Author Murakami chides Japan over WWII, Fukushima responsibility

It's very important for people like this to have a strong voice and be heard in Japan. I applaud you, sir.

I couldn't agree with Murakami-San more. That's exactly my attitude.

"Murakami, one of Japan’s best known writers who has repeatedly been tipped as a future Nobel Literature laureate, said that it was natural for China and the Koreas to continue to feel resentment towards Japan for its wartime aggressions."

The Chinese and the Koreans must love this guy. What about the Taiwanese, who have a foward-looking attitide toward Japan? Weren't they victims of Japanese aggression too?

“No one has taken real responsibility for the 1945 war end or the 2011 Fukushima Daiichi nuclear accident. I feel so.”

Could not agree more. My hope is simply that his voice will be heard, and not drowned out by the right-wingers and Japan Inc.

So...The International Tribunal for the Far East never took place? Over 1000 were convicted as class A, B & C war criminals. So what were these people prosecuted for? Littering?

Bygones. Focus on urgent tomorrow.

It took place Ossanamerica, but not by the Japanese. Japan has never genuinely accepted any guilt for the war and the atrocities it committed.

The events of the war happened much like an earthquake. An unfortunate catastrophe that no one was really to blame for.

So...The International Tribunal for the Far East never took place? Over 1000 were convicted as class A, B & C war criminals. So what were these people prosecuted for? Littering?

Ossan -- do yourself, and the rest of us, and please READ the article, and the point Murakami is trying to make:

Japanese people have come to consider themselves as “victims” of the war, he added.

“Fundamentally, Japanese people tend not to have an idea that they were also assailants, and the tendency is getting clearer,” he said.

Almost seventy years have passed since the war crimes trials, and unfortunately, as Murakami points out, successive generations of Japanese have tended to view Japan as the victims, rather than the aggressors. And, since he is a Japanese citizen, and world-renowned author, who has a much greater insight into Japanese society than either you or I do, as I said, I will tend to defer to his argument, rather than try to dismiss it with juvenile sarcasm.

Can only imagine what the net uyoku will do about this. Start burning his books?

"So...The International Tribunal for the Far East never took place? Over 1000 were convicted as class A, B & C war criminals. So what were these people prosecuted for? Littering?"

Then they were enshrined in Yasukuni and worshipped as poor lost souls and great heroes by among millions of others, several prime ministers since Koizumi, and the burgeoning legion of reactionaries running this country. Guess none of that ever took place either.

The line between the men profiting by war and those profiting by nuclear power is nicely drawn.

After a few years of half-truths ( under control ) regarding Fukushima and nationalist twaddle from the bobble-heads over at the LDP, it's good to hear a intelligent voice speak out on these matters. Very refreshing to read in the morning - it gives you hope.

Not just the Chinese and Koreans love this guy!

I love this guy too!! He's totally right.

Japan should pay those comfort women for their pain.

It's time Japan opened their mouths and speak the truth about Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

"We brought this on ourselves"

The notion that Japanese people suffered during the war is drilled into Japan's youth throughout their school careers — the message being that Japan should pursue peace to avoid having to become a victim of war yet again. However, the people of Japan would fare much better if they, the government and the education system would go beyond a peace narrative that dwells mainly on the suffering Japanese people have endured by more fully recognizing suffering they have caused others as aggressors in the past. The intentions of the prevailing narrative may be well-intentioned, but the outcome is largely negative.

Why? Because the mindset instilled by the current peace-education curriculum puts the people of Japan in a weak/disadvantageous position internationally. It causes them to feel hapless, powerless, to have a "sho ga nai" external locus of control mindset, and to feel fearful and suspicious of other nationalities. Conversely, recognition of Japanese people's capacity also to harm others would enable them a much greater sense of ownership and control of their destinies, and more dignity on the global stage.

Many older Japanese still look to the US and Europe,many of them have little interest in Asia nor want to visit. This could have something to do with it......

Watch "Yuki, Yukite Shingun" (The Naked Emperor's Naked Army Marches On).

A fascinating documentary about one Japanese man who seeks responsibility for the truth about Japanese perpetrators and Japanese victims.

The lengths he has to go to, to get at the truth, speaks volumes.

Murakami is spot on. Yet we need to understand that behind the continued purposeful forgetting are persisting existential issues that cause people in Japan (Fukushima) and around the world hardship.

