate the sin, not the sinner" ... etc) only empathize this. Thus, if you abscribe atrocities to an entity, you are inciting hatred against said entity - it's within your rights, but the negative part of your choice should not be missed. The Chinese government does not put weight on Nanking in compulsory education so the students like Japan as a whole more, and it's the same here.

Further, when it comes to South Koreans and comfort women, this has gone from a theoretical to a real threat, since Koreans (and I'm not talking the occasional person who sets himself aflame) have already demonstrated a widespread willingness to break their own laws, international law, and their own honor over the issue (hordes actually went to defend that new Busan statue). They are willing to harm people they admit are actually innocent of their accusations economically and call it justice. When any ideology promotes such moral warpage, there is at least a prima facie case for calling such beliefs (and symbols of such beliefs) socially dangerous.

For one thing, I'm not sure if suggesting Nanking, or any other atrocity did not happen can rightfully be considered political at all. Why can't it be someone genuinely thinking he's right, and pushing his point? Is everyone pushing their views "political"?

Give me a break. It is obviously a highly politicized issue that is constantly a source of political (rather than academic) debate among politicians and people with political view points they want to push. Almost half of this article is related to the political implications of this. Do you know nothing of the politics involved in Japan-China relations? The guy himself is framing it as a contemporary political issue rather than a historical one- his stated reasons for publishing this stuff (which seems to run contrary to what actual historians say) is that China is using it for political ends against Japan.

I'll group your wish to spend your yen as you see fit with Strangerland, but unique for you: if we say there is an agenda, what is it, and why is it bad?

Whether or not his agenda is objectively "bad" is besides the point. I have a right to my opinion and a right not to spend money at a place where I know it will be used to propogate a viewpoint I disagree with. Your argument that people like me are unfairly restricting this guy - who I should add is a multimillionaire with a printing press who seems to have no problem getting his views heard - by refusing to give him money to spread his highly politicized views is one of the most obnoxious arguments I have ever read.

Some nation and their citizens can not get over or believe history. Most nation have a hand in massacres, English with their colonial ways , American with expansion of native lands, Australia with expansion of native lands, China with expansion of tibetan lands and Japan on Mandarin and Chinese lands, The Thing with Japanese and Chinses people is that most are in Denial.

"We just going to let it slide?"

Yup don't give a hoot. More concerned about China polluting my coastal town, Trump about to poke the autocrats in Beijing and them retaliating in some stupid fashion, my kids making it safe home at night, making some dough etc...

Life in 2017, really.

I read this yesterday in the paper and I find this quite astonishing.

I think what offends me the most is the bombastic forcefulness of it. To put it in EVERY room is almost evangelical.

Wow, Japan, wow. Are we happy with this, people? We just going to let it slide?

Oh, wait.

please list some of the atrocities that you accept Japan committed.

I'll take a shot.

<http://www.pacificwar.org.au/JapWarCrimes/Cross-section_JapWarCrimes.html

Educate yourselves!!

"The Government of Japan believes that it cannot be denied that following the entrance of the Japanese Army into Nanjing in 1937, the killing of a large number of noncombatants, looting and other acts occurred. However, there are numerous theories as to the actual number of victims, and the Government of Japan believes it is difficult to determine which the correct number is. The feelings of deep remorse and heartfelt apology for the actions during the war have been upheld consistently by the post-war Cabinets. Such feelings were expressed in the form of the Murayama Statement on the 50th anniversary of the end of the war, and those feelings of remorse and apology were also carried forth via the Koizumi Statement issued to commemorate the 60th anniversary. Such feelings of remorse and apology articulated by previous Cabinets will be upheld as unshakable, which was made clear in the Statement by the Prime Minister issued on 14 August, 2015."

Sorry but what the autocrats in Beijing are saying may not constitute the whole truth. What was written by a pseudo-historian (whose methodology was debunked by many western scholars) may not as well. Time to move on.

The BBC have picked up the story.

Standing by his own belief is one thing; using his business to propagate is another thing! Boycott from me too.

@cjapan

She was like, I can't believe you believe in that Chinese propaganda!

Sadly, I've heard more of that kind of line of conversation recently. For many in Japan, being accused by China or Korea seems to cause all sense of rationality to disappear. Proving China and Korea wrong becomes more important that learning what actually occurred.

I would suggest that as he is so interested in freedom of speech he can have no objection to all those who disagree with his "interpretation" putting a warning on their social media pages about his hotel with a recommendation not to stay there and an explanation why and suggest all their friends post it on. That should get sufficient world wide coverage that non but the fanatical supporters of his "interpretation" will use his hotel during the up coming Olympics or at any other time. After all that also is free speech and if people choose not to frequent his cheepo hotels that also is their right.

IMHO, the best thing to do with idiots like this, is to ignore them. With all of this attention, I wouldn't be surprised if their hotel AND book sales hit an all-time high now.

I'm not sure what APA's owner is trying to achieve here. Whilst I am tired of China using history as a political football at every opportunity, it cannot be denied that atrocities were committed at Nanking/Nanjing.

Given the context of the business APA is in, where a high proportion of its customers are overseas tourists, t is hard to fathom why the owners what to do something like this.

I too have never stayed at an APA hotel although would have considered it up until now. The actions of the owner ensure that I will never stay there.

And, the saddest thing is, in his mind, this is the truth.

Yeah, and equally sad is that those who have the opposite point if view also believe theirs represents the truth.

"What is history but a fable agreed upon?"

Yoshitsune

War has happened through out the history of man and will happen repeatedly in the future to come. On the same front propaganda will occur to manipulate the populaces for their own gain. One does not justify the other.

If PRC is trying to set up Japan as the single source of evil with half lies and doctored evidence then they are just smearing it with their own fiendish political agenda like their predecessors. The crime against peace in which the so called A class criminals were charged of was not law before the Nuremberg trial so it is ex post facto law in which is a crime claimed by the prosecutors after the law was commissioned so it was within law when the act was committed making it unjustifiable within the court of law.

Your claim is just that it was within law to invade during the time like other European nations and USA did. Therefore singling out Japan is unjustifiable unless you name all nations including China into a single platter.

Whether 300,000 were killed in and around the city of Nanjing, or whether it was "only ten thousand" (as per Ishihara), and whether some of them had guns, really is not the point at all.

Bingo.

Thanks Nick.

I believe all the ones in Japan are named APA.....

(genuine question)

Are all APA hotels called "APA something"?

Do some hotels belonging to the APA group have some other moniker?

I just want to make sure that I never ever stay at any of their hotels.

Rape of Nanking is fake news

Because he said so

I still say it's probably against Trip Advisor policy.

