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China orders 'patriotic' TV series targeting Japan

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"China has ordered the country’s television broadcasters to air “patriotic” or anti-fascist series for two months from September, reports said, stepping up its propaganda efforts.."

Anyone else see the sheer hypocrisy in this sentence?

18 ( +28 / -10 )

I thought AFP is a reputable news agency:

".....but news portal Netease, citing unnamed industry insiders,"

Huh? Who? Why don't these people have names? Did their parents forget to name them at birth?

"....said a Shanghai satellite television staffer, according to the report"

So someone said something on a website? Well, then this info must be true. Everything on the net is always factually accurate, especially when it's second and third hand hearsay, right?

-2 ( +10 / -12 )

In communist countries, the government controls everything from national and foreign policies to education and medias. This works efficient but may lead to the country's fall.

4 ( +11 / -7 )

Just a puff of Chinese hypocrisy and mendacity.

5 ( +12 / -7 )

With China pumping out 200 of these anti-Japanese films a year, it's going to have an effect. I've known mainlanders and their children who grew up in the aftermath of the war but had no problem with Japanese, even working in Japan. But at least one of the next generation in their 20's (and in the film industry!) saying they "hate the Japanese". If they have no connection with Japanese other than watching these films then hard to see how they wouldn't be biased. Things can change really quick, compare Japan-Korea relations now with a few years ago.

Problem is some of the people in charge couldn't care less about bilateral relations, as long as they can make hay out making problems. Everybody gotta raise money somehow. And if China central govt says "Blame Japanese" that's what you're gonna do.

Can even watch these in USA. "Snow Leopard" drama was showing on cable here not too long ago. And a week ago I saw tail end of a Chinese movie where the local police captain was an evil Japanese agent.

http://wiki.d-addicts.com/Snow_Leopard

7 ( +10 / -3 )

In a sign of the volume of such dramas, earlier reports said a Chinese TV extra was cast as a member of the Japanese forces more than 200 times in 2012, sometimes dying on set eight times in a single day.

Wow. Even Jesus be like "I rose from the dead just once".

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Remember McAles navy? The difference is though, the Chinese series are designed to promote bigotry and hate against other countries.

7 ( +12 / -5 )

Chinese media is pure propaganda, they aren't even subtle about it. It's almost funny if you ever have a chance to watch it.

I once watched a CCTV news program about how Chinese new year is celebrated in different ways around the world... they showed Paris, Rio, London and finally Chinatown in San Francisco. But then out of the blue the announcer said... 'but it wasn't always like this, because in 1880-something America passed the Chinese Exclusion Act....' The whole program then morphed from being about Chinese New Year celebrations into talking about the different ways America discriminates against Chinese people. It was completely bizzare! (But maybe not as bizzare as the happy new year greeting to the Chinese people from Robert Mugabe that they aired afterwards.)

7 ( +12 / -5 )

Do the communists run away in all 200 films?

13 ( +15 / -2 )

Have spent several months in China over the last year and the TV is exactly as described. Yet in cities like Shanghai all things Japanese are very popular. News I read in China about why foreign dramas, especially from Korea are so popular stated 75% of locally produced dramas in China are not allowed to be aired. This creates huge risk for investors who know that backing inane anti-Japanese war dramas or similiar boring topics will be tge best chance of getting their shows on air.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

I dont get the hypocrisy postings here. Seems every time I turn on my TV, I see some war documentary in Japan this month, and green buses blarring martial music outside my window. Im sure there is pleny of fanatical activity down at Yasukuni; I will not be attending that, however.

Should I just pretend these activities dont exisist?

-8 ( +7 / -15 )

Another day, another blathering by the Chicomm government.

Snooze worthy and childish.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

China is hollowing out, its economy is in retreat. In Japan you can buy a "mansion apt" for 50,000,000 which is a luxury for most, in Shanghai you have to pay 300,000,000 for less that space so people can't afford anything in China now and companies and factories anre closing. So Chinese way out of the mess? target Japan and play some fictions. Pathetic. Chinese people should know better than falling into this propaganda but yeah peasants knows no better

4 ( +8 / -4 )

What do you think all the Rambo and Commando movies from the 80s were all about? We grew up with the same thing.

