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Firebombing survivor fears Japan starting down road to war again

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By Elaine Lies

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The fears of this survivior aren't ungrounded while people like Mr Abe hold the reins of power

16 ( +29 / -13 )

His sentiments will never see the light of day in Japanese mainstream news. Japanese would rather forget than remember their nation's role in the war, their friendly alliance with Nazis, etc..

14 ( +22 / -8 )

Those that forget the past are doomed to repeat it.

17 ( +24 / -7 )

Some estimates of the dead in Dresden run as high as 200,000.

3 ( +7 / -4 )

Not to get religious but the Bible, Torah, Koran and majority of spiritual holy books have written down stories telling the history of the world. Even stock market books, forex books, mathematic itself, That's why if you read carefully you notice the same story is written /told in many different versions and they all speak the same warnings about what will happen if we continue down the same path. But the misconception is that these predictions are foretelling of things to come but that is not the case. What it is telling us is that the same sets of events that have happened before countless time before that has lead to a breakdown of society and it will happen again unless we as a collective change and go about things in a different way. So maybe the religious people are right that the end of days will come but not by the hand of God or Satan but by our own hands. To us that are used to living in a certain way with easy access to food, medicine, clean water and ability to communicate ,travel and receive information I believe that it will seem like the end of the world if our system is destroyed. Of course this is all speculation on my part ,my opinions based upon reading and research I have done on my own. Educate yourself and you decide. Only time will decide the faith of Japan.

-16 ( +5 / -21 )

@Mods I think the thumbs up/down thing needs to go. The children clearly can't be trusted with it.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Many lives were sacrificed in and outside Japan in the name of Japanese militarism, a historical fact that Asian nations cannot easily forget. Japan has been careful to conceal its wartime acts of aggression as it has striven to attain democracy.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

You know, I really don't get this "Japan is on the way to war!" type stuff. Who with?

-12 ( +8 / -20 )

They have a right to speak and be heard.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

The lesson of history is that it always repeat itself; man does not learn from history. Man is too forgetful and proud.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

War hurts.

War is tragedy and pain, on a vast scale.

There is no glory.

No one wins.

It may be of economic benefit from those who sit safely in offices counting their profits, but for everybody else, it's a horror show to end all horror shows.

We don't need it.

9 ( +13 / -4 )

"Everyone thinks at first that it's nothing, but more and more things accumulate, and then it's repression. I worry about what happens to women and children in this situation."

This is what I'm afraid of. War and what it entails, like repression, doesn't come about all of a sudden. Like the above, more and more things accumulate and slowly creep up on the unwary. By the time people realize what's really happening, it is often too late to stop it.

10 ( +11 / -1 )

I hope Katsumoto Saotome lives a long life because he has an important message for the current generation of Japanese. That message is don't let your idiotic leaders lead you into war.

Abe cannot begin to feel the horrors Katsumoto Saotome experiences. It is not because he was born after the war. It is because his ruling class was nicely protected from the war's horrors. Did you know that U.S. forbade its bombers to bomb the imperial palace, for instance? Bombing the working class districts was okay though. No matter how bitter enemies the U.S. and Japan were the Japanese ruling class was by in large protected.

The bombing of civilian population during World War ii was a collective war crime. (Warsaw got it worst from the Germans and after that came Manila, bombed by the Japanese.) However horrendous Hiroshima and Nagasaki were, one cannot downplay the tragedies wrought be conventional bombs. It terms of suffering there is no difference in burning to death from A-bombs and gasoline bombs.

I am glad Katsumoto Saotome-san survived. He has a story to tell you.

12 ( +13 / -1 )

Hang on, if he fears Japan going down the wrong path, may I ask, why on earth is he wearing a banzai Nippon hi no maru bandana ?

-4 ( +5 / -9 )

The 200,000 estimates for Dresden were put forth by the Nazis and then the Russians, for propaganda purposes. There are a lot of numbers out there but most scholars agree around 25,000.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

in war there are no winners, only losers...

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Though I'm a Japanese and I know how horrible it was that day in Tokyo, I can't join with some people taking the bombing as injustice by US. I also don't take Hiroshima and Nagasaki as injustice. I know I'm a minority.