If you go to an APA Hotel and find this book and think it's disgusting, then you have every right to give them one (or zero if possible) stars. If certain people don't want mainland Chinese tourists (and HK, Taiwanese and Korean for that matter), then fine. But don't cry when the piggy bank becomes empty.

@Triring,

Was it an intentional massacre or was it a mop-up mission that got out of hand, that should be the debate

Not really. Whatever you call what happened in Nanjing, and however many died there, it was part of an illegal and unprovoked invasion of China, an act of naked and totally unjustified aggression by Japan which resulted in tens of millions dead, perhaps the single bloodiest invasion of one country by another in human history. Whether 300,000 were killed in and around the city of Nanjing, or whether it was "only ten thousand" (as per Ishihara), and whether some of them had guns, really is not the point at all.

If the owner of ANA wants to convince me that Japan didn't do anything wrong in China, he's going to have to convince me that 1937 to 1945 didn't happen. There is a monumental amount of evidence for him to disprove if he's going to do that.

@MsDelicious

There really is no proof that it ever happened

There is plenty of evidence. Japan most definitely invaded China in 1937 without justification and killed a huge number of people, many of them in and around Nanjing.

Point taken Goldorak.

His company, he can do what he wants. If business takes a dive, he'll be out, and so will the books. I could really care less about this issue. Bigger fish to fry IMO. I still say it's probably against Trip Advisor policy.

Kazuaki: "For one thing, I'm not sure if suggesting Nanking, or any other atrocity did not happen can rightfully be considered political at all."

Well, there goes what's left of integrity out the window. I bet you would get pretty upset if someone suggested the Sex Slave statues are not political. Did you know one is going to be put up on Dokdo? It's not at all political, though, right?

I could be wrong, but the fact that the word "balance" is in your paragraph suggests you realize something is being lost on the other side and you see this as a net gain equation.

I see revisionist stances to be a net loss.

For one thing, I find that "something" rather heavy and my point is when focused on that "something", that the blow is being struck by private citizens may be little less damaging than a government struck blow.

If the owner doesn't like it, then he should keep his mouth quiet. If he doesn't end up losing enough to cause any discomfort, then he can continue to push his position all he wants. With a government fine on the other hand, the government would likely keep pushing and eventually take extreme measures to shut down a business that continually did wrong things.

They are entirely different, and it's a false equivalency.

I wouldn't be surprised if some Chinese people now book APA rooms and then destroy, burn, steal or throw away the books in each room.

@rainyday JAN. 19, 2017 - 03:03PM JST

You are totally misconstruing the point. Part of every Yen spent by customers at APA hotels are going to propogating a highly politicized agenda which some (including myself) strongly disagree with. Why should I, as someone who does not agree with that agenda, feel obliged to nonetheless financially support it simply because doing otherwise (boycotting) would reduce the financing of a political point of view with which I disagree?

For one thing, I'm not sure if suggesting Nanking, or any other atrocity did not happen can rightfully be considered political at all. Why can't it be someone genuinely thinking he's right, and pushing his point? Is everyone pushing their views "political"?

I'll group your wish to spend your yen as you see fit with Strangerland, but unique for you: if we say there is an agenda, what is it, and why is it bad? Let's say he completely gets his way and the world agrees Nanking doesn't exist: Will such a world mean an ultramilitaristic Japan? I don't see it - most of the pacifism came from being nuked & starved anyway. The absence of Nanking doesn't suddenly turn invading China from Bad to Justified. Or, if you take the "right-wing" position that the "advance" into China was justified, then having a Nanking isn't going to suddenly make it unjustified either - just as you can think Dresden is an atrocity yet still feel the Allied counterinvasion against Germany is more than justified. It just isn't that big a deal on that score objectively, and Nanking is less "symbolized" in Japan than in either China or the West, so I just don't see Japanese congealing into a solid glob of self-righteous, anti-Chinese contempt in a world where Nanking is disproven.

If it does mean Japan feels like it can be somewhat more assertive versus China, while China is just that little bit less self-righteous, is that a bad thing? Come on, I really just don't get your objection to this as a "political position". So what if he wins, or partially wins (as in, the world is slightly less confident in its adherence to the 300K solution)?

@Strangerland JAN. 19, 2017 - 03:09PM JST

This is an entirely false equivalency. If not only just because people who agree with him have every right to choose the APA hotel for that reason if they want. There is no equivalency in law. A fine is a fine, there isn't a free-market balance to that.

I could be wrong, but the fact that the word "balance" is in your paragraph suggests you realize something is being lost on the other side and you see this as a net gain equation.

For one thing, I find that "something" rather heavy and my point is when focused on that "something", that the blow is being struck by private citizens may be little less damaging than a government struck blow.

For another, I'm not sure I'll use "free-market balance" because it implies there's actually something "good" on the other side. In this case, I find it dubious. The free-market is supposed to reward those who provide quality to customers and also to encourage the availability of choice to them. This increases the overall welfare of society. When money is either being employed or withheld with purpose to reduce choice ... that's not exactly what the "free market" is about to say the least.

I acknowledge their property rights, and their margin of discretion, but I'm not going to call this a "good" thing.

I'm having a problem with this. The hotel workers are just trying to make a living and have zero connection with the views and writings of the owner.

Yes and no, fizzbit. As long as one knowingly works alongside/for a revisionist, one becomes, imo, fair game. Big difference with, for example, Bayer (pharma) who was heavily involved in the production of Zyclon B during WW2. Let's imagine for one second Bayer's CEO, in 2017, bragging about his company's past or minimising Nazism or even wearing their Nazi past as a badge of honor. Can you imagine what our reaction would be? Pretty sure many hospitals, docs, investors, scientists, researchers and yes, patients, would be boycotting their drugs, and rightly so. Same for those of us who work in this industry, who would want to work for such company? Not that many I would say.

Here, no one is having a go at Japan/APA for their past, we are only pointing out APA's active revisionism in their own hotels, in 2017, is bold to say the least ( and quite frankly inappropriate). That our reaction could affect their business and the livelihood of their employees is imo secondary (irrelevant).

gaijinpapa: "Because there was a time when Japanese right-wingers denied that too."

There was a time?? They STILL do! In fact, many on here say, if they will even admit the existence of the unit to begin with, that it was a "well known and well respected unit who helped people in China". These are the same people who say Japan was "defending Asia" and that Japan is the victim of Pearl Harbor.

APA: "Cheaper than putting up 'No Chinese' signs--and more legal!"

This is what a cavalier attitude towards the truth gets you:

The Chinese government inflates the number of victims to promote its legitimacy and stoke anti-Japanese sentiment. Unrepentant J-Nazis use this as an excuse to (legitimately) question the Chinese figures and (illegitimately) pretend there was no massacre.