Not really. Hollywood producers made films they hoped would be profitable. Yes, they might have wanted to capitalize on popular sentiment, but the US government never directly or indirectly influenced them. China is a totally different story.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

"I dont get the hypocrisy postings here."

You don't see the hypocrisy in an essentially fascist government ordering TV to make 'anti-Fascist' programming? It's a bit like Kim Jong Il kidnapping film makers and forcing them at gunpoint to make a kaiju film about the peasantry rising up to fight a despotic government - Pulgasari.

China's pronouncement has filled my irony quotient for at least a few months. And I rather LIKE China. Not nearly as much as Japan, but I like it. though pronouncements like these make it obvious it hasn't finished cooking yet. Back in the pot it goes.

And if they hadn't noticed -- Hey, Chinese dudes, the war's over. long time. Let it go.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

"Considering that China signed the 1972 Sino-Japanese Treaty of Friendship and even reaffirmed it again in 1978, obviously China is a country that does not keep it's word."

"1978"? Isn't that the year the Japanese secretly enshrined their war criminals at Yasukuni? Japan works so hard on its "friendship" with its neighbors, doesn't it.

-3 ( +7 / -10 )

Anyone else see the sheer hypocrisy in this sentence?

Ossan -- no more hypocritical than this:

IN 1941, Japan was dragged kicking and screaming into a war with the United States for trying to “rescue” Asia from white Imperialism. In 1937, Japan did not kill thousands of civilians in the Nanjing massacre. At least, that’s the line adopted by Japan’s official broadcaster.

-3 ( +8 / -11 )

And where in the above article does that appear jerseyboy? Or are you just posting totally irrelevant material in an effort to make an argument?

5 ( +13 / -8 )

The Chinese government has not yet found a way to hold a gun to the heads of home TV viewers to force them to watch. I have a feeling that most of China's population, already bored to tears from years of crudely performed, low-budget anti-Japan propaganda dramas, will instead prefer to tune into music videos, sports, cartoons and quiz programs.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

China orders 'patriotic' TV series targeting Japan

Gee what a shocker, who would have ever thought that the Communist Party of China would use the media in their propaganda war against Japan? (sarcasm)

Yes, ladies and gents Communist China is ruled by Communist who brainwash their people through the media and make up stories to promote that.

China will be a great nation once more when the Communist are no longer in power.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

It's quite odd that people keep referring to the squabbles between China and Japan for only the last hundred years or so. These two countries have been squabbling for nearly a thousand years and have both tried several times to invade each other's countries. It takes two to make an argument. I don't blame China or Japan. They are both as bad as each other

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

And where in the above article does that appear jerseyboy? Or are you just posting totally irrelevant material in an effort to make an argument?

Ossan -- no, I don't stoop to your tricks. Just try Google. You'll come across it.

-9 ( +5 / -14 )

what is the meaning of 'patriotic' is it mean to hate other nations? is it mean to brainwash the people? is it mean war hysteria? is it mean to impose your will on others? if it is so then it is unacceptable.

China orders 'patriotic' TV series targeting Japan

why not to order a PEACE TV series to target the world and humanity, if your values and ideas have something for the humanity then they will surely accept otherwise you can not impose anything by power.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

China's immaturity never ceases to amaze. Or is it just the government trying to foment anger against other countries so some people will overlook their own country's problems?

6 ( +10 / -4 )

China orders 'patriotic' TV series targeting Japan

So China calls Japan "militaristic" and then pulls this BS. Wow China. Every time I think my respect for China couldn't get any lower, they go and do something to prove me wrong. It's absolutely sickening.

8 ( +12 / -4 )

You mean Japanese media is not controlled by the LDP's backers?

I will say this with absolute responsibility: ALL of Japan's media are controlled by banks and conglomerates. All of them. The vast majority of them will obey everything the Japanese gov't tell them to do. Including news.

Simply put, if you pay enough on advertisement and provide enough "loans" to the media, they will obey you every step of the way.

Don't believe me, look at all the golden parachutes on NHK. End of discussion.

