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More than 100 lawmakers visit Yasukuni shrine

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This doesn't help the economy of Japan, however people feel.

8 ( +10 / -2 )

Morons. I'm willing to bet nearly NONE of them are going for religious purposes or out of a sense of worship for the fallen as much as they are a stubborn and misplaced nationalism and to stick it to China and Korea among the rest of those who disagree with the Class A war criminals enshrined there -- and they WERE war criminals! And please, don't feign surprise when neighbours get angry for the provocation.

19 ( +25 / -6 )

Exactly Smith. I wonder how many ex-politicians are visiting that shrine with this kind of frequency. Or visit at all.

12 ( +16 / -4 )

“I feel very grateful anew that we have maintained peace for 70 years,” said Hidehisa Otsuji, a lawmaker with the conservative ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), who leads the group. “The souls (of the dead) must also be pleased with this.”

Honestly, I have no problem with this sentiment. Unfortuantely, however, the extreme right-wing of the LDP wants to more use these occasions to glorify Japan's past military history, rather than focus on the seven decades of peace.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

I think the US President and Congress should officially visit the Enola Gay on VJ Days and give thanks to the peace and prosperity that the crew brought the world on that August day.

Maybe some Japanese would get a grasp of why this sort of action infuriates their neighbors and please don't start screaming that it's the only Korean and Chinese who are complaining, it's quite simply not.

I have lots of relatives in Singapore and while they do have a more balanced approach to modern Japan than China or Korea, they still think the Japanese haven't seriously confronted their ugly past misdeeds.

Don't take my word for it, here is a Straits Time editorial of this year.

http://www.straitstimes.com/news/opinion/more-opinion-stories/story/japan-singapore-and-70-years-post-war-ties-20150211

5 ( +11 / -6 )

@smithinjapan "Morons".

Your angered reaction to national tradition proves once again those people do it right. And you have to realize they need not to hear advices from aside whether they should do something or not.

-13 ( +5 / -18 )

Morons! It's the 21st century and it's just a stupid shrine! Instead of crying like a baby everytime someone visits your stupid dead grandad's bully and whine over with what you claim as (PETY) provocation (which is NOT), why not grow up and mature? Really stupid LOSERS who are being played at over and over.IT"S JUST SO HILARIOUS !!

-15 ( +4 / -19 )

I don't think they went there to worship A Class souls or other many souls. I think they went there to irritate S Korea.

11 ( +15 / -4 )

Even today (after 70 years), there is news about Jews hunting down Nazi war criminals, and prosecuting them, and war reparations being demanded from Germany. But, in Japan, the very rich families whose companies profited from the devastation of war on humanity, seem to be the very same families that have political connections and prosper while the Japanese economy declines for 20 years. These guys maybe really smart.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

I don't see what the fuss is all about. This is a matter for the Japanese. After all the USA (and its allies) got its butt kicked in Vietnam - and there were plenty of bad things that the US military did in Vietnam - yet they still honour their war dead from Vietnam? How is this any different?

-14 ( +5 / -19 )

America should've dismantled Yasukuni Shine during the immediate occupation following Japan's ww2 defeat. America should've exposed Yasukuni's infamous "false" exaltation among ordinary Japanese. America allowed Japan to keep much of its culture, temples, shrines, beliefs etc.

Now look. The souls of kamikaze pilots, drunken soldiers' bonzai charges, rapists and plunderers of China/Korea are still enshrined while keeping every PM (and now a group of lawmakers) hostage to a truly lost cause.

Kept the peace (H. Otsuji). It is the US who brought peace to japan. And maintained it for 70+ yrs. You just relax and enjoy it (H. Otsuji) cause you've the "privilege" to say so.

0 ( +7 / -7 )

Morons. I'm willing to bet nearly NONE of them are going for religious purposes or out of a sense of worship for the fallen as much as they are a stubborn and misplaced nationalism and to stick it to China and Korea among the rest of those who disagree with the Class A war criminals enshrined there -

No argument there

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Ted the dog

How is this any different?

Because Lieutenant William Calley's sad body or soul is going nowhere near Arlington, once he passes this mortal coil.

Arlington has a strict policy that no soldier, who was discharged under dishonor or convicted of any war crime, can be interred or buried at Arlington.

Because Arlington doesn't have right next to a museum glorifying the great achievement and righteousness of manifest destiny.

Do I really need to continue?