What few seem to know is that more people died in WWII overall and in Asia from starvation than in conflict and that Japan went on a colonization binge because it had too large a population and too little food and energy. Post war, this problem has continued and is why Japan has hitched itself to the US, for access to agricultural imports and for military protection to operate as an economic imperialist around the globe exploiting others labour and resources. The ProSavana Programme in Mozambique, a land grab for agribusiness, is just one example.

People in Japan, as Murakami urges, should understand that their former military and now corporate economic power has dire consequences for poor people in their own society and around the world. This implies taking responsibility and therefore reducing the burden of excessive consumption beyond the country's own carrying capacity given the size of the population. Fukushima should have been a wakeup call to reduce energy consumption, for example, but instead everything was turned back on and Japan just started importing more fossil fuels contributing to climate change. This is the irresponsibility Murakami seems to be speaking against. Hopefully more voices will join his.

@jerseyboy, well-said.

For 70 years decent voices and morality have been drawn by a nation that collectively and deliberately whitewashes its war crimes and glorifies its war criminals.

I have to say Mr. Murakami has conscious, and he deserves credits to speak for the truth.

warispeace Nov. 04, 2014 - 08:41AM JST What few seem to know is that more people died in WWII overall and in Asia from starvation than in conflict and that Japan went on a colonization binge

What caused the starvation? Simple, most Chinese in Manchuria, China and neighboring countries could not farm after the invasion and massacure by the Japanese Imperial Army.

The Chinese and the Koreans must love this guy. What about the Taiwanese, who have a foward-looking attitide toward Japan? Weren't they victims of Japanese aggression too?

@ Serrano, Taiwan's relationship with China is probably a bigger concern for them, and they aren't exactly on friendly terms. The enemy of my enemy and all that...

Good to see at least one Japanese person isn't apathetic. The pervasive apathetic attitude in this country is discouraging to say the very least.

Murakami is simply stating the obvious. Looking the truth in the eye can be hard for people - and nations - to do.

Murakami also said Japan did not seriously pursue who was really responsible for the 2011 crisis at Fukushima—when powerful earthquake and tsunami caused a reactor meltdown and radiation leaks—choosing instead to blame the disaster on uncontrollable natural events.

Could not agree with him more! 1945 was a bit far away from 2014. However 2011 was not! The problem of Japanese bureaucratic mentality is " It is not my fault. It is beyond our control." For example rebuilding of the Fukushima. No one takes the accountability and responsibility. However they love the pay checks without single headache.

As the disaster prone nation, earthquake and tsunami are part of the daily life for Japan. However nuclear reactor melt down was the man made. During the crisis, Japan even refused the assistance from nuclear experts from other nations. The consequence was more deaths and more radiation. Some children will grow up as cancer patients. J authority failed duty of care for vulnerable citizens.

Japan should acknowledge that Japan is not superior nation for emergency. All officials responsible for nuclear crisis should be dismissed and punished. During the nuclear crisis, J authority pretended calmly it was under control. In the reality, it was out of control and helpless.

Japan is a victim of Western aggressors. They are victims of the only atomic bomb detonated in a war. They're victims of nature as well: earthquakes, tsunamis, mud-slides, and exploding volcanoes.

@ Mr. Noidall That single line pretty much sums up author Murakami's argument perfectly. (Almost too perfectly, which makes me wonder if you are just a troll trying to provoke attention.)

The prevalence of that sort of mindset is exactly why any hope of a healthy Japan so desperately hinges on the nation having a voice like his.

@Mr. Noidall

Japan saved its neighbors their integrity and dignity as Asian nations.

So Japan saved it's neighbours by killing millions of them?

Why people just don't dump this topic. Whosoever was the assailant, definitely it was not thousand of civilians who died in Nagasaki and Hiroshima. No one has got regret and no one got sympathy, the more you talk about it, the more you are refreshing the pain of the victims who survived the war.

This topic has and will always play a pivotal role for gaining publicity. You show the sympathy this year, noble prize for peace may in your pocket next year, that's it.

Please stop bringing this topic again and again and achieve your dream by real work rather than hurting other feelings...

Please stop bringing this topic again and again and achieve your dream by real work rather than hurting other feelings...