Japan just does it in a more subtle way than China. Heck every nation does this. What do you think Foxnews, CSM, Washington Times do in US? What do you think shows like the 24 is about? Ever heard of Band of Brothers on HBO? I can name you a few hundred of these shows with patriotic themes.

Its a universal strategy by every single gov't on earth. Japan is no different. In fact, Japanese is the worst among all, you guys start going at them young as in manga and anime.

Talk about pot calling the kettle black. SMH.

-5 ( +6 / -11 )

nvna5ux03, You are so brainwashed by China's government or you're the government. If your claim is true, why didn't you say anything until decades after war? Japan knows you fabricated into way too serious scale.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

I am American, I know that you from Japanes and Chinese as well as American pay a big price tab.And we all need to learn to forget.There are some information that was never told to the Japanese or Chinese or anyone else.and both countries need to set down and real talk about what to do for future of both nations,and to make the world better for Japan and China together.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

China want Japan to knee on his legs for ever for the war criminal.

And for the war crime, what Japan did is really not enough as per Germany.

The truth is the longer this kind of conflict last, the more people will involve in and try to put down comments. ALL the nations all the world people. Let's guess who will benefit from this.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

I can name you a few hundred of these shows with patriotic themes.

The big difference being that, despite whatever influence the government or large companies might have over selection of themes (way less than in China at any rate), at the end of the day programming in the US and most other countries is driven by market demand. They keep close tabs on viewership and the second people stop watching a program, that is it for it. And while there are a lot of patriotic/nationalist TV shows in the US and Japan, there are also a ton of shows with other themes, even a large number which are explicitly critical of the state.

In China though, market demand has nothing to do with program selection - the government literally tells everyone what to watch. Forget about programs critical of government policies, even stuff that simply doesn`t promote whatever mindset the government wants to promote is outright banned.

Its absolutely ridiculous to say that Chin and the US (or even Japan) are the same in this regard.

It is kind of interesting how the Chinese government is basically incentivizing investments mainly in nationalistic/anti-Japan dramas at the expense of other types of programming. Might explain why Chinese TV is so unpopular outside of China (whereas Korean dramas and even some Japanese ones are popular throughout east Asia).

I also wonder if it won`t backfire. Keep hitting people over the head with the same message (Japan is bad!) over and over again and at some point they must just tune it out.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

Fighting Fascism with more fascism, the more the focus is directed at Japan, the less Chinese people struggle against their government and produce any kind of real democratic change.

By the way, The communists took control of China AFTER World War 2, at the time, The China that had fought Japan were the nationalists, AKA what Taiwan is today, so this has less to do with communism and more to do with never letting something go.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

I hope I live to see the day when Chinese are freed from their commie govt!

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Burning BushAUG. 16, 2014 - 07:25AM JST What do you think all the Rambo and Commando movies from the 80s were all about? We grew up with the same thing.

Except these weren't ordered by a government! Even less by a dictatorial government. Plus, these movies were actually quite good. The anti-Japan propaganda running on Chinese TV is just that: tasteless, biased garbage which only purpose is to fuel the countrie's Japan hate.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Sounds like some pretty drab and lifeless TV to me. I hope they don't have to pay any fees for it like you do with NHK. Speaking of NHK and TV, for those harshly criticizing censorship by the Chinese government, lest we forget that Abe and Co. got rid of any dissenters in NHK, including not allowing a professor to speak after he was invited because his views did not coincide with Abe's -- ie., he was CENSORED. And then of course there's the new Secrecy Plan, which won't allow any programs against the government to be aired.

And it's not just Japan or China, the US to an extent does the same thing, with a prime example being a ban on showing the caskets of US soldiers coming back from Afghanistan/Iraq, but with bombs shown hitting Iraqi targets being perfectly okay. Everyone does it -- this is not news.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

Don't delude yourself in thinking that the PRC and especially the CCP is REALLY interested in "righting past wrongs". They have proven time and time again to be masters of inciting racial hatred on a grand scale, and this is no exception.

Don't forget one of their prime mottos is "right of rule by (ultra)nationalism".

