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Koike again skips tribute to Koreans killed after 1923 quake

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"precious lives of slightly more than 6,000 Koreans were stolen."

'Stolen' eh? Try 'Murdered', 'Slaughtered' or 'Hunted down and killed by police & soldiers'. If you're going to put it in stone, might as well get it right

7 ( +21 / -14 )

Are the names of all of the people so murdered on a register somewhere?

17 ( +20 / -3 )

What a disgusting excuse of a person she is. Two-faced. But then again, I shouldn't be surprised.

2 ( +17 / -15 )

Low. Very low.

3 ( +18 / -15 )

I support Koike. I know what our apology means to Koreans. We have to be very careful to apologize to them.

-23 ( +4 / -27 )

Had gone and read up on the history and the military had to try to stop people from killing Koreans, such was their blood lust frenzy

As a public official to not offer apology on the anniversary is a failure of office. It's the job of a leader to speak about these things so they don't happen again. To be silent is to say it's fine or at worst justified. The only way to fight hate is to talk about it

You'd think it was over but during the SK/JPN sharing of the World Cup in 2002 I never heard so much racism against Koreans before.

It's still there

14 ( +20 / -6 )

I hate to think most of those Imperial soldiers were Kenpeis, can be labeled same of Gestapo. It wasn't Chinese or Koreans but many Japanese were killed by them. Different time now, I only feel my condolence to all victims caught by them.

9 ( +13 / -4 )

The response to the violence at the time was unprecedented and was a knee jerk reaction amongst the dispelled population against the active Korean Independence Movement that was active at the time and had bombed and assassinated members of the public and members of the government. Its worth remembering that it wasn't only Koreans who were killed in the aftermath, but Chinese, Japanese and in some isolated places, Western residents.

Its all very well and good to judge from the point of view of historical hindsight but who knows what you would do in similar circumstances. In the absence of law and order and in desperate time people search for scapegoats and in this case it got out of hand. Its terrible but also human nature! A tribute to all the victims as carried out was the most reasonable and sensible outcome!

10 ( +14 / -4 )

While an apology is very much warranted, I believe the executive (here, governor) should carry out the laws and requests of the legislature (here, assembly). People elect a governor and assembly. This may seem small, but one need not imagine so hard to know what happens when governor/president ignores the assembly/congress.

9 ( +11 / -2 )

So she couldn’t send a letter to be read at the event commemorating large numbers of murdered Koreans because she was writing a letter of condolence for everyone who died in an earthquake.

Has nobody suggested writing 2 letters?

5 ( +8 / -3 )

Koike is a bigot, pure and simple. What she is implying by her silence is that it was okay or no big deal that Japanese murdered 6000 + Koreans and Chinese.

-5 ( +10 / -15 )

No surprise here from a Nippon-Kaigi member; all she's doing is proven she is a white-washing bigot like the rest of her ilk. Guess it's too much to hope for a politician in Japan that is not racist. As for the metropolitan assembly member who disputed the numbers to her, hope he remembers this when the next big quake devastates the nation and they are looking for handouts -- Korea was the second biggest donor and helper after Taiwain in the Tohoku disasters, despite Japanese lunatics massacring their brethren ever so long ago with the same mentality.

-5 ( +11 / -16 )

These days Japan seems to know how to lose the respect it has worked so hard for.

-2 ( +11 / -13 )

She loves politics. She’s low. I hope this history never has to be repeated in a reverse way. She’s proud of her stance!? She’s ready to host the 2020 olympics with this attitude? Good luck.

-6 ( +8 / -14 )

a Tokyo metropolitan assembly member, arguing there are different views on the number of Korean residents murdered, 

When can I sign to get the Olympics cancelled, all flights to Tokyo... suspended. Let's wait till we know the very exact number of people victimised (if any?) by Japan during Hiro-Hito jidai.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

It is sad indeed, they nevwr taught us this in school!

