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© Thomson Reuters 2023.Japan protests Russia's declaring Sept 3 as day of victory over 'militaristic' Japan
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voiceofokinawa
To the Japanese, August 15 is officially remembered as the day it was defeated in World War II. On that day, the emperor made efforts to publicly announce on radio that Japan would accept the Potsdam Declaration calling for Japan’s unconditional surrender.
To some people, however, September 2, 1945, was the day when Japan officially surrendered to the Allies because it was on that day when Japan signed the instrument of surrender aboard the USS Missouri which is said to have been anchored at the very spot in Tokyo Bay where Commodore Matthew Perry’s flagship had been anchored.
My long-time contention that Japan’s Meiji Restoration ended with the surrender of Imperial Japan to the Allies spearheaded by the U.S. either August or September in 1945 is thus substantiated at any rate.
Agent_Neo
Is modern Japan militaristic?
And it is wrong to say that Russia, which is still an aggressor nation, is militaristic toward Japan in the past and now.
By far, Mao Zedong and Stalin were the ones who massacred both enemies and allies in World War II. Pol Pot after the war?
Some people seem to be ignorant of history and think that only the Japanese military committed atrocities and other countries did not commit such atrocities at all.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to overturn the fact that most of the Allied countries, including the United States, the Soviet Union, China, the United Kingdom, and Germany, have committed cruel massacres since the colonial period.
OssanAmerica
The article itself is about WWII. You were wrong. Further commntary is irrelevant.
Kumagaijin
In only 8 years we'll be commemorating Japan's invasion of Manchuria, and 8 years after that, the start of WWII in Europe. I find it hard to fathom that we'll still be living in the shadows of WWII 100 years on. I'd like to think that once everyone who fought or lived during the war is no longer alive, that the world could move on. Of course, its not so much WWII memories, but the military industrial complex that keeps the tensions on going.
TaiwanIsNotChina
That's a broad brush to include the economic miracle period. I guess if you were rooting for Japan to have become a communist concentration camp, it could be seen as disappointing, though.
1glenn
The story of the USSR's involvement in the Pacific Theatre war is complicated, and interesting.
The US asked for Soviet involvement, at a time when it was expected that an invasion of the home islands would be necessary, and it was estimated that there would be a million American casualties (and many more than that among Japanese civilians.) If the US had known at the time that the atom bombs would be ready, and that they would work, it would not have been so anxious to invite the USSR to participate in the war. It was obvious that Stalin would ask for territorial rewards for his commitment of Soviet armed forces.
Stalin, for his part, wanted more territory than what he got. He asked for, and was denied by the USA, half of Japan, like how Korea was divided. If an invasion of Japan had happened, with Soviet participation, then almost certainly half of Japan would have been put under the control of a Soviet appointed dictator.
As terrible as the atom bombs were, and I pray that we never see them used again, their use likely resulted in a unified Japan, one initially controlled by the democracies, instead of a North and South Japan.
MilesTeg
And the Russians were a member of the allies as well as had a direct war with Japan leading up to WWII. Their timing of annulling the pact is irrelevant. Minor, overly sensitive quibbles to resent that Russia is making an accurate statement that Japan was militaristic.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Stalin deserves nothing except for people to spit on his grave. The US cowed him into submission, if nothing else. "Victory days" are why Russia has a fascism problem today.
elephant200
Stalin's military achievements was great, the defeat of Japan was thanks to his insisting to participate the war in Asia and contribution of the Red army. This is no less than as important as the defeat of Nazi Germany. They deserve a two victory days!
voiceofokinawa
At the beginning, I couldn't understand why Japan should be so upset about it.
Japan and the Soviet Union had signed a nonaggression pact before the Second World War started. The Soviet Union didn't enter the war until the last minute when Japan's surrender seemed imminent.
So, from Tokyo's perspectives, Japan was not defeated by Soviet Russia, but by the Allies, which were composed of by the United States, the United Kingdom, China and the late-comer Soviet Union, as well as France while it was unoccupied.
Therefore, it would raise Japan's hackles if Russia claimed it had defeated Japan on September 3, 1945 and designate the day as a victory day over Imperial Japan.
OssanAmerica
Yes it does.
"It was introduced as a holiday by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the Soviet Union on September 3, 1945 (the day after the surrender of Japan)."
TaiwanIsNotChina
Nobody knows what Dec. 7th is. Nobody does anything on that day unless they are in the Navy or at Pearl Harbor I wager.
So the US should send the president out for the Bataan death march and Pearl Harbor? Where does it end? Also, good luck with the genocide argument.
Nice try, but there was no Fourth Geneva Convention at the time.
JeffLee
The Pacific War saw plenty of "infamy, genocide, mass murder, and crimes against humanity." 99% of it committed by Japan, which inflicted the war on all its peaceful neighbors, killing around 30 million people (mostly civilians) compared to its loss of around 2 million (mostly soldiers).