9 ( +13 / -4 )

Not referring to just one incident - the military per se did awful things in Vietnam for which they have never been held to account. So yes, you do really need to continue to explain why this visit to Yasukuni is any different.

-11 ( +2 / -13 )

Yamashi: "Your angered reaction to national tradition proves once again those people do it right. And you have to realize they need not to hear advices from aside whether they should do something or not."

It's everyone's business when thy do it in their official capacities, which they do. What's more many clearly only go to anger SK and China, so, again, it is everyone's business because it creates tensions in the region. Finally, if it's "national tradition" to worship convicted criminals for the sake of denying history and angering neighbors, it's time to change those stupid traditions. If the want to go as individuals in a private capacity, fine. No need to announce it to the media. No need to sign the books under your official position. No need to use government transport to get to and from Yasukuni. All of these they DO do... proof that they are provoking other nations intentionally -- not praying for peace, but spitting on those who died over similar nationalism and for nothing.

Proof that what they're doing is right? Only to fools who want Japan to be destroyed like it was in the past, and those in complete denial of both history and reality.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

There was a plan to demolish Yasukuni and makew horse race arena by GHQ. Nut it did not work as Ppe protested and it is a private property. A class souls were not enshrined yet.

The lawmakers go there to irritate S Korea.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Not referring to just one incident - the military per se did awful things in Vietnam for which they have never been held to account.

Because the 14 war criminals are enshrined there. Moreover the names of Koreans who died in Japanese "service", are also there. The government refuses to remove their names from the list, despite their relatives` requests to do so. That's why

2 ( +6 / -4 )

I think this symbolizes Japan well. Old people, out of touch with the current, gloryfying the past. This is what Japan has become (or more likely always has been, just supressing it for a couple of decades).

More of the same. As usual.

0 ( +5 / -5 )

Wc626

You sum it up pretty well.

The USA brought peace, democracy, free market, women rights and human rights to a facist, cult driven perverse japan. in 1945!

A bit of history research about the last months of WW2 and post occupation of japan in the following 5 years up to the korean war and you quick realise that the US treated the japanese war criminals and facists with white soft gloves. Yeah some idiots who were murdering US soldiers were hanged, about 15000 were put in to prison and soon again released to subdue communist movements by reactivating Zeibatsu corporate control, which infact was controling anyones lives or die unemployed in poor japan.

Yaskuni is ground zero of all the evil japan did to the world and to their own people. The shinto emperor cult is no better then Alef Asahara Shoko, in fact its more efficient then the later.

Thats the Yaskuni cult, the Meiji governments sin to the japanese people and showa is the complete mindless materialisation of that cult . . . up until today!

EDO periode was far more civilized and brought out many good things in japanese. . . . any good japanese things of today were brought out by the US!

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

It wouldn't be as big a problem if these 100 lawmakers issued a statement acknowledging Japan's war atrocities.

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Christopher Glen: "Because the 14 war criminals are enshrined there."

Actually, more than 1000 war criminals are enshrined there. The 14 are just the Class A war criminals -- the ones who would be in the same ranks as Hitler in terms of atrocities. And not only are the souls of Koreans conscripted into the military housed there, the idiots who run Yasukuni refuse to 'disinter' the ashes/souls of said people despite the families not wanted them there and wanting them out. They refuse to respect the wishes of the people, plain and simple. The museum at Yasukuni glorifies the atrocities of the IJA and claims Japan was "defending Asia", dismissing any ideas of aggression on Japan's part, etc.

But you know this. Only fools deny it.

1 ( +6 / -5 )

@Ted the dog

The war criminals being enshrined there is only one of the many symptoms of the real problem. Yasukuni is a symbol of the extreme right in Japan and is backed and funded by them. You can see it in the black van extremist's staunch defense of it and the revisionist museum that's operated on shrine grounds. It has an ulterior agenda, unlike the cemeteries in the US. In case you didn't know, the extreme right in Japan glorifies it's militaristic past and most of the racism and xenophobia in Japan usually comes from the right (at least the most of the vitriolic stuff).

Yasukuni's ties to the right are obvious to anyone, and it's the reason the emperor chooses to remember fallen soldiers elsewhere. Like smithinjapan said, politicians who chose to pay their respects at Yasukuni, are making a political statement. That's why it's different.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

Idiots and war criminals, past and present.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Actually, more than 1000 war criminals are enshrined there

Good point, I wasn't specific there. Yes, since when has the leadership of Japan (the right wing) ever respected the wishes of the people?