3/10 in 1945, both Americans and Japanese didn't know Japan would surrender in August. US was assuming that they land on Japan soon and fight to take every inch of mainland Japan just like they did in southern islands. Japan was assuming the same, "Hondo-Kessen" homeland battle, to start soon. Americans knew how Japanese fought in Peleliu and other battles like Saipan. On 3/10, that tremendous battle of Iwo-Jima was still going on. Those were tiny islands but still battle were so consuming. and US had to assume that it would happen in thousand times larger scale in mainland Japan when they invade. In such case you'd have to reduce enemy power with whatever the means you can take before coming to Japan. If Mainland ground battle actually happened, Mr.Saotome, even as young as 12, would have waited for American soldiers with his gun or Katana provided by IJA, expecting to kill at least one American, as Japanese were educated at that time. and I'm sure he didn't survive.

That was a total war, or "All in war". In such war you have no choice but to finish it by all means.

I can only thank those Japanese of that time like Yonai, Suzuki, Takamatsunomiya and others who lead Japan to surrender in August, and those Americans like MacArthur, Eichelberger and others who made the surrender process successful. I can't even imagine how horrible homeland battle in Japan would have been, just one thing I want to point out, Japan, US and UK, those 3 countries were the only major countries that avoided homeland battle in WW2. France, Germany, Russia, China Italy, they all suffered homeland ground battle. and I know how horrible it would have been if it happened in Japan.

Lesson: if you are engaged in a war, do everything to win and finish it as soon as possible. alter all that's the most humanistic way of doing it. and especially to Americans my feeling is that this lesson applies to the battle with ISIL too.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

His headband reads kamikaze according to a different photo of this man in The Japan Times. Their picture makes the old cloth appear to be an original war-era artifact, not a new replica. He is probably wearing it for educational reasons and to honor the pilots. See his quote staying how even children could see through this concept by the war's end.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

France, Germany, Russia, China Italy, they all suffered homeland ground battle. and I know how horrible it would have been if it happened in Japan.

I'm from Italy and you know, I think nobody here would have preferred to be nuked, since the effects of radiations are felft for generations. ^^"

1 ( +3 / -2 )

yeah I know, the photo. nothing wrong with it today but from his generation, could be misleading. I guess that's a mixed emotion from his childhood. I wouldn't take it offensive.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

are felft* for generations

felt

0 ( +2 / -2 )

This man's a real patriot, concerned for his country's future and what's best for everyone else, a true Japanese spirit. It's ironic that those on the militaristic right seem only concerned about pomp and chest-thumping gestures, and not at all about their countrymen's best interests.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

"Shinzo Abe’s plans to change Japan’s war-renouncing constitution, his more muscular security stance and a state secrets act passed last year."

Well, the way Japan's constitution is now, Japan can't come to the aid of allies under attack.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

But homeland ground battle makes even larger tragedy than Nukes.

I disagree, and I don't know how you can call some tragedy worse than another, when people die in any case. And in the case of nukes, the effects last for generations of people. This is the huge difference.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Alex,

If Americans landed on Japan without Hirashima and Nagasaki along with Tokyo bombing, Japan wouldn't have surrendered to the end. In such case, today, most of us Japanese weren't even born. I wouldn't have been here in this world. Huge difference in that perspective too. It was really a total war.

Look back war and invasion history of the world, happened many times.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Saotome-san

THANK YOU!!! Refreshing to hear your thoughts, its extremely rare to find examples such as yourself in Japan, please keep telling your stories!

This year the 70th anniversary of WWII we need to hear a LOT more stories like this, gives me a slight hope more positive than negative will be heard in Japan in 2015.

It just shows how little Japan has done to deal with WWII, with what happened outside & inside Japan, here's hoping that Japan does START dealing with WWII & honestly, pretty high hopes but would love to see it happen because all I can feel most of the time is the dark side negative side prevailing

0 ( +3 / -3 )

JT articles about Japanese victim of WW II are excellent. Gaijins may decrease comments that state old people want to abolish article 9 or love war

0 ( +0 / -0 )

“Everyone thinks at first that it’s nothing, but more and more things accumulate, and then it’s repression. I worry about what happens to women and children in this situation. We have to talk about it, maybe that will put a brake on things.”

