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© 2015 AFPEmperor's remarks on WWII 'remorse' a prod to Abe, says journalist
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© 2015 AFP
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CH3CHO
Emperor's speeches at state dinners are written by the cabinet. Such speeches are too important with political consequences to let the Emperor express his personal opinion.
Cogito Ergo Sum
When the Emperor HIMSELF expresses remorse, why would THE Abe and cohorts want to stick to " It didn't happen" stance. This guy( Abe ) seems to want to prove something and salvage his un-like-Samurai-shameful and wimpish resignation from office the first time.
gokai_wo_maneku
Good on the Emperor, who seems to be far more mature than Abe.
warnerbro
The Japanese constitution makes it clear that the emperor is not the head of state, therefore he cannot be the nominal ("in name only") head of state. He is, however, treated by other national governments as the de facto head of state.
Gary Raynor
CH3CHOJun. 04, 2015 - 04:46PM JST
No they're not, unless form has changed since I studied my degree in Japanese politics. It was often emphasized to us that the position of the Emperor is not the same as the Queen of England, a mistake you seem to be making.
The Queen of England is the head of state, while the Emperor is the ceremonial head of state, he is "the symbol of the State and of the unity of the people and has the right to say anything he wishes.
GW
Three cheers for the Emperor!! Thank you!!!
Hopefully some people can explain what this means to abe!
sandiegoluv
Love it. Even the Emperor is getting into it. No, Abe will not listen. The revisionist don't listen at all.
jerseyboy
I am a big fan of The Emperror as a man, but 100% opposed to the position. And this is exactly why. Because he is not allowed to "stray into the politcial", his words have zero meaning. And, in fact, are insulting. This implies the only "remorse" Japan feels, is because the Philippines suffered because the U.S. was forced to throw out the Japanese invaders. WTH? Should the U.S. feel "remorse" for liberating them? Because if they had just left well enough alone, the Philippine people would not have suffered. Pure Japanese garbage bordering way, way to close to the "victim" mentality.
toshiko
This is Emperor's own feeling similar to any of his age people in Japan.. Govt would dare to create Emperor's speech as it is unconstitutional to [resent anything to IHA or Ministry of IH to present to Emperor.
John Akagi
In response to the comment regarding the US coming to the rescue of the Philippines, and since we are all talking about historical accounting and accuracy, let's not distort the real reason that the US was in the Philippines in the first place. It was the extension of the Manifest Destiny that pushed our colonialism beyond Mexican holdings of the southwest and the west coat into the far reaches of the Pacific. The US overthrew the monarchy of the Kingdom of Hawaii for financial and military gain. They also brutally suppressed the independence movement in the Philippines. Let's not distort history to make the US military presence as a benevolent one. It was simply to protect their own empire. Yes, the Japanese were trying to play the same game, to claim foreign lands to reap their natural resources. The Japanese mission was to throw out all the western colonial powers out of Asia, and in a back handed way; mission was accomplished.
Haiku_Dan
Jerseyboy,
Zero meaning? Really? Says who? You? A long-time professional journalist who has covered royal affairs would beg to differ with you. As would many many other people. And as a poster said above, he is above or outside of any true official title other than "Emperor" and can say whatever he damn well pleases. He can't "tell" directly to politicians to do this or that, but in true honorable Japanese fashion has a way with his words and actions to be a better example than the revisionist and simply uninformed politicians.
True it's been the case that a lot of the political rhetoric has bordered on or explicitly been couched in the so-called "victim" mentality...but I only have seen that in the context of the Tokyo firebombings which caused more death and destruction than Hiroshima and Nagasaki...the other two contexts. Though you can argue the long-term effects of radiation eventually did kill more.
But I didn't read (what little there is here) any insult or victimization to the Philippine President or people by the Emperor. If anything, he mentions the US and Japan fighting on the islands as simply expressing the absurdity of war...that two foreign powers are fighting on another foreign land. I wouldn't read too much into that, however.
You say "Should the US feel remorse for liberating them?" - are you saying that if the US hadn't intervened that the Japanese would have taken care of the Filipinos and they'd be fine today or both Japan and the US? Because either way, the question, while grammatically correct, is the wrong question to ask. The better question, if I may, would be: How will the Japanese people feel about and handle Abe's rhetoric in light of the Emperor's comments going into the 70th anniversary of the end of WWII? I believe what Abe says will make or break his administration and tenuous relationship with other Asian countries. I kind of wish for that, but also just wish he'd make a bolder statement and just apologize clearly and directly to the Asian people affected by the Japanese administrations/military during WWII (and before).
toshiko
Hope this Emperor speech will make false conservative LDP ,members to stop promoting tjeir selfish and false nationalism.
toshiko
“This is something we Japanese must long remember with a profound sense of remorse,” he said, according to the official English translation provided by the Imperial Household Agency.
“In particular, in this year of the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II, I offer my deepest condolences to all those who lost their lives then,” he said.
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His speech represents Silent Majority Japanese, Especially Showa Hitoketa Japanese who knew Japan was attacking all over in SE Asia.
Kabukilover
Anyway, the Emperor said "remorse." This is the word Abe loathes as much as he loathes the truth of Japan's war crimes and sexual slavery. Good for the Emperor.
hiroshima9
Of course he's the head of state. Who appoints the prime minister? Who accredits ambassadors? Who hosts state dinners? The term "ceremonial head of state" means nothing. The prime minister is the head of government, The emperor is the head of state. The same as in any other democratic constitutional monarchy. If Japanese teachers have taught that the emperor is nothing like the queen of the UK they were either lying or misinformed.
sandhonour
good on the emperor. lets see if Abe can follow.
Novenachama
Emperor Akihito is an ideal leader and so humble in spite of his royal background. Three months after his father pass away he expressed statements of apologies to those Asian nations which suffered because of Japan. Mr. Abe seems to be tempted and continues to explain, or defend or justify or rationalize the actions of Japan which basically is not really an apology at all. He needs to offer an unconditional apology many times. Apologize means ownership and says I was responsible. In the end a mature responsible leader knows they are the problem, and they work hard to see and claim their share of anything that went wrong.
Bruce Chatwin
jerseyboy,
You do realize that the Philippines was an American colony when the Japanese invaded in 1941, right? You do realize that the US was not liberating the Philippines but rather recolonizing the poor, long-suffering Philippines, right?
ThePBot
I always wondered why the current royal family is very honest about their history. You'd think they'd be more...you know, since Hirohito was a war criminal. Let's not be all naive to think that he didn't know what was going on. But again, why is his son so different from him? Who taught him.? It has to be more than just the trauma from US's devastating attacks on Japan. Do you think Hirohito took responsibility and told his son how wrong it was? And that he should never be like him?
gokai_wo_maneku
I wish the Emperor would abdicate and become Prime Minister.
Ma Go
This translation is wrong. It is not a "remorse". The correct translation is "regret".
toshiko
@Ma GoJUN. 05, 2015 - 10:24PM JST This translation is wrong. It is not a "remorse". The correct translation is "regret"
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Write the Japanese sentence He said. Just the sentyencer inckude feel.
Christopher Glen
It wasn't the US fault that the Japanese chose to contest Manila (and allow it to be burned to ashes) rather than surrender