A boycott of APA is in order.

The boycott thing can work both ways. I can imagine that many will go out of their way to stay at APA hotels.

They might not mind if losing a few Chinese customers.

Nobody has proof that 300,000 people were killed. You can argue whether it was 300,000 or 100,000 or 20,000 until the cows come home.

But....anybody and I mean anybody who has actually read the literature or been to China or has even the slightest knowledge of history knows that Japanese soldiers did terrible things in Nanking, and it was enough to disgust Germans, Americans, and Japanese.

It's beyond dispute.

But just like a lawyer will do anything to discredit a witness when trying to help a guilty client, Japanese will sieze on a fake photo, or some person giving the wrong date.

I love japanese people, but for all the insane one-off anecdotes they have, I wish the rightwingers here would actually study the documents that are in English, and go visit Nanking.

The comfort women issue is linked to the atrocities in China.

Why was the system introduced? To stop Japanese soldiers raping civilians. All Japanese know that.

Tina Watanabe, do you deny what Unti 731 did also? Really?

Because there was a time when Japanese right-wingers denied that too.

Nobody wants to bash Japan or Germany. But for long term foreigners like me who love Japan and Japanese, it really makes me sick to know some Japanese are either so stupid to know recogize the obvious facts, or that they DO know them but just don't want to admit it.

Its okay to acknowledge that your country's soldiers did back things during war. They wouldn't have if they weren't sent there. But denying it just makes Japan look really bad.

And for those who don't know, an wonderful American missionary who tried to stop girls from getting raped was so traumatized by what happened that she had a nervous breakdown and ended her life. Read up on Minnie Vautrin - but its heartbreaking.

TIna and co, do you think John Rabe was a liar?

"Two Japanese soldiers have climbed over the garden wall and are about to break into our house. When I appear they give the excuse that they saw two Chinese soldiers climb over the wall. When I show them my party badge, they return the same way. In one of the houses in the narrow street behind my garden wall, a woman was raped, and then wounded in the neck with a bayonet. I managed to get an ambulance so we can take her to Kulou Hospital... Last night up to 1,000 women and girls are said to have been raped, about 100 girls at Ginling Girls' College alone. You hear nothing but rape. If husbands or brothers intervene, they're shot. What you hear and see on all sides is the brutality and bestiality of the Japanese soldiers.[8]"

But yes, Rabe claimed only 50,000 were killed.

But dear Japanese, if only a few thousand women were raped and only 10,000 civilians were killed - is that worth fighting over and calling Chinese liars?

Do you think Prince Prince Mikasa Takahito was lying?

It is a complete disgrace and shame on Japan that they deny the atrocities. But the reality is that many powerful people do.

I just hope Japan and China never go to war again.

I urge the people in China or S.Korea and their overseas migrants that they must ask the political views from the Japanese business about Japan's aggression history before they choose that Japanese products or services. Otherwise don't use that product or service providers if they lack of remorse or apologies. Being neutral or muted us not an option. For example: Ask Toyota about how they view Nanjiang massacre before you choose to buy their automobile.

FizzBit: "The hotel workers are just trying to make a living and have zero connection with the views and writings of the owner."

Not true. They choose to work there, knowing the stuff being said. They make their beds, and if they want to have customers to make beds for, too, they need to choose wisely whom their working for. If you knowingly work for a criminal, you are an accessory.

This is the definition of a hate crime and the hotel chain should be punished

Kazuaki SHimazaki: "For the sake of example, that this boycott costs the owner 5 million yen. In economic terms, this is no less damaging than if the government fined him 5 million yen for this same act on some legal pretext."

Ridiculous argument. It's a person's choice to go there or not, and if the man can choose to pour out his garbage and insist the customers must have it in their rooms, people can choose not to be customers. That is not at all like a government fine, nor is informing people and they, in turn, choosing not to be guests. I hope it's not only millions, by the way, but billions, that the company loses because of this. But you see, I'm only expressing my opinion, right? Why would a customer not staying there in your mind be a form of assault, but the man claiming that actual atrocities that occurred is fake, just "debate" (which you believe, for that matter)?

You can post hotel reviews on Trip Advisor. Let's see this hotel chain's rating go down like a lead balloon.

I'm having a problem with this. The hotel workers are just trying to make a living and have zero connection with the views and writings of the owner. It seems a little passive-aggressive to untruthfully go after a particular hotel that you decide you want to target, and probably against Trip Advisor policy. Why not take your fight to their HQ or start some kind of boycott campaign if you're that serious. It also smacks of what the lazy Social Justice Warrior's like to do.

Kazuaki - "this boycott costs the owner 5 million yen." - It's a customer's right to spend their money as they please. Sometimes it depends on the product. Sometimes it depends on the owner. For you, it's solely the former. For me, it's both.

"This is an exercise of that right in a way that is a de facto assault on another right" - What right does the APA owner have? The customers have a right to spend their money as they please. That takes priority over any business owner's right.

Anyway, it's obvious you have your way of approaching life, and many other people have theirs. Take care, and may you be happy in your life.

You can post hotel reviews on Trip Advisor. Let's see this hotel chain's rating go down like a lead balloon.

That is a big problem with today's society. Whenever certain views are so aggressively silenced by law or organized online attacks, that is when I get very suspicious and tend to think that the attacked point of view is most likely correct.

"I must wonder at your sincerity at actually trying to find analogous situations"

Kazuaki, the situation is analogous. The owner has a certain opinion. The customer can choose to eat there or not, depending on how strongly they feel about that. And that is what this situation is. Obviously, you can't (refuse) to see that.

You are someone who can separate someone's views from someone's cash business. Many readers, especially many foreigners, do not want to be like you. They want to stand for their principles. You are not that type of person. And you are free to be that way. You think it's all academic. For others, especially Chinese and Koreans, it's personal, deeply personal. It's beyond "academic".

By the way, I have a Japanese friend who works at APA. She's going to quit because of everything that has come to light (even though I told about all of this months ago). She's standing for her principles. I applaud her.

That psychology is something I find mysterious, yet unjustified and dangerous, every time I read one of these debates (also the debate on comfort women)

I get what you are saying, because I always wonder why people keep repeating the lie that Hiroshima and Nagasaki were bombed, when there is zero evidence to show it ever happened. It's all a myth created by the Japanese as anti-American propaganda. The Japanese actually blew up small bombs themselves, and then told their people that it was American A-bombs, in order to give themselves an easy way to surrender without losing face.

Kazuaki Shimazaki: "That psychology is something I find mysterious, yet unjustified and dangerous, every time I read one of these debates (also the debate on comfort women)."