Very important words, coming from someone who was a victim of the last time people in Japan did not let their voice be heard.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

@jj1067: sorry, but I disagree with you. I'll never accept the idea that nukes were "necessary". Maybe, necessary in the sense to test a new weapon of mass destruction...

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Katsumoto and others from his era are a dwindling in numbers as time passes. It would be great to hear more of these stories from other survivors. I've read dozens os accounts from Hibakusha, but only a couple like this article above.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

It is unsurprising to see an article like this on Japantoday JT's consumers are mostly foreigners so it is expected that the concerns of Mr. Katsumoto as well as other ideas which do not fall in line with mainline Japanese beliefs will at least have some voice. I do wish that these kinds of articles would become more commonplace in Japanese language news here though. It sometimes seems as if the entire country is resorting to tatemae with regarding the past both within Japan and outside of Japan. It is sad to think that the leadership believes that changing foreign textbooks will help Japan's image more than being humble.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

It is unsurprising to see an article like this on Japantoday JT's consumers are mostly foreigners so it is expected that the concerns of Mr. Katsumoto as well as other ideas which do not fall in line with mainline Japanese beliefs will at least have some voice

Apparently you don't know that most of Japanese people are against revision of article 9. There's plenty of polls about it. People voted for Abe because of his supposed economic reforms, not for his militarism.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Joshua Degreiff wrote:

Not to get religious but the Bible, Torah, Koran and majority of spiritual holy books have written down stories telling the history of the world.

Yes, very true. However many of these same books also contain sections that are the basis of many of our wars, i.e. "our god's better than your god" or "those who do not believe are [choose your word]". Yes, many of these books say that killing is bad but so many times we see people kill in the name of whichever deity they support using the excuse that those that don't believe are somehow bad. It's one of the many flaws in approaching this argument from a religious standpoint.

Yes, Abe was one of those children that didn't know war. Methinks this is one reason why he thinks so little of the past deeds that Japan is guilty of, but I don't believe that this is the main reason why he is doing this. As I mentioned in another post, this is all about popularity and trying to brown-nose to keep his job. Sooner or later he will have to leave office for one reason or another but the question will be whether he leaves Japan in a position of political strength with his neighbours or whether he will have destroyed Japan's credibility altogether.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

While I agree that Japan needs to take a less blinkered attitude to what it did during the war, I'll ask the question again: if Japan is gearing up for a war, who will that war be with? I received plenty of negatives above, but no-one answered the question.

China could flatten Japan. North Korea would launch missiles and devastate anywhere within reach. SK are (supposedly) allies... so who does that leave? Who will they go to war with? They've already said they won't send combat troops to the ME.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

China and Korea will fabricate any reason to fire-bomb Tokyo

Have you ever even been to Korea? That is a ridiculous comment, but I've no doubt you truly believe it. It is exactly what Abe and those behind him want you to think, so that you will support changing the constitution.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Now, as memories fade of how civilians suffered during World War Two - suffering Saotome blames on Japan’s wartime leaders who thought of their citizens as “weeds.”

Ah, yes, how the Japanese suffered.

Well, if oversimplification is the best way to remember complex historical events, than here is how we should remember:

Japanese did not suffer the war; they prosecuted it.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

At the moment, I don't see Japan going into war any time soon. With who should they war and why?

First, we have the fact that Japan's army is pretty much nonexistant by current standards. Now that we've established that...

China - very unlikely target to attack since Japan just gets stomped. NK - also very unlikely target to attack since China would attack once they are attacked. SK - Japan and SK are allies. An attack by Japan would not only force the UN to lie sanctions on Japan, but maybe also get Japan kicked out and then attacked by countries that come to support SK. Japan would be the aggressor.

To me, this all sounds like paranoia. Japan won't, realistically speaking, be in a position to attack anyone in the near-future. Attacking anyone would border on insanity as it would wipe Japan literally off the map physically and diplomatically.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Japan isn't planning to conquer Asia again. People who think this are absurd. Abe is nationalist, but his aim isn't this for sure. Abe wants to make Japan similar to Italy and Germany, letting Japanese army to fight together with NATO in the American wars around the world. The US are okay with this plan, actually it's exactly what Washington wants.

