Japan to mark 75th anniversary of World War 2 end in scaled-back ceremony

Abe, who has adopted a less apologetic stance toward the war, pledged last year "never again to repeat the devastation of war" but did not echo the emperor's words of remorse.

That must be a real dilemma for right wingers, to have to deal with the cognitive dissonance of revering the Emperor while at the same time realizing that his more sincere approach of dealing with history might not be ideal for the good of their revisionist narrative.

Why is Japanese news always full of WWII news? Kinda feel as though our thoughts are being diverted from more important news happening today.

Family members bow as they pay tribute to the war dead at Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on Friday.

Or they could be doing the same thing all Japanese people do before entering any shrine or temple at any time of the year.

Staged photograph perhaps? I mean really now, kids, bowing like that??????

Abe's December 2013 visit to Yasukuni, which honors 14 Japanese wartime leaders convicted as war criminals by an Allied tribunal

In actual fact there are over five thousand war criminals enshrined at Yasukuni, of whom 14 happen to be classified as class A war criminals.

In all, about 5,700 Japanese were charged in Classes B and C before the international war crimes tribunal in Tokyo. Almost 1,000 were executed. Others were tried and executed by the Communist Chinese and by the Soviet Union. It's these men whose presence at Yasukuni offends Japan's neighbors, including 14 Class A criminals.

http://www.pri.org/stories/2013-12-26/why-yasukuni-shrine-so-controversial

Yasukuni will soon become financially difficult to maintain as a result of decreasing visitors after the WWII war bereaved families disappear. Yasukuni is a private shrine. It is not national and does not receive support of the government.

Why is Japanese news always full of WWII news?

Indeed. Full of it lately. When you look at the comment section, you will understand why though.

Why is Japanese news always full of WWII news?

Not "always", but around this time of year, particularly between the latter part of June through August 15th, it's common,

More so this year, because it's an "anniversary" year, 75th to be exact, of the end of the war.

Otherwise it's not in the mainstream media, only fringe media.

There should also be an element of celebration. Japan's surrender marked the start of the country's most prosperous, free and peaceful era in its entire history.

Abe, who has adopted a less apologetic stance toward the war, pledged last year "never again to repeat the devastation of war" but did not echo the emperor's words of remorse.

More like, pledge never again to lose a war you started. But then again, when your grandpa was part of the evil, you don't want to show remorse.

Japan observes an anniversary without a beat when they think they're the victims. For all other victims, the Japanese tell them to move on. Third world mentality.

Why is Japanese news always full of WWII news? Kinda feel as though our thoughts are being diverted from more important news happening today.

This has been going on for decades, and come back here in 20 years, same thing. The lady bowing in western inspired fashion, replaced by a kimono, your looking at the same scene 50 years ago. The "grip" is strong and alternative views are discouraged.

Why this narrative continues? Its complicated. Pride, arrogance, nothing to replace it with, risk aversion, regional threats, but I wouldnt recommend buying the package; its for Japanese only.

This dark atmosphere has actually inspired, or pushed me, to explore more positive alternatives, in some cases just reconnect with them. I just use it as a catalyst, recognizing what it is and no longer wasting time trying to understand it.

"...recognizing what it is and no longer wasting time trying to understand it."

IMO, it is not a waste of time to try to understand it, whether we ever do or not. But you are right, it is very important to recognize what is, and not what we would like to be.

Growing up, all the adults had stories to tell about what they did in World War II. Most of the stories were about what happened with the Nazis, although one friend's father was in the Bataan Death March, and in-laws were in Manzanar concentration camp, and another in-law was in the 442 Regimental Combat Team, composed of Nisei fighting for the allies. Back to the Nazis......we constantly heard about the atrocities the Nazis committed against captive peoples. In my naïveté, I always asked how they could do such things, until I went to Germany and met Germans for myself. It was at that point that the light bulb went off, so to speak, and I realized that it was necessary to realize what is, and that I would probably never understand it. The fact which I came to realize after going to post-war Germany, and talking to Germans, was that a lot of those people were fervent adorers of Hitler and the Nazis. It is one thing to read about history, or even to hear about it, but to meet people who supported the regime which massacred millions of civilians, and who would still support that regime if allowed to do so, was a real eye-opener.