Being an (overseas educated) Chinese it really sickens me to see this racial hatred dogma always being pushed solely for the survival of the CCP - usually at great cost to their own people, as well as others who were never born, or had nothing to do with the horrors of World War II. Although I find the politics of Japan distasteful and even repulsive, I feel ashamed to be even associated with this vile... evil, and evil it is, for there is no other way to put it in words. As evil as Imperial Japan was, to me it is just as vile, and wretched to perpetrate the same sort of evil with the SAME sort of 1930's style race-hate campaign that the CCP is currently conducting, all in the supposed name of "righting past wrongs".

The Japanese people for the large part have treated me very well, even much more than my "fellow Chinese" have done. For this I am thankful, and yet, hang my head in shame at the same time. I constantly see "patriotic Chinese" call for Japanese to be slaughtered, raped, and killed en-masse, cheered on by the CCP openly on sites such as Weibo and Facebook (I know Facebook is censored in the CCP, but its dregs infest Hong Kong and post this filth all in the name of "stirring up patriotic love of the motherland" there.)

Some of you may find Abe's (and the LDP's) politics vile and repulsive. I respect that, as it's your opinion and can see certain points as to where you're coming from. BUT, I say this to you once again. As duplicitous, conniving, and snake like as it is, don't EVER, EVER make the mistake of underestimating the race-hate generating campaigns that the CCP whip up on a very regular basis time and time again. DON'T make the mistake of ever believing that just because you have Abe and the LDP on one side of the fence, that the other side is automatically pure and saintly and only has "altruistic" motives (like George W Bush's "You're with us, or with them" quote). The CCP always twists "patriotism" to its own ends, guaranteed, every single time.

9 ( +9 / -0 )

<>August 16, 2014 5:00P>M JST<> These directions given by the central government to the provincial governments that anti-Japanese patriotic dramas featuring Mao Zhou Dong-led Chinese warfare of resistance against Japanese imperialismup to 1945 could be taken as indicatting how the communist government under Xi JIn Ping is desperate to consolodate their political power base by giving ordinary people something else to worry about to get their attention distracted away from what they have to face at home, the widening rural-urban divide, increasing rich-poor income divide. This is where anti-Japanese campaighns come in by making an enemy of present-day Japan , giving masses of people a reminder of how terrible imperial Japan was to get the warmongering image of imperial Japan onto the present-day Japan. This tactics has been repeated in the past. It is high time Chinese people should waake up to the political reality at home as compared with non-ccommunist countries and grow out of the mind control. That was a fact of life in Japan up to 1945.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I visited the National Museum in Beijing a couple of years ago. Conveniently overlooking Tiananmen Square, where, of course, nothing ever happened; it is basically one giant shrine to Mao and the Communist Party (both of whom could of course do no wrong. What is this cultural revolution you speak of?), combined with so much anti-Japanese and anti-Western rhetoric that it was unbelievable. Ironic considering Mao was likely responsible for more deaths than the Japanese... It's pretty clear that in order to keep your people placid in the face of one of the world's shittiest governments, the best way to get them to forget about all the evil shit that's been done in its name is to find them someone to despise.

7 ( +7 / -0 )

False patriotism based on insane hatred. The Chinese will not be the first or the last group of people to get fooled.

3 ( +4 / -1 )

Abe and Co. got rid of any dissenters in NHK

On Kohaku Utagassen on New Year's Eve a few years ago, three SKorean groups sang. Famous female pro-Japan commentators couldn't appear after they criticized SK in NHK. There are Korean stuff in NHK. You can criticize Japan or US, but criticizing SK is no-no in NHK. That needs to be corrected.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

I don't blame the Chinese, and Japan broadcasting is no better with it's glorification of its military past and ignorance of the suffering caused to the rest of Asia and America. I don't want to see how some kamakaze pilot narrowly escaped being sent to his death, I want to see Japan exposing the blood-thirsty rape torture and murder of millions of people in the Pacific and Asia.

-9 ( +2 / -11 )

igloobuyer, In Japan's school, they teach good and old part of China. Chinese poems, dramas, etc.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

tinawatanabeAUG. 16, 2014 - 06:38PM JST igloobuyer, In Japan's school, they teach good and old part of China. Chinese poems, dramas, etc.