5 ( +9 / -4 )

We also were never told about Nanking in school! I had to learn by myself online, history lessons sucked!

7 ( +9 / -2 )

One thing I really dislike in Japan is it utter INABILITY to admit its history, that is well know worldwide but on these ignorance & lies reign supreme, Japan could & SHOULD do better, much better

7 ( +9 / -2 )

So if leadership is going to be bigoted and not set a clear example, how can anyone expect the populace to do the same? As Ive said countless times, japan must perform the german model of contrition for atrocious acts of aggression against its fellow asian states. Anything other than that will facilitate people like koike down the line.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

America never apologize about Hiroshima and Nagasaki. It is a necessary thing for a nation. If a country shows a weakness to other countries, you know what would happen. It is the same in human relations too.

-8 ( +1 / -9 )

Wrong is wrong; Japan was wrong then, probably is still is now.

However, this incident reveals something interesting; killings were carried out by Governmental repressive forces. NOT BY JAPANESE CIVILIANS.

Had the situation been reversed, I would bet it would have been Chinese and Korean civilians doing the killing.

Not their respective Governments!

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

LandOfTheLostToday  07:43 am JST

Peeping_Tom,

You might want to check your facts there. Police testimonies reveal how the police and Japanese civilians violently attacked Koreans in Tokyo. In fact, the Japanese military was so busy fighting overseas that the newspapers asked regular civilians to help the police.

Exactly where and with whom were all these Japanese troops fighting overseas in 1923?

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

LandOfTheLost

OssanAmerica just saved me the troubles; please answer.

While you're at it, please indicate reliable sources to back up your bold statement.

Kindly,

The Peeping.

-4 ( +0 / -4 )

Let he who is without guilt throw the first stone.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Unfortunately, the information you are requesting is not readily available to the general public. These documents can only be accessed from university archives.

Are these not published on-line? Does Japan not have a Fredom of Information Act?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Koike - a loathsome person.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Schopenhauer, America didn't apologize for Hiroshima and Nagasaki because the bombings were the right thing to do.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

How low.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

What a disgusting excuse of a person she is. Two-faced. But then again, I shouldn't be surprised.

Neither am I.

She loves politics. She’s low. I hope this history never has to be repeated in a reverse way. She’s proud of her stance!? She’s ready to host the 2020 olympics with this attitude? Good luck.

exactly. agree. a right wing biggot shouldn't host the olympics.

No surprise here from a Nippon-Kaigi member; all she's doing is proven she is a white-washing bigot like the rest of her ilk. Guess it's too much to hope for a politician in Japan that is not racist. As for the metropolitan assembly member who disputed the numbers to her, hope he remembers this when the next big quake devastates the nation and they are looking for handouts -- Korea was the second biggest donor and helper after Taiwain in the Tohoku disasters, despite Japanese lunatics massacring their brethren ever so long ago with the same mentality.

excellent point!

One thing I really dislike in Japan is it utter INABILITY to admit its history, that is well know worldwide but on these ignorance & lies reign supreme, Japan could & SHOULD do better, much better

couldn't have said it better myself

When can I sign to get the Olympics cancelled, all flights to Tokyo... suspended. Let's wait till we know the very exact number of people victimised (if any?) by Japan during Hiro-Hito jidai.

Agree-only make sure that flights TO and not FROM Tokyo are suspended. I'm trying to immigrate to Canada with my wife and kids! LOL

0 ( +0 / -0 )

As Ive said countless times, japan must perform the german model of contrition for atrocious acts of aggression against its fellow asian states.

Germans are only now and very reluctantly getting around to acknowledging the German genocide in Namibia.

In fact, the Japanese military was so busy fighting overseas that the newspapers asked regular civilians to help the police.

Not in 1923.

Guess it's too much to hope for a politician in Japan that is not racist.

Are you claiming that every single politician in Japan is racist including those who are foreign born naturalized Japanese citizens?

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

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