Unfortunately for you, we live in the real world, where burying your head in the sand doesn't make a problem go away. Mistakes need to be analyzed, and a plan made to ensure they don't happen again, before we can move forwards. Pretending they don't exist, and ignoring them just means that we will likely repeat them again in the future.

The guy speaks the truth

Further proof that M's prattle solidifies his standing as a highly insightful and articulate pundit of the obvious. Nobel material? lol

Before you hit me with a flurry of thumbs down as I know some of you will, I am not making a statement at all about the content of his opinions. They are his private opinions and he is entitled to say what he wants, and I applaud him for saying it.

BUT: Is there a reason a novelist making private comments makes international news? It's so weird.

Why does the media treat Japan so strangely? One person says this, so this is how it must be? I can't think of any other country in the world where the international reporting is so narrow in focus. Do other novelists say similar things? Different things? Where is the context?

@sfjp330

What caused the starvation? Simple, most Chinese in Manchuria, China and neighboring countries could not farm after the invasion and massacure by the Japanese Imperial Army.

This is far to simple an explanation for why so many people died of starvation. I recommend you read: The Taste of War: World War Two and the Battle for Food, by Lizzie Collingham, to provide a more nuanced account.

I took Mr. Noidall's comment as parody.

So...The International Tribunal for the Far East never took place? Over 1000 were convicted as class A, B & C war criminals. So what were these people prosecuted for? Littering?

Most of the war criminals were tried and prosecuted for the crimes against allied POW's. Most of the criminals responsible for Nanjing, comfort women, germ warfare, massacres of Asians, etc etc, were never found, never prosecuted, and got off scot free. Most of the upper apparatus of the Japanese government that were responsible for the war were left intact, until their descendants took over. Perhaps that's the reason why it was very important to do what was right by telling the truth to their children from the beginning. Now it's too late. The guy speaks the truth, but it's like whispering in the wind.

Great work, Murakami san! That's what we need - popular figures who stand up to the right-wing whitewashing....once again, the concept that the wrongs of the past doom the present seem to be lost on the far right in this country.

A comment for the ages, but Murakami-san should have added that this lack of taking responsibility is a global pandemic, and applies equally to a large number of other countries who try to grab the "victim" label as quickly as possible.

The International Tribunal for the Far East never took place? Over 1000 were convicted as class A, B & C war criminals. So what were these people prosecuted for? Littering?

The emperor, who we now know was directly involved and supportive of the war effort, was allowed to continue on despite the millions dead from his actions. This allowed the right wing Japanese to revise history so that it was Japan that became the victim and the real victims of Japans pre-war power structure are assumed to have not existed. Yes, like the victims of unit 731 volunteered to be cut up while still alive. And the comfort women volunteered to become sex slaves. And the 700,000 Koreans who were kidnapped from their homes to come to work at hard labor in Japan were actually tourists.

On these matters, Japan is sadly lacking in honor. And Abe on this subject is making Japan look foolish. Murakami of course is speaking the truth to his country but few will listen.

Germany started it all at least officially and they had comfort women in the occupied lands, they never said sorry to any of the eastern or southern countries and only small amount of apology to the few western countries. Aside from Jews still milking the entire world via the guilt for the German extermination campaign nothing is said about German atrocities today. It is considered as a past and case closed. USA and western colonial powers are always busy bashing Japan for its invasions and war crimes, it helps them to divert the attention from their past and current atrocities that they committed over last three hundred years. In 240 years of its existence Country of freedom, the USA was always at war against someones elses freedom. USA was actually bored to death for entire twelve years with no war going on twelve out of two hundred forty. France and UK after decolonization kept controlling, over turning governments, creating and arming terrorist and facilitating murders of thousands year after year. So bashing Japan is good way to make us look a way from what the critics them self are doing right now.

the German extermination campaign nothing is said about German atrocities today. It is considered as a past and case closed.

Exactly. The Japanese could take a lesson from Germany in how to deal with their past atrocities, and end this problem once and for all.

Do you think this will make it onto NHK or will the govt gag-order on any negativity over the war apply?

Good for you, Murakami.

MacArthur and the US can be blamed for this. They refused to put Hirohito on the stand. So for many Japanese he was declared not guilty. The Japanese soldiers who followed his orders were therefore also "not guilty" I can understand somehow that the US were concerned about Japan and the direction it would go but they could have at least force Hirohito to take responsibility and abduct his throne and make place for his son. They were even attempts from Japanese people to conduct their own trial but all blocked by the US. From the mid 50s, it was all over and the old power groups and people were back in their seats running Japan.