That's nice, but what is your point Tina?

-9 ( +2 / -11 )

I am sure the people here who made snide remarks have not even seen the productions and yet they are authorities on the subject. The brief narratives I read depict the struggles of the communist party and the trials and tribulations they went through, including the cultural revolution. See the programmes first before you pass any comment, unless of course you have so much to hide and forget, and the mere mention stirs you up!

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

I don't blame the Chinese, and Japan broadcasting is no better with it's glorification of its military past and ignorance of the suffering caused to the rest of Asia and America.

The question is, is it better or worse that its not the government demanding such film be made directly? I might feel a bit better about the Japanese government, but it sure makes me feel worse about Japanese people, a few of whom create said films, and a whole bunch who pay to watch.

Germany has had nation-wide reflections and dilemmas over their WWII films. Japan has had some pretty twisted films released without complaint for a long time. Japanese silence over the issues is quite disturbing. It does not inspire trust.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I am sure the people here who made snide remarks have not even seen the productions and yet they are authorities on the subject. The brief narratives I read depict the struggles of the communist party and the trials and tribulations they went through, including the cultural revolution. See the programmes first before you pass any comment, unless of course you have so much to hide and forget, and the mere mention stirs you up!

My family went through it, they were terrorized and beaten and swindled by you so called "patriots" and my grandfather who gave everything to fight off the Japanese in WWII left destitute as a "reward" by these CCP dogs.

I need not soil myself by watching any garbage peddled out by the Chinese Communist Party, thank you.

8 ( +8 / -0 )

igloobuyer, Did you study those Chinese poets? In recent decades China increased anti-Japan education, so I'm worried if you know those famous Chinese literature. When I was in US, old Chinese people were nice to me. I'm worried about your education and its ramification on both Chinese and Japanese.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

JeffLeeAug. 16, 2014 - 09:31AM JST "Considering that China signed the 1972 Sino-Japanese Treaty of Friendship and even reaffirmed it again in 1978, obviously China is a country that does not keep it's word." "1978"? Isn't that the year the Japanese secretly enshrined their war criminals at Yasukuni? Japan works so hard on >its "friendship" with its neighbors, doesn't it.

Your comment is meaningless because China did not complain about Yasukuni until 1985.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

China is stoking the flames of hate against Japan... pretty soon it may become quite un-patriotic to buy any Japanese goods. But Japan will easily be able to tell the effectiveness just by looking at Toyota's sales in China on a monthly basis.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

igloobuyerAug. 16, 2014 - 06:16PM JST I don't blame the Chinese, and Japan broadcasting is no better with it's glorification of its military past and ignorance >of the suffering caused to the rest of Asia and America.

Have you ever actually watched any Japanese broadcasting? Everything pertaining to WWII stresses the suffering and evils of war and how it should never be repeated. There is no "glorification" of it's military past, that exists only in the minds of folks like yourself. And certainly no Japanese broadcasts are designed to instill and fester hatred towards another country, even my country which killed more Japanese both military and civilian than any other country. China's government forced hate broadcasts are no comparison.

I don't want to see how some kamakaze pilot narrowly escaped being sent to his death, I want to see Japan exposing >the blood-thirsty rape torture and murder of millions of people in the Pacific and Asia.

I really feel sorry for you.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

@igloobuyerAug. 16, 2014 - 06:16PM JST I don't blame the Chinese, and Japan broadcasting is no better with it's glorification of its military past and ignorance >of the suffering caused to the rest of Asia and America.

''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''

Funny' I watch movies and TV programs in USA and some of them are Japanese programs. Such as Pokemon, Ninja Turtle (Box Office Sales now), and more and more Animes. Well, war related comics are still shown. Me TV channel has Diana Keyton starring old Wonder Woman every Saturday evening and many are anti-Nazi themes. It is one of more than 200 channels. Soldier themed reruns are in other channels but comedies such as I Dream of Jeannie etcs beteeren Rope Operas or animal starred stupid reruns. Can't find serious war movies in USA.