There is no "debate". Sexual slavery and Nanjing happened. Only deniers 'debate' whether it did or not.

That's like pouring boiling hot water on the Chinese's burn wound. Confucius says "Don't do unto others, what you don't want others to do to you".

How will Japanese people feel if America says Hiroshima and Nagasaki never happened?

Don't get mad at this comment, it's merely an observation that this could a possibility of 'two birds, one stone' and maybe that's what was intended.

Motoya figured it was a great way to make sure you don't get Chinese customers and in turn tow that revisionist views' line. I wonder if that was the plan all along while thinking about that old saying "there's no such thing as bad publicity"? If so, that's a sociopath right there.

APA says it stands by its owner’s views.

This is by far the most disturbing part. I accept that there will forever be head-in-the-sand asshats who continue to deny, obfuscate, and otherwise lie about Japan's culpability in the Greater East Asia war., but for an entire corporation to stand behind it? That's frightening.

The company I'm with used to use APA for business lodgings. Not anymore.

Vote with your wallets, folks. Vote with your wallets.

Ricky, Still waiting for the Brits, the French to apologize for plundering the colonies for centuries, the Aussies for slaughtering millions of Tasmanians, the Americans displacing millions from Africa etc... Go to h*ll with your selective righteousness!

You can post hotel reviews on Trip Advisor. Let's see this hotel chain's rating go down like a lead balloon.

get a freakin life, it's 2017. Japan did awful things but that's in the past.

Agree 100%. If only this hotel owner could leave the issue where it belongs, in the past, we wouldn't have to be having this conversation.

G.MAL.O.Q# Hence the term , HISTORY REPEATS.

I could not care less about the controversy and will keep on going to these hotels as long as they offer good service. Posters in here : get a freakin life, it's 2017. Japan did awful things but that's in the past.

If you don't want to read it, don't. But others might want to. I certainly will have a look at his stuff the next time a go to an APA hotel. Thanks JT for the heads up. Seems many are so convinced they are on the side of truth. I prefer being open minded...

You rely on brochures left in hotel rooms to inform you on issues like this? Hence the need to thank JT for the tip, because you were looking for informative hotel brochures on Second World War related history but weren't sure which hotel you could find one at?

Makes perfect sense.

Never again staying in that APA hotel chain. I really feel sorry for the family of the victims. People forgive but they will never forget. Now APA trying to deny this. I'm so boycotting this hotel.

Perhaps APA hotels could leave these books in the bathrooms instead. That would be more convenient for making the most appropriate use of individual pages.

But it would've been fun to deface their reading material.

It's a crime.

Indeed, reminds me of a few years ago when it was big news when a guy damaged some copies of Anne Frank's Diaries from public libraries. If you don't want to read it, don't. But others might want to. I certainly will have a look at his stuff the next time a go to an APA hotel. Thanks JT for the heads up. Seems many are so convinced they are on the side of truth. I prefer being open minded...

If part of the basis for freedom of expression is that mere expression cannot really hurt other people, then we can see the problem here. For the sake of example, that this boycott costs the owner 5 million yen. In economic terms, this is no less damaging than if the government fined him 5 million yen for this same act on some legal pretext.

This is an entirely false equivalency. If not only just because people who agree with him have every right to choose the APA hotel for that reason if they want. There is no equivalency in law. A fine is a fine, there isn't a free-market balance to that.

It amazes me all these years later that people are still denying that Japanese troops committed the Rape of Nanking. Former Japanese soldiers need to speak out and tell their stories about their China experience. I talked with two former IJA soldiers who fought in China. Their experience left no doubt in my mind about the crimes committed by the IJA troops in China.

If part of the basis for freedom of expression is that mere expression cannot really hurt other people, then we can see the problem here. For the sake of example, that this boycott costs the owner 5 million yen. In economic terms, this is no less damaging than if the government fined him 5 million yen for this same act on some legal pretext. Do you really think the chilling effect will be greatly less just because the "finer" is not the government? If we say the limit of "expression" is when other people start getting tangibly hurt, then this exceeds "expression".

You are totally misconstruing the point Part of every Yen spent by customers at APA hotels are going to propogating a highly politicized agenda which some (including myself) strongly disagree with.

Why should I, as someone who does not agree with that agenda, feel obliged to nonetheless financially support it simply because doing otherwise (boycotting) would reduce the financing of a political point of view with which I disagree?

I see absolutely no sense whatsoever in your logic here.

@Tamagawaboat:

I agree with you.

About 15 years ago I was lucky enough to know people both Chinese and Japanese that lived in Nanking and they said the same things. One former Japanese soldier, and others civilians. This is not hearsay. It was straight from real people, not fake news.

I have heard of APPA hotels. I am thinking about giving them a try. Cheap and clean. I will look in the side table to see if this book really is there.

And many Japanese wonder why Koreans and Chinese don't believe 'apologies' from Japan - they can see there is a wide base of denial of Japanese wartime atrocities in Japan.

Shishio

Most of the photos were later found to be doctored miss labeled or completely forged.

The Nanjiing District court investigation was a Kangaroo court based on testimonials without supporting evidence. There are various counter facts that always seems to fall through the crack and is not able to provide any acceptable counter argument.

Nanking was a battle zone right before the occupation. Many of the people that had been living there evacuated before the battle began. The citizens that occupied the city during the occupation did not know much of each other since they originally lived outside the wall and fled into the deserted city when the battle began. Many ROC troops took off their uniforms and ran into the city as well.

Basically it is propaganda started by the ROC and later adopted by PRC to upheave popularity among their constituents.

Not saying there were no casualties amongst the civilian populations but it was no where near 300,000 and the massacre was not intentional to exterminate Chinese as PRC advocates.

@ShishioJAN. 19, 2017 - 01:35PM JST

For those who fixate on the 300,000 murdered number the Nanjing District court investigation in 1946 put the number at 295,525 people

Amazing, isn't it. Just briefly prior, the Tribunal put it at about 200K, and Nanjing says it is 295K? You have to remember that the Tribunal is already a court where they knowingly reduced standards - something I consider pennywise and pound foolish. You can see why they might have been less than fully convincing.

Besides, you are clearly avoiding my point, which is less about what is the correct solution than what is the basis for irrational rage for a different solution, and the harm this causes our society.

@JalapenoJAN. 19, 2017 - 12:49PM JST

I guess you wouldn't mind staying at a hotel owned by someone who said Japan deserved to have atomic bombs dropped on the country?