3 ( +5 / -2 )

70 years of peace; where the multitude of people and families can live in peace achieving progress, prosperity and harmony is something to be treasured and not taken lightly. The tragic of the world wars and the Sino-Japanese war where millions were killed, and many more millions harmed are sobering facts. With complacency and short-sighted nationalism and ego, politicians maybe on course for a repeat of wars and its tearful tragic. "Where have all the flowers gone,.....when will they ever learn?" Where is wisdom? Folly is many best friend.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

do those guys visit there on their free time? pay taxis and limos with their own pocket money? or are they using tax money?

1 ( +2 / -1 )

To me, all post aboves without knowldege are totally meaningless and boooring. I think you should study and do more research instead of being stero type.

truth Angry neighbor = China and Korea only(they get angry anyway) Where else? name one

truth Shrine honored not only Japanese, but Korean and others.

truth Ishihara, Right wing former governor, who said, "Of course, if you are japanese, you visit yasukuni !!" also said below.

Quote: 2005/09/05, sankei news paper

I don't fully agree on the fact that A-class criminals were honored all together at Yasukuni. I disagreed on togetherness. "

八月が過ぎて靖国問題は旬が過ぎ沈静したかに見えるが、靖国が国際問題として蒸し返されるようになった切っ掛けのA級戦犯の合祀に関して、率直にいって私には納得しかねる点がある。というより私はA級戦犯の合祀には異議がある。

I know that, then International Military Tribunal for the Far East ruling that determined who to be A-class criminals becomes the issue of argument , but aside from that issue , I strongly feel that, because of that ruling, we had lost our own chance to decide who were responsible for that war causing that massive damage to the country.

 合祀の是非が論じられる時必ず、彼等を裁いた極東軍事法廷なるものの正当性が云々されるが、我々はそれにかまけて最も大切な問題を糊塗してしまったのではなかろうか。それはあの国際裁判とは別に、この国にあの多くの犠牲をもたらした戦争遂行の責任を、一体誰と誰が問われるべきなのかということが、棚上げされてしまったとしかいいようない。

I have been to Yasukuni, but I always pray for them EXCLUDING those who I think were resposible for that war.

 私は毎年何度か靖国に参拝しているがその度、念頭から私なりに何人か、のあの戦争の明らかな責任者を外して合掌している。。"

Many remark from Ishihara, calling Hideki Tojo as "total coward" .

Remember folk, I am not pushing my view to anyone. You do your own research, and you decide.

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

'Those Class A war criminals have nothing to do with merger of Japan and Korea'

'Merger'? You post with a facade of looking at things objectively.

Check over your posts to make sure you don't get caught with your zip down.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Korea and Japan. Old time, we used to say in Japan Japan stole Korea. Shokuminchi (Colomozatpn) After that, Japanese Govt presented Princess Masako of Nashimoto to Korean Prince. In 1945, she returned to Japan but she could not tolerate Japanese talking behind "Chosen Jin to kekkon shita hito": so she returned to Korea. She worked for helping children who have shintai sho gai with her husband and never returned to Japan Hirobumi Ito, never said colonization but a Korean assassinated him in Harubin Manchuria. Colony in Japanese language is Shkuminchi. Ito did not have plan to make some Japanese move to settle in Korea so he said it is not Colony. It is now time Korea can irritate Japan. And Korea is efficient. It even became friend with China. So, Japanese lawmakers visit Yasukuni to irritaye Korea.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

“I feel very grateful anew that we have maintained peace for 70 years,” said Hidehisa Otsuji, a lawmaker with the conservative ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), who leads the group. “The souls (of the dead) must also be pleased with this.”

What a joke....they haven't kept any peace, and I for one would appreciate it if they quit spouting out rhetoric like this, folks tend to believe them and believing a lie does no one any good.

America forced Japan into peace, rewrote it's constitution, and has been keeping an eye on Japan ever since.

America kept the peace, if Japan had had it's way, it would either still be at war, or totally nonexistent as we know it today.

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

I always find myself torn on this issue. On the one hand it's political antagonism on the part of the Japanese lawmakers, and I can't help but question the wisdom of what they are doing.

