Abe to skip Yasukuni visit during autumn festival: sources

The murals on the cement lanterns outside the gate have some interesting reliefs or carvings on them about scenes from the war. I was impressed by them.

The museum is mostly a propaganda piece; for thick skull low IQ nutter nationalist types

If you’re in public service there is no such thing as visiting Yasukuni as a private citizen. If Abe did that I can assure you it will still be reported as the prime minister visiting Yasukuni. Similarly if Trump goes to a maid cafe in Akihabara as a private citizen, it’ll still be as the POTUS. It’s what the words says, public service.

Both the emperor and the prime minister aren’t visiting Yasufumi anymore. Japan is cooperating enough.

Unfortunately, Yasukuni Shrine lost its legitimacy after the Emperor stopped visiting. The reason why the Emperor stopped his visit was said to be because he disliked Yousuke Matsuoka and Toshio Shiratori among those who were classified as Class A war criminals. By the way, these two people were involved in the alliance with Germany.

Also quite sick of the focus on the class A war criminals. Those guys only issued orders. It was the class B and C war criminals that directly murdered people and there more of them hung for their crimes and more of then disgustingly enshrined at Yasukuni.

The place is a stain on the face of Japan.

All government-sponsored commemorations of the war dead (aka cannon fodder) are designed mainly to legitimize the present governments' absolute right to provoke and initiate future wars without the consent of the people who will comprise the next generation of hapless victims sacrificed on the bloody altar of belligerent state power. The adamantine official silence concerning the names of those criminals responsible for the past slaughter of millions speaks volumes ( no "memorial of shame" for their ilk) drowning out the voices of the minority who, like the supporters of the anti-war "white poppy" movement in the UK, want to remind us of the fundamental criminality of those politicians and generals who arrogate to themselves the right to wage wars. The obvious conclusion would be to put an end to the unspoken impunity for all warmongers as the first logical step toward abolishing war.

Ok then maybe the Germans should make a memorial for Adolf Hitler.

@wtfJapan

Honoring the dead which may include war criminals and deliberately glorifying one person are drastically different things.

When they honor those that fought and died in the American civil war, they honor all of them as Americans. Not signaling out anyone. What you are discussing is signaling out Hitler. That is something completely different.

Simon Foston and Jeff Lee-

Excellent posts.

wtfjapanOct. 15  11:27 pm JST

How many of those J politicians who've vistied the shrine have actually denounced the war criminals enshrined there!? I havent heard of any. Convenient isnt it.

I think they would find themselves facing certain difficulties in the next election if they ever dared. Votes and money from local veteran's groups and Nippon Kaigi disappearing, black loudspeaker trucks outside their offices blaring out slander, bullets and severed fingers in the mail... that sort of thing.

Japans right to honor their war victims in any way they deem fit.

Too bad the Japanese don't extend that principle to the South Koreans. The Japanese, including diplomats, when ballistic during the recent commemoration in Korea of the "comfort women"

These people died in service of Japan.

Invading Asia and killing 10 to 20 million innocent people was in the "service of" an evil regime.

They followed orders and fought well

So did the SS.

Ganbare Japan!Oct. 15  09:09 pm JST

Japans country, Japans right to honor their war victims in any way they deem fit.

Right. There is a national war memorial and an official day of commemoration when politicians can go there in an official capacity. Anyone else can visit Yasukuni or any other private religious capacity as private citizens. No announcements to the media, no fanfare, nothing reported on TV, online or in the newspapers.

Honor the military.

Like this?

To children ardent for some desperate glory,

The old Lie: Dulce et decorum est

Pro patria mori.

(Wilfred Owen)

Be just Trump, going to Confederate Memorial,on the wrong side of History

They followed orders and fought well. Honor the military.

Fact is, it doesn't matter if the Japanese government removed the class A war criminals from Yasukuni, people would still whine. Like I said nothing wrong with Japanese honoring their war dead, no double standards.

And do not give me excuses such as Germans have atoned more, or Japan has 'never' apologized or compensated, or Japanese schools whitewash their history, all proven to be false in this website.

Absolutely nothing wrong with Japanese honoring their war dead.

and how about the war criminals that are enshrined there, they get a free pass because theyre included with the average foot soldier!?

How many of those J politicians who've vistied the shrine have actually denounced the war criminals enshrined there!? I havent heard of any. Convenient isnt it.

A war criminal is decided by the winners of the war. The people that fought and died for you still deserve your respect.

Ok then maybe the Germans should make a memorial for Adolf Hitler.

the issue isnt with the average Japanese foot soldier that died its all the class A war criminals who sent and killed millions by the decisons and orders, they were enshrined there as a political ideology by the head priest

whos father inlaw who was convicted of war crimes. It had nothing to do with the religion itself.