I'm fine with it as long as he doesn't blare it into my face. I might even read the book he left in my room on the topic. If after reading, I conclude the book is poorly argued, I'll make a proportionate mention of it as part of any hotel review I wrote. If it is well argued, it might even become a plus point for the hotel.

You wouldn't mind eating at a restaurant where the owner thinks all Japanese are lower-class monkeys?

I must wonder at your sincerity at actually trying to find analogous situations, but to answer your question, it's not encouraging BUT this can still wind up as a net plus-point for him. If I were made aware of the above, but for the whole duration of my visit I was treated in a way worthy of my status as a paying customer, in the restaurant review I will notate both things - he has this attitude, but it doesn't let it affect his job, so there's no need to sweat too much if you are Japanese and if you are not you have even less to worry about. If review space limitations doesn't let me write in both, I'll prioritize the part that their behavior were correct and as long as the food and attitude stays good, he has every chance of keeping me as a repeat customer.

If his food sucked, I'll just diss him because his food sucked - that's the dominant reason for not going to his store, not his attitude. If the staff's attitude is bad, that'd be the star.

You wouldn't mind your child marrying someone who thinks all Japanese kusojijis are useless to society?

I counter thus: If your child is happy with someone, are you really going to refuse because the in-law doesn't like you?

But then, you will notice you have turned a discussion over differences on events in the past to differences on the present.

Further, in all your cases, an additional factor which I have mentioned but you have skipped is the degree of reasoning and basis behind his thoughts. Maybe my potential in-law thinks all Japanese kusojiji are useless because he met a fair few Japanese jiji, and all those he met so far are pretty kuso. There's obviously a difference between that and if he got this attitude based on some stereotype.

As someone said, boycotting a hotel is a form of freedom of speech. The owner has a right to his opinions, and so do the customers.

I'll actually argue that this is not an "expression" in the normal sense, much less "speech".

If part of the basis for freedom of expression is that mere expression cannot really hurt other people, then we can see the problem here. For the sake of example, that this boycott costs the owner 5 million yen. In economic terms, this is no less damaging than if the government fined him 5 million yen for this same act on some legal pretext. Do you really think the chilling effect will be greatly less just because the "finer" is not the government? If we say the limit of "expression" is when other people start getting tangibly hurt, then this exceeds "expression".

Nevertheless, I accept that our boycotters have property rights, and they should be allowed a wide margin of discretion within the limits permissible by law to how to use their cash. Nevertheless, this is an exercise of that right in a way that is a de facto assault on another right, and is thus not really all that praiseworthy. That makes me sad.

It is amazing to me that just these few short years since WWII, the 1930s, etc., that there can still any real doubt as to what happened in Nanjing, Germany, etc. with all these killings and persecution. E.g., Mao killed more people, Chinese people, during the so-called "Cultural Revolution" in China than Hitler, Stalin, and a few others combined. Mao killed MILLIONS of Chinese people! Yet even thought that's more recent, it's almost as if no one even considers those terrible years in China. The world has sure needed some good solid history writers who know what really happened, as much as possible. And, new evidence seems to come up occasionally that can change what we think really happened in various places and times.

For Kazuaki and the other Nanjing and comfort women deniers who think its just a difference of opinion and no-one really knows...The University of Michigan Press published Documents on the Rape of Nanking in 1999. Their source material includes; Documents of the Nanjing Safety Zone, The Family Letters of Dr. Robert Wilson, and The Judgement of the International Military Tribunal of the Far East. It also provides an index of names, an Index of organizations and several photographs. For those who fixate on the 300,000 murdered number the Nanjing District court investigation in 1946 put the number at 295,525 people! If you're saying it doesn't count unless you butcher 300,000 innocent souls then in your twisted little world you are right.

i love japan and the japanese people.. but denying this happened is a bit of disappointment and should be treated as a crime. though thorough records may not exist, a handful of photographs and documents proves the event DID HAPPENED.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanking_Massacre

How would feel finding a Quran, etc.

Like with the Bible or this Book I put them in the Drawer, close it and move on.

Not worth thinking about or getting worked up about.

Theoretical Modern History

To be fair though, he is only saying it is 'theoretical', meaning this is how history could have been in a parallel universe to the one we all live in. As long as that key word 'THEORETICAL' is printed in large bold print at the top and bottom of every page to remind us of the nature of the book, it might not be so offensive.

It's different from a religious text because a religious text is not purporting to be factual or literal, but aiming for something different. A fake book disguised as something real is truly evil.

Sensitive Subject for sure and a bit inconsiderate.

For me not that much different to finding a King James Bible or similar as the only free reading material or similar

As a Buddhist I am not interested in either book, should I Boycott such Hotels?

How would a Hindu, Jew Muslim, etc feel?

Kaz:

Neither of you were on the scene

There is only one of me.

data in his stack

His what?

Anyway, to answer your question (and it is obvious to all that you are doing the same as the Apa-man guy in feigning ignorance, by the way): The preponderance of evidence.

Hey folks, had an idea here that won't get me in trouble. Everytime I walk by an APA Hotel I enter and say that I want to make a reservation. Start with the procedures and after 1 minute I ask "oh but WAIT. Isn't here where you have that book that denies the atrocities committed by japanese in China?" Wait for what they will have to say and leave :)

I generally wouldn't boycott a business owner over their private beliefs. But this owner is using his business as a means of spreading his beliefs. Therefore using that business is directly supporting the method he is using to spread his beliefs, and as they are beliefs I disagree with quite strongly, I'm not going to financially support his means of spreading them.

I will make an effort to stay at an APA hotel next time I travel.

Second, while it is their choice, I'm not happy about people boycotting what may otherwise be a perfectly decent hotel over an academic dispute like this. Most people think of freedom of speech as something to be violated by the State. However, it is not only the government that can have a chilling effect on free speech. Irrational and disproportionate retaliatory actions by private citizens can have a similar, or even worse effect.

I am 100% supporting a boycott. A boycott is a form of speech too BTW..

And this isn't an "academic dispute" - academics who research this are of the overwhelming opinion that the massacre occurred, though the extent of it is still debated owing to limitations in the available evidence. No serious academic has ever called it "imaginary" like the APA literature cited in the article does, so this isn't a case of someone weighing in to support one side in a well-researched academic debate. Rather it is clearly someone with a political/ ideological axe to grind who is just trying to push that agenda.

Now why should I, as someone who strongly disagrees with that agenda, be forced to provide direct financial support to its propogation (which is what you do when you stay at an APA hotel) because doing otherwise (boycotting the place) would be place unfair limitations on the owner's freedom of speech?

That makes no sense.

Second, while it is their choice, I'm not happy about people boycotting what may otherwise be a perfectly decent hotel over an academic dispute like this.