On the other hand, it's highly hypocritical of a nation like China to cry for another nation to own up to its history, while they themselves sensor and refuse to own up to their own history of oppression and mass murder.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

This thinking is little to late as Japan militarily now is like third world county compere to China.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@hachikou

I get your arguments, but the truth for Ishihara is not that he excludes class A criminals like Tojo because they did evil, but because they were cowards. Ishihara still thinks that Tojo should have died fighting . . . which is even worse as it undermines the cult around japanese men all wanted to die in battle as samurais . . . Tojo is a coward because he skipped fighting thats true, that is what Ishihara means, . . . yet not because Tojo ordered and planed the killing of millions. . . Ishihara is fine with that!

Yaskuni is not only a place for prayers, its ground zero for japanese cult facism and that museum is discusting . . . if they think the class As were evil, what they are, and pray for the good honest soldiers . . .how can they accept the facism around? Its the military machine that killed an entire generation by making them monsters in first place.

90% of all Kamikazes, Banzai charges, human boobytraps . . . were forced in to collateral suicide by evil superiors, who all were SS Nazi like cult driven. In the awe full dishonorable battle of Manila 1945, Iwabuchi Sanji was one of these criminals, cult driven by false pride pushing all his marines in to a meaningless battle, which resulted in one of the worst massacres in short battle during the war. Most of these 12000 sailors were probably good men and ended up killing thousand of innocent civilians for cult! . . . despite being ordered to leave Manila by Yamashita.

They are all enshrined in Yaskuni, but there is no where a monument that reminds the victims of these monsters . . . no japanese person of today would like to be associated with these evil bastards, yet they get sneaked through history as brave warriors who fought for the better of japan. Iwabuchi Sanji is one of those who can be blamed for Hiroshima and nothing else!

1 ( +2 / -1 )

This is about what an extreme right wing Japan did in the 30s and 40s and what right wing Japan is doing today. Never mind the hypocrisy of China, if it's wrong it's wrong, not because China complains. Besides, China is oppressing today. What does the Japanese government care about most? An unpopulated island or Tibet?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

During WW II, men were automatically drafted to military. So shortage in manpower for military related industry. So Japan shipped Korean families and men to such factories. Low income so family members became trash collectors. People called their living area Ari no Machi (Ant streets.) ..Japan had trash recycking needed, then. Their jobs were collectong trash and separate them to papers, aluminium, etc. Often their children did after school hours. There was a Japanese lady from high class family who lived in a shack like these trach collecting Koreans In Japan, it was raew so Media called her Mario of Ants' Street. (Ari no Machi no Maria). They came to Japan because they were forced to. Because their males were drafted, trash collecting jobs were done by mainly their children after school hours. .

0 ( +0 / -0 )

What about Remembrance Day by British? It is same with this visit to Yasukuni shrine. Remembering for those who fallen in WW2. I think WW2 Allies/ Axis sentiment is still pretty obvious around the world.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I think paying respect to the dead is a honorable thing to do. Not all commemorated at the shrine were evil.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

This whole situation sounds a bit passive-aggressive to me. You can't have the cake and eat it.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

"stubborn and misplaced nationalism and to stick it to China and Korea among the rest of those who disagree with the Class A war criminals enshrined there"

And that's precisely the reason why I (and many others) admire the Japanese.

Don't tell us what to do!

Just like us Brits.

Japan will change when Japan wants to, not because outsiders are telling them to do so!

More kudos to them.

-3 ( +2 / -5 )

No one is perfect, but each nation must still try to recognize, remember and be accountable for its actions, rather than using others' wrongdoings to justify one's own. See where Japan or anyone else stand on any given issue.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

Japanese people do whatever they wish to do according to national traditions. Advices "not to go in Shrine" look out merely strange.

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Japanese people do whatever they wish to do according to national traditions.

"Traditions" that came about what? 20 30 years ago? Rather convenient dont you think? Anytime anyone speaks out about anything the Japanese do or dont do according to international norms someone always seems to complain or comment that it's a part of Japanese culture.

It's not "culture" for all Japanese. I wish people would start learning to think for themselves here, but then if wishes were horses.....