Don't Japan source of Anime films?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Imagine that. China cranking out more anti-Japanese propaganda to indoctrinate their population.... who would have thunk.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

OssanAmerica

"China has ordered the country’s television broadcasters to air “patriotic” or anti-fascist series for two months from September, reports said, stepping up its propaganda efforts.."

Anyone else see the sheer hypocrisy in this sentence?

Indeed. Just consider the definition of "facism". Me thinks the CCP most perfectly matches it somehow

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fascism

Fascists sought to unify their nation through an authoritarian state that promoted the mass mobilization of the national community[5][6] and were characterized by having leadership that initiated a revolutionary political movement aiming to reorganize the nation along principles according to fascist ideology.[7] Fascist movements shared certain common features, including the veneration of the state, a devotion to a strong leader, and an emphasis on ultranationalism and militarism. Fascism views political violence, war, and imperialism as a means to achieve national rejuvenation,[5][8][9][10] and it asserts that stronger nations have the right to expand their territory by displacing weaker nations.[11]

2 ( +3 / -1 )

@tohka- firstly I am not a Chinese national and have never been a communist and probably never will be, although I have nothing against communism. If you have no desire to watch anything you consider communistic, the that's your prerogative. In my country, there were people who received the capital punishment for drug trafficking or murder. Their families never voted for the government in power ever again!

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

"China orders ...." is a pretty vague but quite sensational headline, not unlike most headlines about China. If you live in China or read Chinese, the story started when the so called China's State Administration of Press, Publication, Radio, Film and Television "urges TV stations to promote antifascist TV materials". The timing I guess is mostly to do with the coming National Day in October.

This is nothing new. This government bureaucracy just can't help itself, including the periodical criticism of the thriving and "excessive" entertainment programs in many provincial TV stations. Now this is what would more nuanced and news-worthy: A "communist" country in name only, the TV stations want to show whatever attracts audience and sells commercials best, so they find all kinds of ways the get by, including melodramas with WW2 as backdrop. The heavy-handed bureaucracy and the silly programs are ridiculed relentlessly on the internet in China.

The irony is that Chinese are cynical and skeptical to the government and blatant propaganda. The revisionism and propaganda in Japan are just more subtle and skilled.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

LeChatBotte, I agree with you 100%. In fact we really should stop calling Mainland China "Communist China" or "Red China" to differentiate them from Taiwan and Hong Kong. We should just be honest and call them Fascist China.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

OssanAmerica: Your comment is meaningless because China did not complain about Yasukuni until 1985.

The shrine "secretly" enshrined the top war criminals at Yasukuni in 1978, Deng wasn't in power til around then and even the Chinese scholars didn't start seeing the world outside China largely til mid-80s, let alone general populace, so 1985 complaint date is not surprising.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

The shrine "secretly" enshrined the top war criminals at Yasukuni in 1978, Deng wasn't in power til around then and even the Chinese scholars didn't start seeing the world outside China largely til mid-80s, let alone general populace, so 1985 complaint date is not surprising.

Chinese embassy in Japan was established in April of 1973. Don't need scholars. Just people that reads newspapers.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Did not become news until 1985, when the PM visited. OssanAmerican is complaining that the Chinese waited til 1986 to complain and apparently thinks they lost the right.

nigelboy: Chinese embassy in Japan was established in April of 1973. Don't need scholars. Just people that reads newspapers.

http://www.nippon.com/en/in-depth/a02404/

Yasukuni and the Enshrinement of War Criminals, Higurashi Yoshinobu, [2013.11.25]

... Matsudaira unequivocally rejected the verdict of the tribunal and argued that the Tokyo Trials had produced a distorted view of history that cast Japan as the sole villain. He was determined from the outset to enshrine Japan’s Class A war criminals at Yasukuni. This was part of an ideological crusade to discredit the Tokyo Trials. Once appointed, he moved quickly. In a secret ceremony on October 17, 1978—just three months after becoming head priest—he enshrined all 14, including Matsuoka and Nagano.(*7)

When the story broke in April the following year, the public reaction was relatively muted. But controversy erupted with a vengeance six years later, when Prime Minister Nakasone Yasuhiro became the first postwar prime minister to pay homage at the shrine in an official capacity. When Nakasone and his cabinet visited Yasukuni on August 15, 1985 to mark the fortieth anniversary of the end of World War II, the visit unleashed a storm of criticism from Japan’s Asian neighbors. The next year Nakasone agreed not to visit the shrine in deference to the views of Chinese leader Hu Yaobang. From that time on, visits by cabinet officials to Yasukuni Shrine have been a hot-button issue, drawing intense criticism from abroad and stymying diplomatic progress between Japan and its neighbors.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Did not become news until 1985, when the PM visited. OssanAmerican is complaining that the Chinese waited til 1986 to complain and apparently thinks they lost the right.