75th Anniversary......3/4 of a century......An important anniversary milestone.

The other significance of the end of World War II for Japan was it was the first major war they lost ....and the last major war they fought.

The end of the war also important to Japan for having marked the beginning of their transformation from a militarist nationalist country to a democracy dedicated to world peace.

to a democracy dedicated to world peace.

Yeah right, all paid for by arms sales to 3rd world countries. Hell of a way to be "dedicated" to peace!

IMO, it is not a waste of time to try to understand it, whether we ever do or not. But you are right, it is very important to recognize what is, and not what we would like to be.

Ive never met any Germans who were nostalgic about that time, but I have never lived there either, interesting.

Japan seems to have a obsession with that period and war, perhaps it comes from their Samurai warrior past, seem to remember seeing something about that in the yusukan, but they also want to be accepted as a progressive society. Seems to be a kind of progressiveness at the expense of others, a take but cannot give or move on kind of logic. Thats the part where I reach the wall and thats not the same as knowing history, that was my point.

YubaruToday  12:09 pm JST

to a democracy dedicated to world peace.

Yeah right, all paid for by arms sales to 3rd world countries. Hell of a way to be "dedicated" to peace!

Yubaru, instead of shouting all the time please do some research before posting. Japan is not even in the running as an arms exporter.

2018 Rank Supplier Arms

1. United States 10,508

2. Russia 6,409

 4. Germany 1,277

 5. Spain 1,188

 6. South Korea 1,083

 7. China 1,040

 8. United Kingdom 741

 9. Israel 707

10. Italy 611

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arms_industry

instead of shouting all the time please do some research before posting. Japan is not even in the running as an arms exporter.

You dont get it do you? Oh right, you don't how how to read between the lines.

Japan also is what, 10th in the world for it's defense budget, (yeah right dedicated to peace) and Japan started exporting arms in 2017, previous to that it was "illegal" to do so. Technically it is still illegal, but Abe reinterpreted the constitution.

So get off your high horse son, you dont like what I wrote, so what, just because the US is the worlds largest dealer of death and destruction, doesnt mean that Japan doesnt make the list.

Take your own advice, Japan sells arms, go research now just what their rank is! Have fun!

It wouldn't be an article about Japan and WW2 without the usual:

But Koreans, who mark the date as National Liberation Day, still resent Japan's 1910-1945 colonization of the peninsula, while China has bitter memories of Imperial troops' invasion and occupation of parts of the country from 1931-1945.

"Lingering bitterness over Japan's past brutal aggressions." "Resentment over Japan's perceived lack of atonement." "Anger over being angered by Japan's imperial aggressive atrocities." Etc. etc. etc.

So utterly predictable.

YubaruAug. 15  02:06 pm JST

instead of shouting all the time please do some research before posting. Japan is not even in the running as an arms exporter.

You dont get it do you? Oh right, you don't how how to read between the lines.

No I read what people write.

Japan also is what, 10th in the world for it's defense budget, (yeah right dedicated to peace) and Japan started exporting arms in 2017, previous to that it was "illegal" to do so. Technically it is still illegal, but Abe reinterpreted the constitution.

Japan's Defense Budget has absolutely nothing to do with arms sales to third world countries as you claimed.

So get off your high horse son, you dont like what I wrote, so what, just because the US is the worlds largest dealer of death and destruction, doesnt mean that Japan doesnt make the list.

Take your own advice, Japan sells arms, go research now just what their rank is! Have fun!

The U.S. is indeed the biggest seller of arms. Japan is nowhere near even 10th. Your post below is complete nonsense.

"YubaruAug. 15  12:09 pm JS

Yeah right, all paid for by arms sales to 3rd world countries. Hell of a way to be "dedicated" to peace!