1 ( +3 / -2 )

They're welcome to visit the shrine. But if China and Korea (and Taiwan and Hong Kong) tell their people not to visit Japan and send Japanese companies packing, then they're only got themselves to blame. China is doing a pretty good job of propping up the Japanese economy and it'll be a big shame to say goodbye to all that amount of cash in the pockets of mainland Chinese tourists. So, bring it on. You may get your wish.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Christopher Glen MrBum My point here is that "war criminals" are largely in the eye of the beholder (read "Victor"). There are plenty of "war criminals" on both sides of any conflict but it is only the vanquished that wear this label. Again I stress that visits to Yasukuni are a matter for the Japanese and not for foreigners who at the very least have a tainted view of the souls interred there. As for the far right in Japan - this was a joke wasn't it? The far right is abundantly evident in just about any culture or any country (as is the far left). These people will always be present and left to their own devices in the main they are mostly harmless - loopy, yes, but otherwise just operating in their own little world at the fringe of society.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

@Ted the dog

Again, the war criminals issue is not the real problem. It's what Yasukuni represents. It holds a revisionist view of history where wartime Japan was the protector of Asia. Hopefully, you can see how this could be insulting to the countries that were victimized by them. It would be like the German chancellor paying respects at a national cemetery that also happened to have a museum that claimed the Holocaust was to protect Europe from the Jews.

The average Japanese person is free to visit if they want, but politicians have a responsibility to think about consequences. If they really just want to pay respects to the fallen soldiers, they have a lot of other choices that wouldn't offend their neighbors. For them to choose Yasukuni is a political statement meant to appease their right wing base. It's disingenuous and the exact opposite of promoting peace, and for them to make comments like "The souls (of the dead) must also be pleased with this" is pretty sickening.

As for the "harmlessness" of the extreme right, I would hardly call the Prime Minister and his backers the "fringe of society." If left to his own devices, Abe would continue building up Japan's military, keeping relations with its neighbors frosty, and silencing criticism in the media.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

**

If left to his own devices, Abe would continue building up Japan's military, keeping relations with its neighbors frosty, and silencing criticism in the media.

Sorry MrBum but this is just too hysterical - the far right in Japan has been around for a very very long time and to include Abe in this view is just plain silly. Geopolitics has matured more than your comments tend to suggest. I also think your view of the extent of 'political intent' in the visits is way overstated.

As I have said couple of times now - this is solely a matter for the Japanese and no one else.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

If they really just want to pay respects to the fallen soldiers, they have a lot of other choices that wouldn't offend their neighbors.

MrBum, Those fallen soldiers knew they would by honored in Yasukuni, and said "See you in Yasukuni" to their comrades and families. So their souls are there, nowhere else.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

@Ted the dog, How far right Abe and his administration are is debatable, but his desire for a large military and his pressuring of media outlets to not invite guests critical of his administration are very real. Also if the visits aren't political, why choose that shrine? The visits bother China and Korea whether you agree with them or not, and leaders from both have refused meetings because of them. If it's not political, it's stubborn pride. Either way, the visits are hardly a way to promote peace like they claim, and they're not made with Japan's best interests in mind.

@tinawatanabe, So is the imperial family being disrespectful by honoring the dead elsewhere? I admit, I don't believe that anyone really knows what happens after you die, so to say that their souls are trapped in Yasukuni because they said "See you in Yasukuni" seems silly to me. The important thing is to honor them and remember their sacrifice, and you should be able to do that anywhere.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

So is the imperial family being disrespectful by honoring the dead elsewhere?

Nobody can force nobody to visit the shrine.

I don't believe that anyone really knows what happens after you die, so to say that their souls are trapped in Yasukuni because they said "See you in Yasukuni" seems silly to me.

It's important to keep promise to the dead. Don't you want to keep promise to your mother/father if deceased?

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

Sure everyone is a hypocrite to some degree, but again, each country must recognize and account for its actions, rather than pointing fingers at others. From what I see, the main issue with Japan is in the denial of its past actions. One may say it is only the extreme right wing, but they also happen to represent the nation of Japan at the moment. No one can keep the representatives of the Japanese government from paying homage to the shrine, but others have just as much rignt/freedom to criticize Japan for it. The choice is Japan's to make.

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Japanese people do whatever they wish to do according to national traditions.

If they do whatever not what their govt is promoting, other traditions follow

samurai ----- seppuku that families were allowed to funeral'

2 others ----- gokumon (uchikubi and sarashikubi) People could go to watch sarashikubi .

3 samurais against govt force. --- of caught hokumon. Famous one was Isamu Kondo. His assistant Hijikata stole head and buried in a place (now in Fukushima Prefecture.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Nobody can force nobody to visit the shrine.

Yes, but they prove that you can honor the dead without offending others. Why can't the other politicians do that? Again, they're not your average citizen so they have a responsibility to do what's best for for the country. Don't you think the souls of the dead would prefer Japan to have peaceful relations with everyone?

