A hawkish member of Japan's ruling party on Wednesday came under fire for his statement that descriptions at a war memorial rewrote the history of the Himeyuri student corps, many of whom lost their lives in Okinawa, one of the fiercest battlegrounds of World War II.
Facing an immediate backlash, Shoji Nishida, an upper house member of the Liberal Democratic Party led by Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, said he did not mean to hurt the feelings of people in Okinawa. However, he said he would not retract the comments he made during a symposium on Saturday.
During the symposium in Okinawa, Nishida said exhibits at the museum seem to imply that "Japanese soldiers swarmed (into the area), leading the Himeyuri corps to die. Then, the U.S. troops came to set Okinawa free."
Nishida then added, "There is no salvation for those who perished."
The Himeyuri Peace Museum, however, rejected Nishida's claim, saying that there are no such descriptions on the premises, which include a cenotaph built in memory of over 200 female students and teachers who died during the Battle of Okinawa in 1945.
The Himeyuri student corps refers to a group of 222 students and 18 teachers from two local high schools, who were mobilized in March 1945 by the Imperial Japanese Army as a nursing unit.
The women, who took care of sick and wounded soldiers during the Battle of Okinawa, were given an abrupt order to disband on June 18, 1945, just five days before the battle ended, as Japan's losses mounted and defeat became clear.
A total of 123 girls and 13 teachers lost their lives after they were either caught in the crossfire of Japanese and American troops, or committed suicide in the aftermath.
Nishida told reporters on Wednesday that his remarks were based on his "impressions" of what he saw at the site a long time ago. "It's regrettable if there are people who were offended (by the remarks)," he added.
Okinawa was reverted to Japan in 1972 after U.S. control. The prefecture hosts the bulk of U.S. military installations in Japan, with local opposition to the military presence remaining strong.
Okinawa Gov. Denny Tamaki said Nishida's statement "distorts" the historical facts of the Battle of Okinawa, in which over 200,000 people, both from Japan and the United States, died. "The misconception is outrageous."
The controversial remarks come as Japan marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II this year. Ishiba has expressed his willingness to take a fresh look at the country's wartime history and draw lessons from it, though he is expected to break with the custom followed by his predecessors of issuing an anniversary statement.
Nishida had close ties with the late Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the country's longest-serving premier who had hawkish views on history and defense. He has expressed concern that the LDP cannot win the House of Councillors election slated for this summer under Ishiba as LDP chief, urging him to resign.
"He rubbed the people of Okinawa the wrong way," Hajime Zaha, a senior executive of the LDP's local chapter in Okinawa, said of Nishida.
The Komeito party, the junior coalition partner of the LDP, has taken the view that Nishida should retract the comments and apologize.
© KYODO
18 Comments
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lincolnman
There's a reason the US-Japan Security Alliance has worked so well for over 70 years - not only does it provide security guarantees for Japan which lives in a dangerous area with threats from China, North Korea, and Russia, but it also serves as a cap on these far-right LDP nut-jobs that want to go back to the "glorious" 1930s/40s...
sakurasuki
Another gaffe from politician in Japan? That's not new.
https://www.nippon.com/en/column/g00123/
Saltwater Shenanigans
Not hard to figure out why the LDP is seeing the last of it's days. Finally voters are opening their eyes and are tired of being stuck in the past while the world moves forward.
deanzaZZR
A friend of Shinzo Abe, imagine that.
Cephus
Although we might agree or disagree on issues, in a democratic process, still a man or a woman is entitled to airing his/ her opinion as deems fit.
virusrex
Which still allows for consequences because of that opinion. The article is not about the government trying to prevent the lawmaker from having opinions, it simply describes how the distorted opinions were offensive and the people reacted because of this.
Or is it that your think the offended people do not have the right to air their opinions?
Cephus
"The article is not about the government trying to prevent the lawmaker from having opinions, it simply describes how the distorted opinions were offensive and the people reacted because of this.
Or is it that your think the offended people do not have the right to air their opinions?"
Well, to some it's distorted opinion to others it's factual opinion and people are entitled to their emotions good or bad. Both parties (offended) or not are also entitled to air their opinions is that not democracy?
virusrex
You are terribly confused, everybody is allowed their own opinions but not their own facts, when there is objective evidence that proves something is factual or not it makes no sense to defend the opposite. If someone opinion is that the world is flat, then it can't be called factual and it is completely understandable that this person is subjected to ridicule.
Yet you criticized the situation where the offended people expressed their opinions as if that was somehow infringing on Nishida's ability to express himself, that is obviously not the case.
The moment you recognize both parties have a right to express themselves you leave your previous comment without any meaning.
Cephus
"The moment you recognize both parties have a right to express themselves you leave your previous comment without any meaning."
Unfortunately, going in circles like a rabid dog is not my speciality.
Desert Tortoise
By the same token the rest of us have every right to give the schmuck a Bronx Cheer
virusrex
Rabid dogs don't go in circles, you are mixing analogies without any meaning.
Also, you criticized the offended parties for expressing their opinions, only to later recognize they have every right to do it. That is not in any way circular, you simply contradicted your own comment.
garypen
And, the public is entitled to air their opinions in rebuttal, especially when the original opinion is based on false data.
garypen
Facts are facts. And, opinions are opinions. This fool's opinion's are, quite simply, not based on fact.
If I say, "I think cilantro tastes weird", that is my opinion. It is neither correct nor incorrect. Many others think it tastes wonderful. Also, opinions that are neither correct nor incorrect. Nobody should or would be offended by either opinion.
But, if I say, "I think cilantro tastes weird because it is created by demons in a factory located on Mars", then my opinion is not based on fact, and deserves ridicule. Additionally, cilantro farmers would have every right to be offended.
Cephus
"And, the public is entitled to air their opinions in rebuttal, especially when the original opinion is based on false data."
And here is what is wrong with your logic "when original opinion is based on false data" who is the judge in this case who determines the data is false? Could it be the determiner is also biased?
Cephus
"But, if I say, "I think cilantro tastes weird because it is created by demons in a factory located on Mars", then my opinion is not based on fact, and deserves ridicule. Additionally, cilantro farmers would have every right to be offended."
That's unnecessary overstretch
virusrex
Easy, anybody with access to the information can easily find out the opinion is objectively false.
And no, Nishida is the one in the wrong without room for any other interpretation, you keep thinking everything in the world is subjective, that is not the case.
No, it is an example that your position that everything can be true or false according to subjective parameters is completely wrong.
garypen
It seems like you don't understand what the word "facts" means. It reminds me of when that idiot KellyAnne Conway, who worked for Trump 45, coined the term, "alternative facts".
No. It's a pretty accurate analogy.
nandakandamanda
No one here seems to be touching on why the remarks were not welcome. It has to do more with the undercurrent of feeling and history between Okinawa and the central government of Japan. Was there resentment against the Imperial Japanese Army during the war? Is there anger towards the central government today? Was there relief at the way the Americans actually treated the Okinawans, as opposed to the extreme warnings and propaganda that had been issued beforehand, causing masses to commit suicide?