I hope he won't be able to change Japanese constitution because it's nice being like Italy and Germany, where you have to go in wars decided from another country, like Iraq war.

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Alex80 is correct. That' exactly what we want. Japan is wealthy enough and relies on global resources and trade routes to the extent that they can and should contribute to help keep the world at peace. Abe understands this. Villifying Abe as some right wing kook trying to bring back fascism and seeking to revive some Imperial conquest of Asia again is a ridiculously stupid concept.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

I hope he won't be able to change Japanese constitution because it's* nice being like Italy and Germany, where you have to go in wars decided from another country, like Iraq war.

Oops, I meant "it's not nice".

Anyway, if you want a realistic vision about Abe's plans, you could read this article for example:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/japans-pacifist-constitution-after-70-years-nation-changes-the-rules-so-it-can-go-to-war-9577158.html

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

The headband that Saotome-san is putting on is an authentic relic similar to what was handed out to school children and others to honour the pilots of the Kamakaze during the war.

I see many different misunderstandings of the issues of this, on both sides. To understand the true history it is necessary to study it and to have lived some of it or to know people who did, and were directly involved with it. Then you can reach a more accurate understanding.

The was in the Pacific was quite different from the WWII in Europe. It was caused mostly by the fear in the US of Japanese expansion along the same identical pattern that the USA, the UK, France, Holland, Germany, and even Denmark took in colonozing many areas of the Pacific, using land they took over for raw materials, and for markets for their products and for other purposes including military bases. Japan came to this process late but it was a natural step for a mature national power of that era to move to. But by then the US had taken a strong position and wanted the Asian markets and raw materials for itself. FDR started trying to cause the war quite a while before it happened. He tried various ways to incite it. Japan and in Japan there were many who did not want the war. It was a surprise that it happpened even to many who were engaged in developing some of the advanced ships and planes that were part of the normal military development of a modern power.

Japan had a strong and proud national culture. It was from the second attempt of the Mongols to invade from China, an independent power capable of standing on its own. Under the Shogunate a very advanced and very organized system was developed to organize society from the top to the bottom and rather than glorify war and militarism, it tried to channel that part of the culture into a very carefully controlled class of warriors who were trained in much more than just fighiting and it was designed to develop a lasting and stable peace after the turmoil and tragedies of the Feudal era. It worked well for hundreds of years. It was destroyed by the organized efforts of Western industrialists and arms suppliers who wanted the potential market of Japan and they supported the destruction of the Shgounate for their own aims.

Part of the problem of what happened after was that two of the major clans took over two of the main branches of the military namely the Fleet and the Army which later included the air forces. This led to an internal competition that resulted in some of the energy behind the military efforts in Manchuria and elsewhere. So internal and external causes led to Japan entering WWII. But the western view of Japan and the Japanese military during the war dominated the writing of the history then and still does. The fact was and still is to a degree that Japanese culture views duty, loyalty, respect of ones country, familiy and personal integrity as very important. These are no longer of much value for most westerners..and that decay has set in even during the 1930s in the major Western nations.

So it was a cultural conflict, between cultures with very different values. What seemed insane to western soldiers ..that Japanese forces fought to the bitter end, and took extreme risk in the face of certain defeat was a natural action for a culture deeply rooted in loyalty and courage on a personal as well as a nationial level. . once the war was entered into, it was reason for everyone in Japan to do their best. Respecting and understanding that is necessary if one really cares about Japan as an unique and very remarkable country. If you want reasons to hate and belittle Japan, you can certainly create them just as you can for any culture. China, the US, the UK, all of the European countries were guilty of massive cruelty and abuse of others and their own forces over many hundreds of years. No nation is innocent of such. Brutality to prisoners and abuse of power in war was common ...not unique to Japan.

No one can deny the abuses that occured under Japanese occupation . It has been addressed over and over and appologized for. But it cannot be changed or erased. Nor can the cruelty and the abuse of the massive bombing of civilian cities by the Allies in both Japan and Europe. it was a campaign of massive cruelty carried out at the orders of a few top general who thought it would be an effective way to defeat their enemies but in fact in both Germany and Japan, production of war materials was not prevented, just innocent people died on a huge scale. It was and is wrong. There is no sane defense of it, and the west has shown little official remorse. Yet many expect Japan to continually abase itself and remain powerless in a modern world that has many real dangers and challenges that must be faced by any responsible modern power.