Japan would kinda be seen as a hypocrite with such a commemoration, doncha think, particularly as the above events are what forced Japan to finally end its gruesome behavior?
Hercolobus
The US continues to commemorate Dec 7 as a day of infamy. Japan should also commemorate the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki as days of infamy, genocide, mass murder, and crimes against humanity. And probably try Truman posthumously.
Seth M
Funny, Russia is doing exactly what Japan was doing in WW2, the only difference is they suck at it
deanzaZZR
Japan needs to stand tall and retaliate by taking down the Russian language signs in Nemuro and Abashiri. That will teach them!
Mountain, meet mole hill.
PTownsend
the Kremlin doing whatever they can to distract their nation of ovine sycophant’s and their social media warriors, paid and volunteer from the hot mess Putin and the Kremlin have made.
TaiwanIsNotChina
There's everything wrong with it. You're supposed to commemorate wars quietly and not proudly. The latter road leads to fascism. There is nothing for the Soviet Union or any country to be proud of in its military history.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Dear Russia...
If you were a civilized country rather than one playing at fascism, none of this would be happening..
Samit Basu
There is nothing wrong with Russian Victory day against Japan.
It is the history, whether Japan accepts it or not.
TokyoLiving
Dear Japan...
If you weren't playing as the US concubine and celebrating stupid sanctions against Russia, none of this would be happening..
njca4
I wonder if this has anything to do with China since they also celebrate victory over Japan on September 3rd ...
jeancolmar
"Day of Victory over Militaristic Japan,." It's all true. Japan was militaristic and horribly so. But why in good heavens does this declaration have to come out now from Russia? Putin has created enough chaos and bad feeling among nations for reasons we can plainly guess at.
1glenn
September 5th marks the end of the Russo-Japanese war of 1904-1905, if Japanese are looking for a day to commemorate.
Today's corrupt and inept Russian military is nothing to brag about, and more closely resembles the Russian armed forces of 1904 than those of World War II.
antifun
Well it is the pot calling the kettle black. But Japan's whining when some country calls them out on their WW2 history is never not going to amuse me.
"may also lead to anti-Russian sentiment among the Japanese people"
Sounds like a veiled threat. Russian people in Japan have nothing to do with their tyrant government.
MilesTeg
We're not talking about now are we. It's called the past tense. Japan was militaristic.
MilesTeg
It says nothing about WWII. The fact that there was a Russo-Japanese War preceding WWII and they were fighting a proxy war against each other during WWII gives them reason to make such a statement. They were at war with each other and Japan was militaristic.
Muhammad Nurul Islam
It is not wise to stir up old regrettable memories. It does more harm than good. History need to be remembered as lesson and guidance for the present and future conduct of humanity. Any otherwise behavior by a politician should be condemned. Otherwise ill feelings may generate among the current populace. It is totally undesirable.
Peter14
Perhaps Japan should declare December 26 as victory over militaristic Soviet Union day?
December 26, 1991 was the day the flag of the Soviet Union was lowered for the final time on the Kremlin.
Rodney
Japan can easily rewrite history because it is controlled by US, school texbooks are politicalized, and has no international news.
OssanAmerica
Funny to see a country that is invading another country right now today criticizing a country that hasn't invaded another country in over 80 years as "militant".
Fighto!
So was Germany, Italy and many others over history.
Its been almost 80 years since WW2 ended. Move on for crying out loud.
Japan is NOT militaristic. Fascist Russia is clearly the most militaristic warmonger in the world.
Eastmann
protesting historical truth?
OssanAmerica
But not against the Russians.
"..a non-aggression pact between the Soviet Union and the Empire of Japan signed on April 13, 1941, two years after the conclusion of the Soviet-Japanese Border War. The agreement meant that for most of World War II, the two nations fought against each other's allies but not against each other. In 1945, late in the war, the Soviets scrapped the pact and joined the Allied campaign against Japan."
TaiwanIsNotChina
You shouldn't be proud of Russian war crimes.
TaiwanIsNotChina
Normal countries don't celebrate each and every war they were in. That and Japanese militarism was hardly directed at Russia. It's like the US declaring Japan Surrender Day a holiday.
elephant200
The last Japanese soldier of KwangTung army in Manchuria surrendered himself to the Soviet army until 30th September 1945. These men defy the orders to fight for themselves. The consequences of captured by the Red army is send to concentration camps in Siberria for indefinite years !
MilesTeg
As much as I dislike Putin, this statement is accurate because Japan was militaristic.
sakurasuki
While the whole world and world leaders cautiously watch how Wagner and Putin matter evolve, Japan only lodge protest over how Russia naming things
https://japantoday.com/category/world/russian-mercenaries'-revolt-undermines-putin-and-could-lead-to-further-challenges-to-his-rule