Kazu, it's called 'personal choice' and you should respect that.

We can quibble about the numbers all day long, but it doesn't matter. What is (or should be) indisputable is that Japan carried out many atrocities during the war. The inveterate victimhood in Japan concerning the war is utterly nauseating, and the atomic bombings were entirely justified.

And for the record, had I been alive during that time, I would have pulled the plug on the entire Japanese nation rather than sacrifice anyone in my family to pacifying her armies.

I have frequent business trips around Japan....literally all over the country. I have used APA hotels and once after returning back to the room I actually kicked back and read the book discussed in this article. I vehemently disagree with the stated views and have read other books, articles, and accounts of what happened in Nanjing and I choose to disagree with APA publication.

What is unfortunate is that the book actually eloquently states some of the virtues of Japanese culture but mixes in the denial of Nanjing (which was witnessed by several non Chinese) so it makes the book as a whole garbage in my opinion.

What I do believe is APA does in fact have the right to write this book and does have the right to place it in the hotel rooms and sell it. I am a believer in the First Amendment (in the U.S. sense) as it is dangerous to engage in censorship (especially in multi-party states). What I have found is often people are for censorship when their party is in power but against it when the winds change directions.

Speaking of the winds of change....Japan is changing and the visitors to Japan are changing. Additionally with articles such as this one and with those of us disagreeing with APA's stance telling others I believe eventually they will change as well or suffer some type of economic consequences.

I am with Strangerland on this one. I no longer stay at APA Hotels (I have not for a few years) and will not do so in the future.

"China has lodged a complaint, but APA says it stands by its owner’s views."

And some on here wonder why other nations continue to put up statues and why talks fail, etc. The sad part is that he's not under fire for his beliefs and the fact that he's dead wrong, but merely because he made his views public and now Japan's bigotry (people like this) is getting more attention internationally.

tinawatanabe: "It's a crime."

So is hate speech, and yet you probably claim the people against Motoyama (who had to hide behind a pen name) are guilty of it while people who deny Nanking and sex slaves are the victims.

In any case, I hope the TRILLIONS of yen brought to Japan by Chinese travellers every year for the past few completely slips past this hotel, and it is shunned by all international tourists. I'm personally going to post the APA group name and hotel names online and list them for all my friends to know and avoid staying, and why. I'm also going to ask them to share with their friends, and them with theirs. I know a number of people thikning of coming for the Olympics and I want them to avoid this group of hotels.

Considering the sole reason his crappy hotel chain is growing these days is the huge rise in Chinese tourists, this is a foolish move to say the least.

Sensato opened our eyes 2 months ago. Since that I'm doing what I can to spread the ugly side of "APA" Hotel. You can stay 3 nights in any big city for less than 10.000 using Airbnb folks (private apartment).

https://www.japantoday.com/category/executive-impact/view/the-apa-way-always-pleasant-amenities

*But it would've been fun to deface their reading material.

It's a crime.*

Not much of one when you compare it to denying the historically documented rape and murder of civilians. Even the generals responsible for it admitted it was a disgrace. The numbers are irrelevant.

Kazuaki ShimazakiJAN. 19, 2017 - 11:57AM JST

Second, while it is their choice, I'm not happy about people boycotting what may otherwise be a perfectly decent hotel over an academic dispute like this.

I'm not happy about any hotelier subjecting guests to any of his or her political opinions. He could be loudly denouncing the Japanese WW2 regime and I would still feel it was tactless and grossly unprofessional. I don't go to hotels, restaurants or shops for supposedly "true interpretations" of history, or to have any other views that I might have challenged.

APA hotels have a free magazine available at hotels. Every issue has one political page in English written by the CEO. This page is systematically filled with revisionist, nationalist, anti-Chinese and anti-Korean garbage. This is not news. I personally find it very unprofessional (to say the least) that this CEO uses his business to promote his political agenda. Even though it is his freedom to do so, it is also customers freedom to avoid doing business with them if they feel offended. I have been boycotting them for years.

But it would've been fun to deface their reading material.

It's a crime.

@theeastisredJAN. 19, 2017 - 09:51AM JST

True; he may be ignorant/stupid enough to believe it. We don't know. But still, while he is exercising his right to free speech by placing these items in his hotel rooms, he should be perfectly happy when former and potential guests express theirs by boycotting him out of business.

There are two problems with your statement. For one thing, why do you think he has to be "ignorant" or "stupid" to believe it? Neither of you were on the scene (and even if you were, you might just happen to be in that corner where it happened / didn't happen - a single person's POV is limited).

Most likely, you read / watched a book / documentary or two and conclude it exists. He reads another book or documentary and concludes it doesn't. That's about the due diligence level for laymen. You can think he is wrong, but why is he more ignorant or stupid than you, if he used about the same amount of data in his stack as you when forming his conclusion? In fact, it is far more likely he read your book (or at least his source will) and took it into account in some way in his calculation than you did his.

That psychology is something I find mysterious, yet unjustified and dangerous, every time I read one of these debates (also the debate on comfort women).

Second, while it is their choice, I'm not happy about people boycotting what may otherwise be a perfectly decent hotel over an academic dispute like this. Most people think of freedom of speech as something to be violated by the State. However, it is not only the government that can have a chilling effect on free speech. Irrational and disproportionate retaliatory actions by private citizens can have a similar, or even worse effect.

I will tell you about a certain Chinese man. A 50s Chinese man who graduated from Beijing (Peking) University and lived in university dormitory for 4 years in 1980s testified as follows, “It is the middle of 1980s that I heard about the Nanjing Massacre for the first time. I have never once heard such a historical incident before then. I asked some dormitory roommates and classmates who came from Nanjing. All of them answered that they didn’t know The Nanjing Massacre. Nobody knew then. Why? If it happened in 1937 actually, their parents and grandparents who must have lived in Nanjing, then and could have seen and heard that the Massacre happened. But their parents and grandparents didn’t tell the story of Nanjing Massacre to their children and grandchildren. Don’t you think it's strange?

I was born in 1960s' Nagasaki and was brought up there. My house was located 0.5km from the ground zero of the Atomic Bomb. I had repeatedly heard about people’s different actual experiences of Atomic Bomb since my infancy. When I was in school, or when I played in the park, or when I was at home, I often heard many and varieties of Atomic Bomb survivors’ actual experiences. I was so scared these stories. I had entirely been traumatized. I became unable to go to the toilet alone at night.

Kazuki Shimazaki - This is IMO an enormously unhealthy attitude (though a bit better than those who insist this CANNOT be what he believes) to insist it cannot be a reasonable solution on his part, even though you have no idea of the composition of his stack and how it compares to yours.