China is now attempting to take over the entire Pacific region. Its clear goal is dominance and control in both fact and influence. It is carrying this out under the leadership of a small elite that has unlimited power and which is following the 19th century models of imperialsim. that might makes right. It has no respect for the rights of any of the neighboring nations. Japan has every reason to need to defend itself and to help its neighbors defend themsleves against the inevitable attempts to do to the Pacific region what they did to Tibet.

The facts are there to support all that I share here. It may take time to study and learn what actually happened and to understand the context of things. But the truth will become clear if you take that time. And for understanding and appreciating Japan and Japanese culture the effort is worth it. I work with and in Japan but I have family history in the US going back to the foundation of the US. My family also served in the military in WWII, i am quite a bit older than many here i suspect. A cousin of mine was the captain of the USS Arizona at Pearl Harbor. My father and my uncles all served, several of them all over the Pacific during the war. From them all and from my own study of history and my own life long interest in and respect for Japan and Japanese culture, I encourage any who want to make the effort to see and understand that Japan today lives in the 2000's not the 1940s. It is not the nation it was then, but the culture is connected and directly the result of hundreds of years of development of a very sophisticated and very civilized nation, indeed a unique one. I hope you do make that effort. It is worth it.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

@CrisGerSan: your comment was really good, since you didn't simplify the causes behind the Pacific War like many people do. It's clear that you have a real interest in hystory and you read a lot. I disagree with you about China being a threat, though. I believe there's a clash between China and the U.S. because both of them are defending their interests in the Pacific zone, and want to be the hegemonic power. But if there weren't American basis everywhere, I doubt China would be aggressive. The other Asian countries would be attracted to Chinese spheres of influence naturally, and could enjoy the benefices of the huge Chinese market. Like in the ancient times, China and Japan could coexist pacifically. You could have something similar like EU, even though many things are going badly now because while the original plan was great, the execution was wrong in so many ways.

-5 ( +0 / -5 )

Firebombing survivor fears Japan starting down road to war again

What a heart wrenching story, now let's see what other motivating factors leads Katsumoto Saotome to protest. I wonder if personal politics have anything to do with his protests?

Oh, what's this, Saotome Katsumoto is a member of the CPJ and he has been a member for over 40 years?! What, he also wrote for the Communist party Akahata, for those that don't know that is the CPJ official newspaper.

Gee, is that all? Why no friends, there is more.

He has also written a score of books that are anti-Japan, pro-Communism, pro-world Communism, Anti-American and to make ends meat he even wrote non-fiction. You see writing Communist propaganda books won't put food on the table. Because the only people that would buy it would aging Communist and young college fools who think it's cool until they grow up.

Saotome Katsumoto is part of a tiny minority of aging Communist activist and radicals who would do and say anything to try and sway the people to their cause. But, funny how the article doesn't say a word about him other than try and sway hearts and minds with political mumbo jumbo.

My Mother-in-Law lived through the firebombing and she saw the same darned things as this Communist activist. But the difference is, she sees the world for what it is and like a majority of Japanese voters, she agrees with Prime Minister Abe and his cause.

If you want peace in the world, well first try and convince those that want to destroy your way of life to stop and drop their weapons. Raise your hands if you actually believe that radicals, anarchists or extremists will do just that!

If you actually believe that the way to a terrorist's heart is by giving him a hug you are sadly mistaken.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

I'm not too worried about Japan starting a war, but this survivor's message about repression certainly rings true. That comes with nationalism and historical revisionism. You already have a one-party system in place and a lot of people laboring under the weight of all kinds of social and work obligations. "Samurai spirit" always seems to mean just what the LDP and its cronies (or with history as a lesson, whoever's in absolute charge) needs it to mean-- less for you, more for us, do what we say without complaint, without hesitation. It's already had a chilling effect on freedom of the press. Complacent people need to start paying attention to what's being said and the changes being bandied about and what they really mean for the average person.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

War is old people telling young people to kill one another. I feel very very fortunate to live in Japan at this time of period. The least I can do is to listen to stories like Saotome's and remember the past.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Japan's not going to war again. I'm a card-carrying pacifist and I don't have any worries at all on that front with Japan.