It's important to keep promise to the dead. Don't you want to keep promise to your mother/father if deceased?

Like I said, I don't know what happens after you die, but I would hope that our souls aren't trapped in one place for all eternity. I'm also pretty sure that my parents' souls wouldn't be so petty and rigid as to require me to remember them in one specific location because of some vague promise. It's the thought that counts, and if these politicians' were genuine, it shouldn't matter where they paid their respects.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

you can honor the dead without offending others.

You should learn people don't behave in the way you want. Do you think China/SK are not offending Japan all the time? How much do you think Japanese people are enduring their Japan bashings everyday? You have to look at your own country and fix your problems before interfering anything in other countries.

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

You should learn people don't behave in the way you want.

Yes, that's true, but I think politicians have an obligation to do the right thing. Unless you think this never-ending bickering on both sides is a good thing.

Do you think China/SK are not offending Japan all the time?

I don't know about offending, but they complain. Usually in response to some insensitive comment or action by some Japanese politician. I think both sides are being stubborn. But given it's history, Japan has to be the adult in this like Murakami Haruki said in the other article.

How much do you think Japanese people are enduring their Japan bashings everyday?

I'm curious how you think Japan is being insulted exactly. Do you mean the complaints from China and Korea? Like I said, Japan's politicians keep giving them good reasons to do so. Blame them.

You have to look at your own country and fix your problems before interfering anything in other countries.

I'm not interfering, I'm commenting on a website. The website is about Japan and I live in Japan, so I naturally comment more about Japan. I think there's a lot wrong with my home country the US, and I comment on it when articles related to it pop up.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

politicians have an obligation to do the right thing.

That's what they're doing. They are doing what their people are supporting, not what MrBum dictating.

I don't know about offending, but they complain.

China is conducting lots of invasions, and recently erecting sea land in open sea, which is against law. SKoreans are erecting comfort wome statue in front of Japan Embassy, which is against law. Japan's shrine visit is not against law, in fact interference in another country is against international law.

I think there's a lot wrong with my home country the US

You sounds every bit like a Korean.

-7 ( +0 / -7 )

That's what they're doing. They are doing what their people are supporting, not what MrBum dictating.

Well if you support them keeping this pointless issue going on forever, they're doing a fine job.

China is conducting lots of invasions, and recently erecting sea land in open sea, which is against law.

I agree that this is wrong. So are the offensive shrine visits a retaliation for this and other bad things China does? Pretty ineffective strategy, and very petty.

SKoreans are erecting comfort wome statue in front of Japan Embassy, which is against law.

They do this kind of thing because Japan continues to deny it happened.

Japan's shrine visit is not against law, in fact interference in another country is against international law.

How do you feel about Japanese ministry officials visiting US text book authors and demanding revisions?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

I think paying respect to the dead is a honorable thing to do. Not all commemorated at the shrine were evil

So find a way to remove the names of the 14 war criminals from the shrine, as well as the names of those Koreans whose families wish it - and problem solved. The remainder would indeed not be "evil".

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

they're doing a fine job.

Not quite, PM Abe hasn't visited the shrine a while, he probably sold it for the congress address. Koizumi visited the shrine every year, so no address.

are the offensive shrine visits a retaliation..?

You shouldn't insult another country's religion like that.

Japanese ministry officials visiting US text book authors and demanding revisions?

The US text book is newly including comfort women with the wrong figure and wrong content. It is they that's doing revision. US seems have been working with South Korea to bully Japan.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

PM Abe hasn't visited the shrine a while, he probably sold it for the congress address.

So he's willing to "sell it" for a chance in the spotlight in the US, but not to avoid insulting his neighbors. And you wonder why China and Korea take offense.

You shouldn't insult another country's religion like that.

That wasn't an insult toward the religion at all... I'm starting to think your comprehension skills are the reason for a lot of your views...

The US text book is newly including comfort women with the wrong figure and wrong content. It is they that's doing revision. US seems have been working with South Korea to bully Japan.

Unlike some Japanese historians who place all their faith in sources written in Japanese, most in the US rely on a variety of sources. But go on believing that there's some vast South Korean conspiracy with enormous global influence. It makes so much more sense than your own country's nationalistic education having an influence on you.

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Exactly MrBum. In the US, we look at look at these issues from many angles.

