politics

Japan's tug-of-war over World War II statement

17 Comments
By MARI YAMAGUCHI

The requested article has expired, and is no longer available. Any related articles, and user comments are shown below.

© Copyright 2015 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

©2024 GPlusMedia Inc.

17 Comments
Login to comment

Just stick to Murayama-Kono statements and bring an end to Media/Abe hype.

5 ( +8 / -3 )

and displease the United States too.

Lol, no.

-8 ( +2 / -10 )

Abe, known for harboring revisionist views, must strike a balance,

No, he does not. He could simply leave the whole topic alone. No one is forcing him to say something different simply because it is the 70th anniversary. How is that any different than 69 or 71? Appears to me he is making an excuse to give in to his revisionist buddies, and say something that will please them. IMO, the Crown Prince, who's own Grandfather was the Emperor during WWII, has the best perspective on this:

I think it is important to look back humbly on the past and pass on correctly the tragic experiences and Japan’s historical path,”

If he is brave enough to "man up", given the implication it has for his own family's legacy, then Abe should be able to do so as well.

4 ( +8 / -4 )

How about just telling the truth.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

If you have to go through so many steps to make sure that your apology or statement doesn't offend anyone, then I think that what ever he says is nothing more than just lip service, and would recommend you just don't say anything. If people will "clutch their pearls" and fall on the "fainting couch" at what he says or didn't say, I think that all parties need to get over it and realize that the war happened, some bad things were done, and we can say we are better for it because that level of fighting and kiliing is not going on now, thanks to the fact that we have been able to realize that it was wrong then and we have learned our collective lessons.

If I were Abe, I would say just that, we learned from the mistakes of the past, and we will try not to repeat them and move on from there. Recognize that lives were lost on both sides but the fact that Japan has been at peace since then means that for those Japanese that have died, their deaths were not in vain.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

the war-renouncing Constitution “imposed” by the allies after World War II deprives Japan of its sovereignty and military.

Rather than the constitution, it's the permanent presence of another nation's military force in bases around the country that deprives Japan of its full sovereignty. Japan also has one of the most expensive militaries in the world, which is mainly restricted from getting embroiled in illegal aggressions that have terrible blowback, such as the occupation of Iraq leading to the rise of IS. How is this a deprivation? Nakanishi would be better to study and understand history rather than revise it.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

The more of an issue they make out of this non-issue, the less of an 'apology' it's going to become. I fear it's already too late.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

The different points of view in this article are quite puzzling, can someone explain "re-vision-ist", please?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Terumasa Nakanishi wrote that the pacifist Constitution impinges on the nation's sovereignty? Has he forgotten the Constitution, when proclaimed, was enthusiastically received by the whole nation, that celebrated it with pomps and circumstances? The Japanese people accepted the new Constitution out of the deep remorse for the war and wartime misdeeds.

If he says the war-renouncing Constitution "deprives Japan of its sovereignty," he should go further and say that Japan's defeat in WW II has deprived it of its sovereignty. But one must recognize the very fact that Japan started the war, was defeated to the nail and occupied by the allies spearheaded by the U.S. The deprivation of war-defeated Japan was a natural consequence.

Japan was supposed to recover its full sovereignty in 1951 when the San Francisco Peace Treaty was signed. But that was a spurious sovereignty. With the signing of the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty together with the Executive Agreement, a predecessor of the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement, one can definitely say Japan continued to be put under occupation by the U.S.

Okinawa takes the brunt of these bilateral agreements most heavily and is in the vintage to see the indelible reality that Japan is still under U.S. occupation. The two countries are in a suzerain-vassal relationship.

So it is not the Constitution but the bilateral relations that deprive Japan of its sovereignty. Period.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

Great input voiceofokinawa. Wonder if the Crown Prince's recent remarks will be taken into account by Abe & Cabinet as they prepare the speech. Or will they be seeking to enhance those bilateral ties with Washington.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Wonder if the Crown Prince's recent remarks will be taken into account by Abe & Cabinet as they prepare the speech.

They will never take into account Crown Prince's remarks. It's against democracy. Crown Prince can influence people, but not the govt.

Or will they be seeking to enhance those bilateral ties with Washington.

Washington is saying something, too much influenced by China/SK. Japan has Japan's circumstances I hope Washington respects Japan's will about Japan's future once in a while instead of becoming an instrument of China/SK.

-11 ( +0 / -11 )

Tina

They will never take into account Crown Prince's remarks. It's against democracy. Crown Prince can influence people, but not the govt.

I bet you wouldn't have said that had the Prince said the opposite and actually agreed with what Shinz was doing.

I've come to the point where I give your posts a thumbs-down first and then I read them. No point in going down your post and wasting time having to look up again and click the bad' sign.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Crown Prince can influence people, but not the govt.

If you are trying to say that the prince cannot legally force the government do anything, you are correct. However, he certainly can and I would guess did influence Abe and his cabinet's emotions and sense of survival. You see, the Crown Prince is way more loved and respected by most if not all Japanese than any politician could ever be. That has emotional clout if not actual legal clout. That is often more than enough.

I think it is enough already with trying to reword statements. Apologize clearly, accept no back talk from the fringe and move on toward friendlier and more peaceful relations with our neighbors. That is the best course of action and it is my strong impression that the Crown Prince feels much like I do on the matter.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

This is going to be good. Can't wait to see if Japan will come clean or put it in reverse and drive off the cliff. August 15th we'll find out.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Crown Prince handles himself they way the rest should. He makes a statement urging his nation to quietly pass on the truth, and everyone interprets it as leftist. Lol Restated, he's saying it's grandparents' duty to pass on history, because books and media are enemy propaganda. The only rebuke for Abe is that he's being too noisy. If Abe heeds the Prince's message, then expect a high degree of super awesome doublespeak.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

So much so that he convened a panel of experts this week to advise him on what to say to mark the 70th anniversary of the end of World War II on Aug. 15.

A very big sigh over this one. How about this: "On behalf of the Japanese people, I offer my sincerest apologies for the suffering caused by Japan in the Pacific War. I also offer my apologies for my misguided revisionist statements I have made on numerous occasions. I was also like to offer my deepest remorse for the suffering of the sex slaves in the war. I will undertake to pass educational reforms to make sure the proper facts are taught in schools, and will pass laws prohibiting my colleagues from denying WW2 atrocities, and rebutting this apology".

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Tenacious Tinawatanebe. I admire your hard-line stance. Washington does in fact respect the future of Japan. Thats why you sleep safe & sound every night. Has it ever crossed you to think that "JAPAN" is in fact, the key inturmental factor which must portray itself honestly on the world stage when Mr. Abe speaks next Aug?

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Login to leave a comment

Facebook users

Use your Facebook account to login or register with JapanToday. By doing so, you will also receive an email inviting you to receive our news alerts.

Facebook Connect

Login with your JapanToday account

User registration

Articles, Offers & Useful Resources

A mix of what's trending on our other sites