@kurisupisu: Many older Japanese still look to the US and Europe,many of them have little interest in Asia nor want to visit. This could have something to do with it......

False. More than half of the 17 million Japanese who traveled abroad in 2013 went to Asian countries with the largest numbers visiting South Korea, China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Maca, Vietnam, Indonesia, etc. The number of travelers to Asia in general has been on the increase for the past several years. For more info, check out http://www.tourism.jp/statistics/outbound/

The Japanese people were victims of the Second World War. They were victims of their own emperor and the Japanese military's desires for imperial rule of Asia. The Japanese people are also victims of the Fukushima nuclear meltdown. It has been admitted by the TEPCO admin that the disaster was a man made mistake that came about because of laxed safety procedures and not upgrading ageing equipment, but the Japanese people are now paying higher electricity tariffs to prop up the monopolised electricity industry and not one charge has been laid against any of the administrators of TEPCO. If you talk to Naoki Average about these two issues you will generally get the same apathetic response with virtually no comment or opinion on either of these matters. It's just a 'shoganai' to too many Japanese people and this apathy allows the beaurocrats and their cronies to continue to poop all over Japanese people. Look at the issue of restarting the nuclear reactors. The government just keeps pressure on local governments until they fold and lock anybody that disagrees out of meetings or runs them out of office. It seems quite fitting that they had to make up a word for 'democracy' in the Japanese language.

The Japanese people were victims of the Second World War.

The average person was, but Japan was not.

Well said, Mr Murakami. Let's hope that Abe and co sit up and take notice. However, I won't hold my breath

Japan attitude of Syoganai, Mendoksai, by the manual etc...will never change due to the fact of the old school attitude of medieval japanese culture that will never ceased to die. Although they would like to blend it with the now western world .

PandabelleNOV. 04, 2014 - 10:42AM JST Before you hit me with a flurry of thumbs down as I know some of you will, I am not making a statement at all about the content of his opinions. They are his private opinions and he is entitled to say what he wants, and I applaud him for saying it.

BUT: Is there a reason a novelist making private comments makes international news? It's so weird.

Why does the media treat Japan so strangely? One person says this, so this is how it must be? I can't think of any other country in the world where the international reporting is so narrow in focus. Do other novelists say similar things? Different things? Where is the context?

The context, Pandabelle is the national silence on the matter whenever the wartime apologists come out. The media rarely offers an opinion contrary to the right-wing line. Celebrities risk their careers by talking politics. Well they should, as many a statesman and academic has seen his/her career fall victim over the years to the drive toward revisionism. That such a prominent Japanese citizen should speak out against the Party Line, is big news, because few others dare to contradict.

Like him and his writing or not, he is one of the only Japanese on the world stage with the ability to really be in tune with people the world over, again through his reading or what he says elsewhere, and he can step back and look at history more objectively than others here. A few wingers I know absolutely hate the man because he has not sold out like most Japanese celebrities do: he's world-famous but won't do commercials and variety shows, Asahi posters and other ads, and doesn't do interviews for the media who wants him to submit to the usual Golden Boy Japanese pedestal. They were celebrating his name not long before the Nobel Prize winners were announced, and with this they will DEFINITELY be back to hating him again.

He makes points that should be extremely obvious -- but then that IS the point; that people here want to view themselves as the victims and ignore the atrocities the nation committed. All of the people who suddenly think "We should just drop this topic and move on (to things where Japan is the victim!)" also miss the point that you cannot TRULY move on onto you have fully and honestly addressed the mistakes of the past. That goes for anything, and for all parties. Only arrogant and ignorant people would deny this common sense with statements like, "Korea and China must love this guy!" while inside feeling incredibly bitter about the fact that he is right, and his message will go far beyond what right-wing nutbags claim is the truth about history here.

yeah, good timing for this publicity as the secret law still hangs on the balance. after all, change should come from citizens themselves. that why, japan need more people like Murakami who (can) speak "the truth" rather than the other way around.

I really respect this man. He loves the Japanese people far more than the current club of policians do...even when he is critical. I hope many people, Japanese and non-Japanese will read his books!