Can somebody explain to me this statement actually means?

I stay in an APA hotel at least once a month, on one of my monthly business trips. I'll be looking for a different hotel when I next go at the end of these month.

Here, here. Neither am I going to bankroll this loon.

MsDelicious - People who were there said it happened. Are you saying they are lying?

Under that logic, there is really no proof that anything has ever happened.

There really is no proof that it ever happened.

Hope the Chinese boycott the hell out of them and keep this in the news as long as possible. I will never stay at one of their hotels and will strongly urge friends and family to do the same.

Can you imagine a big Hotel chain in Europe managed by an Holocaust denier??? it's just a shame as foreigners we are pretty much voiceless in this place, I wished I could protest without getting myself in trouble with the immigration (they don't bother to kick you out, they simply won't renew your visa). Fortunately news like these spread like fire on the chinese/korean forums, who knows if their website is off now because it was hacked? Hope the only guests you get from now are just a few, pathetic nationalistic old geezers.

Just had a conversation like this with a lady I teach. She first brought up the statues from Korea and claimed they were from North Korea. She felt that Japanese have morals , everyone were saints during the war and they didn't force any of these women into prostitution. Then I brought up Nanjing and said what about that....wow did her face expression change. She was like, I can't believe you believe in that Chinese propaganda! (In shock) I told her fine, please teach about the "truth" the next time we meet I am curious. I also asked her to lookup the Death Marches if she thinks everyone in the War were saints. I told her about my Aunt's brother (we are related by marriage) was held in one of the camps. To this day, she told me he hates Japanese and will not talk about what had happened.

“Japan guarantees freedom of speech, and no one-sided pressure should be allowed to cause a retraction of a statement.” Really? Freedom of speech?? I wonder what the media thinks of this statement.

this clown was confronted by a brave foreigner before, and the japanese police, as always....... protecting japanese trash over law-abidding foreign citizens.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZHwZhNUX50

Perhaps someone mentioned this already, but in The Guardian article they cite the Global Times: in peak season, 40% of guest are from overseas, half of whom are Chinese and Korean.

So damn stupid on so many levels.

Man, and I thought Gideon Bibles inside hotel rooms were already absurd......I just came from watching the video again, but this time, for the comments section. Apparently, the Chinese tourists who go to that hotel needs to be thankful for being taught the truth, according to Japanese posters.

I stayed at an APA Hotel once, but had no idea about this stupidity. I will never stay at one again, this calls for a boycott.

I will never stay in an APA hotel.

I guess the hotel doesn't want certain tourists' money.

This is IMO an enormously unhealthy attitude (though a bit better than those who insist this CANNOT be what he believes) to insist it cannot be a reasonable solution on his part, even though you have no idea of the composition of his stack and how it compares to yours.

True; he may be ignorant/stupid enough to believe it. We don't know. But still, while he is exercising his right to free speech by placing these items in his hotel rooms, he should be perfectly happy when former and potential guests express theirs by boycotting him out of business.

Are there any scholars in the world that share this version of history? Or is this a special fallacy reserved for the Japanese revisionists to preserve the dignity of the nation....... also, a great way to keep Chinese ( and many other foreign guests ) out of their hotels. Perhaps thats the intention? Unbelievable.

For guidance as to how this documentation should be handled by guests, please refer to the Odawara welfare scrounger elimination task force, and the succinct slogan/logo they came up with. Clue: the books should be placed in the middle of the floor and ____ upon.

Always find the presence of militant reading material in hotel rooms inappropriate; imo def not a place for proselytism, unless the hotel group has previously publicly/clearly stated their resolute allegiance to a particular faith or movement (Catholicism, Judaism etc or in this case historical revisionism).

Since APA have decided to come out publicly about this book, up to all of us to vote with our feet/wallet.

Kazuaki, what have you "demonstrated"? Where's your proof? WHERE'S YOUR PROOF?

Much of the "evidence" was first hand. Was it completely reliable? Maybe, maybe not. But again, unless you were there, you are in no position to dispute what the international community has accepted as the truth. So, Kazuaki, were you there in Nanjing? WERE YOU THERE IN NANJING?

As for the propaganda and free speech, yes, this APA owner has every right to do as he pleases on his property. In the U.S., there are still hotels that put the Bible in their rooms. Nobody really knows how much of that book is fictionalized.

In the end, Chinese people, Korean people, ALL people who strongly disagree with his views can stand for their principles and not stay there. I suspect there are protests looming on the horizon.

But as long as he has enough Japanese customers who believe him, or are completely oblivious, or just don't care one way or the other, then APA will stay in business.

Looks as if the ROC propaganda is still holding. The devil is in the details and if you factor in the alleged number of victims and the fact there were armed deserters within the city which ROC had admitted at the Far East tribunal, stating that "They are honest citizens until they fire their guns" which doesn't fly in any war zone you get a very different story.

Was it an intentional massacre or was it a mop-up mission that got out of hand, that should be the debate not some broad brush painting that each and every victim was innocent.

APA hotels company has nothing to do with politics. It is one of just another private matters. It rather seems a part of freedom of expression just like some people believes it and some don't.

I too stayed in an APA hotel once and found their fascist propaganda in the room. After defacing it, I decided never to stay at an APA hotel again.

Motoya seems to think that Japan's free speech laws allow people to write whatever lies they like. If that's the case he won't complain if people start writing lies about his hotels. e.g. they are dirty, full of cockroaches etc. It's just a "different viewpoint" after all.

@YubaruJAN. 19, 2017 - 07:28AM JST

In a statement on its website, APA also reiterated its position that there is no documentary proof 300,000 people were massacred in the Rape of Nanking. This whole thing is wrong on so many levels. This excuse here is often used and repeated by JAPANESE wing-nuts because there are no documents left in JAPANESE, or at least never been found, as they were burned or destroyed before the end of or just following the war.

As a matter of general principle, I really do not like this attitude, which is basically insisting IT MUST EXIST without making any effort to demonstrate it. This is a person who's conclusion is set before he even starts.

@DisillusionedJAN. 19, 2017 - 07:19AM JST

And, the saddest thing is, in his mind, this is the truth.

This is IMO an enormously unhealthy attitude (though a bit better than those who insist this CANNOT be what he believes) to insist it cannot be a reasonable solution on his part, even though you have no idea of the composition of his stack and how it compares to yours.

Does the Japan National Tourism Office have any comment?

The book has been in the desk drawers in rooms there for years. I read it (or something very similar) the one and only time I stayed in APA hotel about 8 years ago and vowed to never use the chain again. as I mentioned in another recent thread on this hotel chain. I'm surprised this has only just come to light.