Sure wish some of the Western countries would renounce war, though. Everyone benefits from peace.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

You go into war, brutally enslave others and then you lose and think you are the victim? They, like the Nazis, were an evil regime and needed to be stopped at all cost. They were not going to surrender so their will to fight had to be completely broken.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

in war there are no winners, only losers...

Perhaps, but the whole point is that Japan should remember its past

0 ( +1 / -1 )

They were not going to surrender so their will to fight had to be completely broken.

Glad to see you can justify the indiscriminate slaughter of innocents by firebombs.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

Unless Japan builds its own military and learns to stand on its own once again, there could very well be an invader coming in the future.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

Gotta love how Japanese civilians were victims in a story that demonizes Abe, yet they were all "in it together" and were "legitimate" targets. For example,

They were not going to surrender so their will to fight had to be completely broken.

That would include babies and toddlers, right?

Oh, but the Imperial Japanese forces did it! So Allied forces killing Japanese kids was fine?

if Japan is gearing up for a war, who will that war be with? I received plenty of negatives above, but no-one answered the question.

Are you surprised? Japan has no wars in 70 years because it really did learn from history. Unfortunately it's neighbours have not. And if Japan wants to defend itself due to legitimate concerns, it's the villain. Because...logic?

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

@Alex80

Japan isn't planning to conquer Asia again. People who think this are absurd. Abe is nationalist, but his aim isn't this for sure

Hi mate, I agree that this isn't Abe's aim. What concerns me is that Abe wants to make changes which could, further down the line, allow someone else to lead Japan back into war and ruin. The state secrets law and the re-writing of the constitution (if achieved) represent a massive erosion of the safeguards against totalitarian governance and warmongering; imagine someone like Ishihara (biggest regret upon retirement: not having fought a war with China) getting his hands on the reigns after article 9 is gone and the press is stifled. I don't actually find it too hard to imagine Japan heading that way at the moment - it might not be Abe who leads Japan down that path, but it will have been him who started it. Of course I hope this doesn't come to pass, and I have faith in the Japanese people to preserve their pacifist constitution.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Glad to see you can justify the indiscriminate slaughter of innocents by firebombs.

I regret the firebombs were necessary, but there are a whole bunch of anti-basers and 50-cent sympathizers here that demonstrate that Japan still doesn't know who they owe their survival to.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@Alex

Hi again

But if there weren't American basis everywhere, I doubt China would be aggressive

Why? Have you been to China or spoken to many Chinese about Japan? If you have, I'm surprised at your conclusion. After living in Beijing and having many such conversations, I am very uneasy about China's present approach - the CCP would have no problem at all garnering the support of (enough of) its people in going to war with Japan after decades of anti-Japanese propaganda which seems to have been rather effective. One guy told me he was looking forward to the coming war when China gets her revenge and spills the blood of the Japanese on the Daioyu; alarming stuff. Thankfully he was a nutter and not the president of the PRC... however, I mentioned above my concerns about the erosion of Japan's safeguards against tyranny and warmongering and the possibility of a nutter getting into power in such an environment; well, China doesn't have those safeguards to start with - no free press, no dissent, no rule of law, no pacifist constraints - so the possibility of a nutter taking control there is much greater. Katsumoto Saotome is worried about the road Japan may be starting down, but China is already quite a ways along it and I'm not at all convinced that the US is causing the tension between China and her neighbours; the 9-dash line by which China claims the South China Sea dates back to 1947. The pivot to Asia is a response to China, not the other way around.

Like in the ancient times, China and Japan could coexist pacifically. You could have something similar like EU

You sure? The word kamikaze refers to attempts by China to invade Japan in ancient times! Joking aside, an EU-style East Asian union would be of great benefit to all parties involved (and the rest of the world too), but I think that's some pretty wishful thinking as long as the CCP place their own grip on power above all other concerns.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Japan has no wars in 70 years because it really did learn from history.

Nope, because of article 9, and again because of their victim-mentality. They know they suffered in WW2, and they don't want to suffer again. Unofrtunately most Japanese people don't know about the suffering they inflicted on others - and thus why their neighbours are angry at them for claiming what they essentially believe to be true - Japan didn't do anything wrong in WW2.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

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