MacArthur and the US can be blamed for this. They refused to put Hirohito on the stand. So for many Japanese he was declared not guilty

Very well put. That's pretty much it in a nutshell. The Americans wanted a stable Japan to combat the rise of Communism in China. Thus keeping on many of the old guard was a means to that end. In addition, there were no war crimes for events that had happened in China because of the communist takeover in 1949

He's not afraid or shys away from telling his opinion in public like so many others do. I salute him for that!

It's very important for people like this to have a strong voice and be heard in Japan.

Certainly, there are Japanese who agree with him. However, most will not speak out like him out of fear of retaliation from the Yakuza.

It is even more so right now that the hardcore fascists who believe in the core ideologies of State Shinto (Yasukuni shrine) including fascism and holy war are now in control of the Japanese government.

In addition, there were no war crimes for events that had happened in China because of the communist takeover in 1949

Not only that, the US government also helped the war criminals to regain control of Japan shortly after WWII out of fear of the Japanese leftists.

For example, Kishi Nobusuke who received funding from the CIA and became PM of Japan was known to be responsible for the planting and trading of opium in China and the poisoning of millions of Chinese with it. And yet, his grandson Shinzo Abe said he possesses the same political DNA as his grandfather and has been elected twice as PM of Japan.

Thank you Murakami-san for simply telling it like it is!! BRILLIANT!

Just imagine where Japan would be now if it had dealt honestly with its history after WWII! Instead of scratching their collective noodle heads wondering why their nearest neighbours have problems visa vie Japan with WWII going on 70yrs after the fact Japan should be today celebrating many decades of good relations, but alas they are not, not even close........

As I have said many times here it always amazes me how Japanese clearly seem to get why Nazi Germany was bad but seem utterly clueless when in comes to Japans actions & atrocities during WWII

Again Murakami-san THANK YOU for ever so simply saying it like it really is!

Almost 70rs & Japan still cant come to terms with its past, such a waste.......... And Japans apologies........to date next to useless & of course NOTHING OFFICIAL!

It seems quite fitting that they had to make up a word for 'democracy' in the Japanese language.

Disillusioned, Maybe you read my post regarding Kanji and misunderstood.

Japanese has made many Kanji words, not just for "democracy". In fact, most Kanji words Japanese are using are Japanese made. About 70 % of Kanji words are Japanese made. Japan borrowed Kanji from China until Sugawara no Michizane stopped doing it more than 1,000 years ago. In 1900s, many Chinese leaders such as Rojin(Lu Xun) and Shu on lai (Zhou Enlai) came to Japan to study and bring back Japan’s Kanji. But off topic, so I don't go further.

many Japanese still Harbour the notion like @ Noidall but when they visited Nanjing massacre museum, did we do all these actrocities? or to some with conscience like Mr Murakami - we truly owe an apology to the victims ! good work Murakami san!

Democracy in Jaoanese Minshu Shugi existed after MeijiIshin replaced feudal era. In itext books. Check Libraly for Jaoabese old encyclopedia, dictionary, It uses 4 letters kanjis, not 7letter kanas, We used to have kan-bun subjects since 3rd grade in my time. It was not created after WWII.

It was not created after WWII.

"Minshushugi" was translated in Meiji era from "Democracy" , as well as "Jiyu" for "Freedom" Those concepts did not exist in China, so Japanese created lots of Kanji words for new concepts from west.

"After the war, it was eventually concluded that no one was wrong," said Murakami of the pervasive attitude in Japan.

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There were politicians and Japan Communist Party and Japan Socialist Party which used to bark Japan was wrong. Sanzo Nosaka of JCP was in headline for his opinion. As for who were wrong No one in Japan did oppose A class head hanging. People were not used to open up their mouth then, That does not mean we concluded no one was wrong.

Since when did a fiction writer become the 'voice of reason? How about never.

As Ossan alluded to, IMFTE was conducted where the responsible ones were tried and some executed. The monies to each state were paid in good faith via treaties which each party agreed that the matter was 'settled' and agreed to pursue to pursue forward. Pretty much every nations done so except for the two that not only reneged but constantly harp on the issue today despite the fact that 99.9% of the population of today were neither born nor old enough to influence the past government's failures.