Imagine if the crew of the Enola Gay had their own memorial and American politicians made a habit of visiting it every year and made sure the news networks recorded them doing it, wonder how the average Japanese would feel about that.

Absolutely nothing wrong with Japanese honoring their war dead.

Those hung for crimes after the war are not war dead. Yasukuni supposedly enshrines the souls of actual war dead as well as executed war criminals. For the love of all that is holy, how many times does that simple fact need to be repeated? Its as if Adolf Hitler, Hermann Goering, Heinrich Himmler, and Adolf Eichmann's names were included on wall of names of Germany's war dead, and the Chancellors and Presidents and a majority of members of the Bundestag went to pay respects there yearly. Its incredible that Japanese politicians have gotten away with it this long. Its incredible there is anyone left who cannot figure this out.

oldman_13,

Supposing Germany wished to honour some of their prominent Nazi war dead? How would you feel about that?

Absolutely nothing wrong with Japanese honoring their war dead. Why should they be held to an unfair double standard.

Japans country, Japans right to honor their war victims in any way they deem fit.

Koreans, not only South Koreans, and Chinese, are perfect examples of safeguarding peace and justice for the future of Japan. Finally, Japan responded, in a positive way.

Japan must cut the cancerous past off for a healthy remaining life. It is painful, but it is worthy it.

Gutless on so many levels, can't actually articulate the level of depravity Japan's Imperial Forces sank to, can't be seen to Horner real life monsters. But needs the votes of would be monsters to maintain his delusional sence of self worth. Crones oh crones where are thou now?

@doggar

Nothing in my post should lead you to believe that I see Japan as a victim of the war. Furthermore, nothing should lead you to believe that I have a particular stance on the subject. After all, I am from a country that continually celebrates atrocious individuals. At least 44 of our Presidents are that kind of people. While they have been slowly moving away from it now, Columbus is still highly regarded. Churchill purposely starved an entire country which led to millions of deaths. Yet, all of these people are still celebrated. Mother Theresa heavily opposed equal rights for women. Yet she is held in such high regards.

I wonder if His Majesty the Emperor gave Abe a bollocking over Yasukuni, or at least whispered into his ear that he should tone down his knee-jerk nationalist posturing?

JJ JetplaneToday  04:28 pm JST

While I understand why China and Korea would be upset, I still think Abe should visit these shrine.

He is perfectly entitled to go as a private citizen in his own time, and not let anyone know so that there is no more media coverage than can be avoided. Yasukuni Shrine is not a public institution and visiting it is not a public duty required of politicians. The only possible reason he can have for letting his attention to the shrine be known is to get right-wing voters' attention, which I think is absolutely repugnant.

These people died in service of Japan.

Then Abe should respect their sacrifice - pointless and forced on them by the military junta - and not exploit it to win elections.

No more pretents, pretending this, that, or the other, state your legitimacy to the present or the past.

WobotToday

Compare how the Germans treat the history of the Nazis to how Japan treats its own...

doggarToday 05:17 pm JST

JJplane do yourself a favor and go to the yasukuni website and see if you agree with their viewpoint that Japan was a victim in the war. Also guess who supports visiting yasukuni? Those jolly fellows the drive around in those trucks with loudspeakers. Do you support those wonderful gentlemen?

NorwegianboyEEToday 05:29 pm JST

I'm not sure Abe is genuine about not visiting Yasukuni, he's one of the Nippon Kaigi fellows and clearly agrees with the museums viewpoint that Japan was a victim of WW2, never did anything wrong, every Japanese war criminal is innocent, Japan was "forced" into the path of war by the Allies etc etc...

In summary;

Japan and its leadership is infantile. An adult would/ should own their wrongs.

They do abominations and can't take responsibility. "Civilized" Indeed

I'm not sure Abe is genuine about not visiting Yasukuni, he's one of the Nippon Kaigi fellows and clearly agrees with the museums viewpoint that Japan was a victim of WW2, never did anything wrong, every Japanese war criminal is innocent, Japan was "forced" into the path of war by the Allies etc etc...

This is a purely political move, since he knows that S Korea and China would throw a hissyfit if he visits the site.

JJplane do yourself a favor and go to the yasukuni website and see if you agree with their viewpoint that Japan was a victim in the war. Also guess who supports visiting yasukuni? Those jolly fellows the drive around in those trucks with loudspeakers. Do you support those wonderful gentlemen?

While I understand why China and Korea would be upset, I still think Abe should visit these shrine. These people died in service of Japan. A war criminal is decided by the winners of the war. The people that fought and died for you still deserve your respect.