To be exact, from 1979-1985, 25 visits by Japanese Prime Ministers.

Prime Minister Nakasone Yasuhiro became the first postwar prime minister to pay homage at the shrine in an official capacity

That's news. I think the author is simply trying to find the siginuficance of that visit because he/she can't come up with the reasons why China kept silent for the prior 24 visits.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

The key word is "official".

nigelboy: To be exact, from 1979-1985, 25 visits by Japanese Prime Ministers. ... nigelboy: That's news. I think the author is simply trying to find the siginuficance of that visit because he/she can't come up with the reasons why China kept silent for the prior 24 visits.

1985 news article on the visit:

http://articles.latimes.com/1985-08-16/news/mn-3020_1_official-visits

Nakasone's Visit to Wartime Shrine Criticized, August 16, 1985

On the 40th anniversary of Japan's surrender to the United States, Nakasone and 18 of his Cabinet ministers made official visits to the shrine to pray for peace and for the souls of the war dead after commemorating Japan's war dead in a non-religious government ceremony also attended by Emperor Hirohito. ... Nakasone's decision to transform what previously had been private visits to the shrine into official ones--with funds from the national treasury used to pay for flowers--was the most controversial action he has taken so far to carry out a pledge to make a "final accounting" of the taboos of Japan's postwar era.

Yasukuni Shrine, stripped of its official state support by U.S. occupation authorities and a postwar constitution requiring separation of religion and politics, ... Coming out of the shrine, Nakasone told newsmen that he had signed the visitor book as "Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone," unlike previous visits, when he had signed as "a man named Yasuhiro Nakasone who is prime minister." The Cabinet ministers also signed their names with their official titles. Nakasone said, however, that he had not followed prescribed Shinto forms of worship in order to avoid "engaging in religious activity." "My visit in no way means a revival of militarism or of state Shintoism," he declared. Chief Cabinet Secretary Takao Fujinami explained that a 30,000 yen ($125) payment from state funds was made to the shrine for flowers purchased in Nakasone's name. .... In a speech last month, Nakasone, a World War II naval officer whose brother, Ryosuke, 25, also a naval officer, was killed during the war, said that "it is only natural that the people wish to express gratitude to those who have fallen in service to the nation. If not, who would give his life for the nation?" Fujinami, in announcing the policy change that would permit official visits to the shrine, said they were made "in response to the strong desire of many, including families of the war dead." The Japanese government, he added, is "deeply conscious of the fact that Japan caused much pain and damage to many in Asia and elsewhere" during World War II but intended "simply to pay respect to the memory of those who died in war."

Nakasone's visit to the shrine brought a storm of protest, both domestic and foreign.

In Peking, a Foreign Ministry spokesman had said Wednesday--a day before the visit--that "an official visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, which commemorates a number of Japanese war criminals, would hurt the feelings of both the Chinese and Japanese peoples who suffered at the hands of the militarists."

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Nakasone's visit to the shrine brought a storm of protest, both domestic and foreign.

Just China. I believe the issue of "official" and "public" were more of a domestic matter in term of constitutionality. Still don't know why China raised issue other than it simply decided to do so.

If your line of reasoning is true, China should NOT HAVE any problems with PM visits thereafter. But of course, that wasn't the case, was it.

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turbotsatAug. 17, 2014 - 08:03AM JST Did not become news until 1985, when the PM visited. OssanAmerican is complaining that the Chinese waited til 1986 >to complain and apparently thinks they lost the right.