What Murakami said is almost the same as the late author Inoue Hisashi said several years ago. The Japanese got away with the WW2 by putting all the blame on the military. They regard themselves as victims who were deceived by the military and the emperor was also utilized by them. We leapt at the happy fiction of immunity though many of us like characters of Inoue's play were ill at ease knowing that it was not true and perhaps it was the best laid schemes of GHQ.

@Seihari I did not know we think we are victim. We old timer used to think we are winners especially Japan Inc was all over in USA. Are you sure you are talking about Japanese people???

maybe with a few more interviews with comments like that, he will win the Nobel next year

Does he read news paper, watch TV news and learn about history? Murakami-san must be only interesting in witting his novel. Japan has been offering countless apology and given aid to Asia and South East Asian countries as compensation for its war time crime. Its Japan is showing remorse and paying back to Asia community for what Japan has done to them in WWII.

A few days ago, Emperor had offered his apology and sympathy for Netherlands’ soldiers and civilians who were taken prisoners during WWII at Dutch occupied Indonesia. Past and current Emperors and generation of Japanese Governments have official and unofficial offered Japan war time atrocity to the world not just victim countries every time the have a chanced. Also Japan has helping its’ victim Asia countries with financial and technology to increase living standard and health.

Government like Communist China and S. Korea will not be satisfied by countless apologies and financial assistance because they are playing domestic politic with Japan past. Also both Governments will not tell their citizens about financial assistance they got from Japan. No one has complaint to Germany in Europe for WWII crime. You can not be dwelling to past. You must move on with new direction and learn past mistake for future.

Why Murakami suddenly coming out blast at Japanese Government and Japanese peoples? I really surprise about that.

Does he try to give alarm to Noble Prize Committee for let them know he was still alive? I don't like self serving peoples.

The countries that were on the winning side, there is a reluctance to disturb generally positive memories of the war by facing such issues. The WWII, especially in the light of what came after, seems to be the last morally unambiguous war. The Nazis and their allies were bad and they did evil things. The allies were good and right to fight them. That is true, but the picture is not quite as black and white as we might like to think. After all, one ally was the Soviet Union, in its own way as guilty of crimes against humanity as Nazi Germany, fascist Italy or Japan.

Nobody wants to dwell in the past - and I don't think the world wants Japan to do this either. Ossan in right in that The International Tribunal for the Far East did (mostly) exact criminal retribution for atrocities and negligence. However, the level of ignorance in Japan about exactly why those tribunals took place is confronting.

I want people in Japan to know and understand that my Grandfather fought their grandfather in the defence of my country as Japan attacked it. Why? Because that is part of OUR shared story. Both parties. It's the reality of what happened. I want those people to know that, and to understand that my country has long forgiven Japan for that. That I hold absolutely no ill will towards to Japan for it, and that the present generation of people bare no responsibility for it

But people don't know our shared story, and that is a concern. That doesn't happen by accident - it's a concerted effort to avoid the harsh reality of history and choose not to teach it to the people. To me, that is slightly sinister.

That's why Mr Murakami is spot on, for mine.

I want people in Japan to know and understand that my Grandfather fought their grandfather in the defence of my country as Japan attacked it. Why? Because that is part of OUR shared story. Both parties. It's the reality of what happened. I want those people to know that, and to understand that my country has long forgiven Japan for that. That I hold absolutely no ill will towards to Japan for it, and that the present generation of people bare no responsibility for it

I believe you once stated you're Australian. And if I'm not mistaken, Australia declared war on Japan. So why on earth should you be in a position to 'forgive' and not more so vice versa? If I mistook your post, my apologies.

He totally is spot on!

Do yourself the favor and read the article: " “No one has taken real responsibility for the 1945 war end "

And if I'm not mistaken, Australia declared war on Japan. So why on earth should you be in a position to 'forgive' and not more so vice versa?

Hang on a sec - are you seriously trying to suggest that Australia was the provocateur in it's involvement in WW2 against Japan? Can you clarify that first, and then we will discuss the rest.

Hang on a sec - are you seriously trying to suggest that Australia was the provocateur in it's involvement in WW2 against Japan? Can you clarify that first, and then we will discuss the rest.

I believe declaring war to a another state qualifies it to be.

“No one has taken real responsibility for the 1945 war end "

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USA has taken real responsibility for the 1945 war end " It won.

Japan has been offering countless apology and given aid to Asia and South East Asian countries as compensation for its war time crime. Its Japan is showing remorse and paying back to Asia community for what Japan has done to them in WWII.