With the advent of AirBnB there's no need to stay in poky business hotels anymore, anyway.

This chain's reading material sucks, so I guess I'll just stick with the love hotels. Reading stories like this always gives me an ear-worm: "When will they ever learn?" (sung to the tune: "Where have all the teachers gone?")

Maybe the guy is right...

On the one hand, if 10 million Chinese tourists per year stop coming to Japan, that would send a strong message. On the other hand, I hear from Chinese that they come here because they are treated better than anywhere else, especially Taiwan and Hong Kong.

AND... the hotel chain's site is down for "system maintenance."

“We have no intention of withdrawing the book from our guestrooms even if we receive criticisms from those with different viewpoints,” it said. “Japan guarantees freedom of speech, and no one-sided pressure should be allowed to cause a retraction of a statement.”

In a statement on its website, APA also reiterated its position that there is no documentary proof 300,000 people were massacred in the Rape of Nanking.

Absolutely disgusting.

If you want to debate about Nanjin issue, like how many chinese were actually killed, yes you can. But since the book is dealing with a very emotional issue for Chinese people ,it is not appropriate to place it at hotel. Chinese people are staying hotel not because they want to debate but for the rest and comfort. It is very rude to them. So I say , President is dead wrong. It has nothing to do with a freedom of speech.

WIth the same reason, I am against Korean's installing the comfort woman statute right in front of Japanese Consulate so that all Japanes must see it whenever they go to that building . Constantly reminding is also harrassment.

I wouldn't stay at an APA hotel, but without public shareholders to answer to, I guess they're not worried about damaging their stock price or anything. The president looks every bit the part, too. https://www.apa.co.jp/company/company02

Still, the “History can never change over time, and facts will not fade away despite deliberate evasion" comment is pretty rich coming from the Chinese side, too, given China's long record of altering or simply erasing vast swatches of its own history.

And this folks, is why other countries can't, how do most of you put it? 'forgive and forget'

If holocaust denial is illegal, would japanese atrocity denial becoming illegal be too much to ask from the government?

These disgusting thought processes are encouraged and the government wonders why everyone can't live and let live. What a sick joke!!!

What makes the argument so ridiculous is that even if you disregard the number of deaths due to the "Nanjing Incident" (between 0 and 300,000, depending on who's making the claim), over 20 million Chinese civilian deaths were recorded as a result of Japan's "incursions" between 1928 (Jinan Incident) and 1945. So when you look at the totals (China was 2nd in WW2 civilian deaths after the Soviet Union), how is denying what occurred in China's capital city (at that time) over a period of several weeks in 1937-38 going to matter that much? Or to consider matters from the other perspective, how many Japanese civilians, in Japan, were killed or subjected to atrocities at the hands of Chinese soldiers?

This is not just world-class denial on the part of APA Hotel's owner; it's callous disrespect for human life.

A few years ago, I think that hotel had similar issues. It was related to the some extremist point of view from someone, probably the owner like that time, or to the hotel holding some right wings seminars. I forgot exactly. Aniway, this kind of book or religious book like the bible should not be in an hotel room

Its hard to know what to believe sometimes these days tbh. So many versions of the "truth", but I dont believe Japan's or China's, or the USA's version. We should be mending ties APA lady. Not fanning flames!

Whether or not this muppet with his head in the sand is stupid enough to believe such nonsense doesn't really matter because in the end it will turn out to be a smart business move as all the bigots in Japan will now favor his crummy hotel chain and fete him and his ridiculous-hat-wearing wife as pillars of Japaneseness.

“Japan guarantees freedom of (extreme right wing, revisionist, deluded and fact starved) speech... [snip]"

Fixed it for you.

He can deny until he's blue in the face, but when his time comes, the ghosts of those he's denying will welcome him to the other side.

Well we all know that Hiroshima and Nagasaki were bombed by Japanese forces to garner sympathy from their victims. Blaming America just helps their cause of playing the victim card every August.

I'm usually not one to boycott places easily, nor to stop using/going to a place simply because of a staff member or even the owner's opinions on a matter.

But when the guy is writing books, and both presenting them and selling them in the hotel, that's when I draw the line. He's decided to bind his business to these opinions.

I stay in an APA hotel at least once a month, on one of my monthly business trips. I'll be looking for a different hotel when I next go at the end of these month.

“We have no intention of withdrawing the book from our guestrooms even if we receive criticisms from those with different viewpoints,” it said. “Japan guarantees freedom of speech, and no one-sided pressure should be allowed to cause a retraction of a statement.”

Well, ok then... Why not stock a book alongside it, which gives the 'different viewpoint' ?

Japan guarantees freedom of speech

Yeah, right.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2014/11/01/national/ex-nagasaki-mayor-motoshima-who-held-emperor-responsible-for-war-dies-at-92/#.WH_tmH0uNIU

Yeah, right.

http://articles.latimes.com/1992-05-26/news/mn-155_1_juzo-itami

Yeah, right.

http://apjjf.org/2017/02/McCormack.html

Yeah, right.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2016/02/09/national/politics-diplomacy/minister-warns-that-government-can-shut-down-broadcasters-it-feels-are-biased/#.WH_wB30uNIU

Hopefully this APA story will become world news and no-one who cares about such things will ever stay there again. Myself, my family and friends never will.

“We have no intention of withdrawing the book from our guestrooms even if we receive criticisms from those with different viewpoints,”

Wow. There's a place to avoid.

And, the saddest thing is, in his mind, this is the truth.

Well, perhaps not. It could be that he knows he is propagating a lie, but continues to do it on the theory that "A lie repeated endlessly becomes..." -- you know the rest. In fact, I suspect this is probably not a rare thing in Japan, where beautiful packaging is what REALLY matters.

In a statement on its website, APA also reiterated its position that there is no documentary proof 300,000 people were massacred in the Rape of Nanking.

This whole thing is wrong on so many levels. This excuse here is often used and repeated by JAPANESE wing-nuts because there are no documents left in JAPANESE, or at least never been found, as they were burned or destroyed before the end of or just following the war.

Japanese, nuts like this, will only accept documentation in Japanese and since there is none, it never happened.

Proof the conspiracy theory-loving fanatic isn't just a western right-wing phenomenon.

“Japan guarantees freedom of speech, and no one-sided pressure should be allowed to cause a retraction of a statement.”

And truth should not intervene because it doesn't exist, right? It's becoming just about he or she who shouts loudest. How miserable is the post-truth world.

The video shows passages from the book calling the 1937 massacre an “imaginary” event concocted by China to blame Japan. The book also denies that Japan’s use of “comfort women” involved forced prostitution.

And, the saddest thing is, in his mind, this is the truth.