Nothing is as annoying as someone assuming they know what you are talking about when they clearly don't. You are in error as I am not complaining about anything. Please read the thread, jefflee commented that China 's reaffirmation in 1978 of the Sino-Japanese Treaty of Friendship coincided with the same year that Class-A war criminals were enshrined, suggesting that Japan "backstabbed" China that same year. Pointing out that China remained silent on that matter until 1985 proved that the poster's statement was wrong. Contrary to your argument China most certainly knew what was going on in the outside world in 1978. The first Panasonic factory in China was opened then. The answer is simply that the Anti-Japan Agenda did not begin until the mid 1980s. It has nothing to do maintaining or losing any "rights".

zichi, please, hang it up. It's getting old and boring.

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turbotsatAug. 17, 2014 - 08:03AM JST Did not become news until 1985, when the PM visited. OssanAmerican is complaining that the Chinese waited til 1986 >to complain and apparently thinks they lost the right.

That is not what I said at call. Read the thread before deciding what someone said.

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OssanAmerica,

Interesting choice of words on using the term Mainland China to differentiate Hong Kong and Taiwan. Its not a term I would use being an American. Taiwan should never be confused with the word China and you seemed to have brought this notion that it can be. I have a funny feeling that you are not what you proclaim to the forum as Japanese or Japanese American. I think you are a Chinese person of either Hong Kong or Taiwanese descent who hates Communist China.

Its easy to use Japan as an scapegoat to further your agenda right? If you are Japanese, type a coherent sentence in katakana with correct grammar. I triple dog dare you.

How am I doing so far?

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highball7

Making such generalization and assumption does nothing but creats bias. It's impossible to identify one's nationality, ethnic background, gender or age online anyways.

I have a 'Japanese' friend who was born and raised in Japan yet she hates Japan and approves of anything Chinese government does. Her parents are both Chinese scholars with permanent residency in Japan. She says the last thing her parents want is her dating or marrying Japanese. They all are highly well-educated and speak perfect Japanese, Cantonese, Mandarin as well as English.

I also have a 'Chinese' friend who was born and raised in Taiwan by Chinese (mainland) parents. According to him, Japan is pure eviil till this day (because she 'never' apologizes or compensates for her massacaring of...like, trillion Chinese), those pro-Japan Taiwanese people are traitors, and of course, with that mindset Taiwan belongs to China. He is well-educated and speaks Taiwanese Mandarin, French and English.

Above people change their nationality depending on whom they are around hiding their political ideology deep inside—until history/politics topic comes up on a table.

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OssanAmerica: That is not what I said at call. Read the thread before deciding what someone said.

OK, sorry, what did you mean by "Your comment is meaningless because China did not complain about Yasukuni until 1985."?

(Your reply to "JeffLee: "1978"? Isn't that the year the Japanese secretly enshrined their war criminals at Yasukuni? Japan works so hard on >its "friendship" with its neighbors, doesn't it.")

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NYtoday,

It is easy, its the internet where everyone is supposed to be anonymous and opine freely. But the guy kept on saying things that contradicts reality and his supposed pov on a "Red" China. No sane person who "hates" China as much as he does in all of these broad spectrum rants in just about any articles that remotely involves the words China would need to separate Taiwan with "Red" China.

And I have challenged him, as he has claimed repeatedly that he's either Japanese or Japanese American, to simply type a few coherent sentence in fluent Japanese Katakana which he would be surely able to do if he is who he claimed.

I'm not trying to generalize anything. I'm simply calling out a frequent poster for his inconsistency.

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With the Peoples Republic of China conditioning their population, any invasion of theirs would soon degrade to genocide. So as the PRC increases its military, Japan needs to do the same. The followers of Mao the worse criminal of all times would think nothing about killing 130 million Japanese nationals.

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With the Peoples Republic of China conditioning their population ...

Not to mention that those most susceptible to condition, the young, haven't even reached the age to be decision-makers.

I am sympathetic to China, mostly. But Japan should go ahead and obtain the nuclear deterrent. The young Chinese, awash in "patriotic" films, will become the old Chinese with their fingers on the strings of government.

Maybe that is what is happening now, with all the hysteria. The young generation that grew up with the Red Guard and the Cultural Revolution are now around their 50's.

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