All the while, influential politicians and academics continue to insist, among other things, that under Japanese law the convicted war criminals are not war criminals at all, that no war crimes ever actually took place and that in schools there should be less 'masochistic' teaching of history. Strange way to show remorse.

If he studies Japaner history and create new novels, he might not be dismissed as just fiction novel writers by nobel committees. His knowledge of history is too poor.

Almost 70rs & Japan still cant come to terms with its past, such a waste.......... And Japans apologies........to date next to useless & of course NOTHING OFFICIAL!

Yep, exactly. Oh sure, there's the official apology of 1995 etc, and the Kono statement of 1993. But then there are the numerous denials of wrong doing by Hashimoto, Ishihara, Abe etc. In today's political Germany, by comparison if a politician made a favourable comment about the Nazi regime, they'd be removed from office. In Austria, they'd be imprisoned. This is what Japan constantly fails to comprehend - you can say you're "sorry" all you want. You also have to ACT like you're sorry. I can say with conviction Japan's right-wing leaders don't act in such a way. MacArthur and SCAP missed a golden opportunity to pull out the weed that is right-wing nationalism by its roots during 1945-52

I believe declaring war to a another state qualifies it to be.

Oh, OK. I see. You are obviously trying to suggest that because the wording of the War Declaration by Japan after the bombing of Pearl harbour and attacks on Hong Kong, Singapore and Malaya refers to the British Empire and not Australia explicitly that Australia are somehow the aggressors here. That seems like a non-sensical argument just for the sake of arguing to me.

Find someone else to play that silly game with, Nigelboy.

we cannot forget the past...but if it is about the wartime past- create arguments in private we all know war reporting is heavily censored and missinformation--so do not be hasty to judge...hastyness is a childlike uninformed illness remember dwell on the past and the furuture will be a reluctant partner ! Thomas crane

I don't agree Mr.Murakami's opinion about WW2 because The U.S. imposed an economic blockade on Japan before Pearl Harbor attacking.

Oh yes, they imposed a blockade. Roosevelt - by his total trade embargo with Japan did indeed leave the nationalists with nowhere to go, but then Tojo and co were equally responsible for getting themselves involved with China in the first place. The Nanking massacre didn't happen all by itself, and what happened AFTER 1941 - Japan did all on its own. I could make a rather long list

The Kellogg-Briand Treaty was the sole basis in international law for the charges of aggressive war levied against Japan. and During deliberations about the Kellogg-Briand Treaty in the Senate, Mr.Kellogg was asked about economic blockade. Kellogg’s replied " There is no such thing as a blockade without you are in war.” He added, “An act of war, absolutely.” At least,Mr.Kellogg and The.U.S. Senate knew ecoomic blockade was an act of war. so I don't agree Mr.Murakami's opinion about WW2.

If Mr. Murakami will take the initiative and donate every single profit he makes from his book, speeches, interviews, royalty to the betterment of Sino,Korean & Japanese relationship perhaps he might have credibility. Until then, he's just another opportunistic businessman trying to sell himself. Talk is cheap Mr. Murakami.

It's all very well to say that Mr Murakami should donate the proceeds of his books. But if the Japanese government was to take more concrete steps - that would be more effective.

At least,Mr.Kellogg and The.U.S. Senate knew ecoomic blockade was an act of war. so I don't agree Mr.Murakami's opinion about WW2.

That's your opinion. What the Japanese army was doing in China (Nanking, Manchuria and Unit 731) wasn't an act of war?

It's all very well to say that Mr Murakami should donate the proceeds of his books. But if the Japanese government was to take more concrete steps - that would be more effective.

Pay again? No. They should stop being 'beggers'.

Exactly who is supposed to take responsibility for WWII? WWII ended more than 64 years ago. Aren't the people who started it now dead by now? Or does Murakami believe that the sons and grandsons are responsible for the sins of their fathers and grandfathers?

The problem is that no-one in Japan has actually taken responsibility. (The imperial family was exonerated of responsibility for any wrong doing) People would actually be willing to forgive and forget if Japan actually had an open and honest history program, particularly about World War 2. But as we all know that very much isn't the case, and Japan's leaders regularly make revisionist statements. THAT is why people haven't moved on. Unlike with Germany, a model country with reconciliation