Whereas in Japanese History, it is taught very biased and too one-sided. No wonder these so-called scholars petitioned McGraw to remove "comfort women" from textbooks.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

No wonder these so-called scholars petitioned McGraw to remove "comfort women" from textbooks.

They asked McGrawHill to not enter the new addition because the discription was not accurate. Japan knows it is a fabricated story, with which SK has been bullying Japan for so long, gradually exaggerating the story.

-8 ( +0 / -8 )

The problem with Japanese conservatives is they do not think Imperial Japan did anything wrong. Other than, of course, lose the damn war.

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Sigh * I suspect much of Japan's right wing perspective is not shared by the majority of Japanese, but unfortunately the current government belongs to the right wing. It is the same group that feels justified in attacking us at Pearl Harbor, along with the rest of the WWII. Perhaps we all need to pay more attention to the Japanese majority opinion, if only they will speak up.
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I suspect much of Japan's right wing perspective is not shared by the majority of Japanese,

Really? Then why do the Japanese keep electing them?

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@Christopher Glen "So find a way to remove the names of 14 war criminals".

Just to satisfy Korean, Chinese or American bashers of Japan? No need, thanks. Besides, you will find dozen other reasons to critisize Japan after that. "Comfort women" issue, for example. Japanese people have a tradition to visit the Shrine. Deal with it.

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Really? Then why do the Japanese keep electing them?

No one else to vote for.

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But go on believing that there's some vast South Korean conspiracy with enormous global influence.

If you had read Korean papers, you would have seen what they were trying to do beforehand: It was their target to build comfort women statues as many places as possible in USA and now they are working on it in Canada; changing the name of Sea of Japan to East Sea in US school textbook; including comfort women in US school textbook, etc.

Now they have been working very hard to, first tried to block in vain, now making Abe apology in the address. They says in their papers who their lobbyists are and who they are lobbying to.

All those things were easily seen if you read Korean papers or even Japanese papers. Problems with Americans are that they can't read Japanese, so their understanding of Japan is very limited and one sided only from US. US has been in fact the biggest bully of Japan, and used Koreans and Chinese to bully Japan.

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@Black Sabbath & Strangerland, good question that got me curious. The parliament is elected by popular vote, and the prime minister is elected by the parliament. In the previous election that put Abe in power, voter turnout was estimated at 35%, hardly a majority, with economy being the top priority. I will need to learn some more, but historical issues are probably not even on the radar for most Japanese. Such fringe issues tend to get overlooked in elections, and the vocal minority will be heard over the silent majority.

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@tinawatanabe "Problems with Americans are that they can't read Japanese, so their understanding of Japan is very limited and one sided only from US".

Totally agree. Another problem is that they have no desire to expand their limited understanding.

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If you had read Korean papers, you would have seen what they were trying to do beforehand

Oh, so you read Korean Tina?

In the previous election that put Abe in power, voter turnout was estimated at 35%, hardly a majority, with economy being the top priority.

In the last election, Abe was by far the best choice. And I say this as someone who really dislikes him and his policies. There was literally... well figuratively... no one else to vote for.

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No one else to vote for.

It's more the fact that almost no-one under 65 actually votes - thus the LDP gets elected by default

Just to satisfy Korean, Chinese or American bashers of Japan? No need, thanks. Besides, you will find dozen other reasons to critisize Japan after that. "Comfort women" issue, for example. Japanese people have a tradition to visit the Shrine. Deal with it.

Comfort women? Ah, you mean sex slaves. (For the record I'm none of these nationalities, nor am I a basher.) Japan has plenty going for it, and if it would unequivocally come to terms with its past then the country can move forward. 100 lawmakers visiting a place like Yasukuni which remembers 14 war criminals is like a diplomatic slap in the face for South Korea and China

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The museum at Yasukuni glorifies the atrocities of the IJA and claims Japan was "defending Asia", dismissing any ideas of aggression on Japan's part, etc.

bullshit by Yasukuni museum here. In SEA, history textbook write Japan is trying to colonize Asia. The "defending Asia" from west is just lip service to fool the SEA natives.

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I want to know..what country on earth has a pristine history? Certainly not America, China or Korea. As a matter of fact America celebrates on of the worst war criminals in it's history and that is General Custer, although he is not considered a war criminal in America , but it doesn't mean that he was not one, it only means that the winning side gets to decided who is a criminal and who is not. I think it is better for the citizens of a country to decide what and who is appropriate for them to honor without outside interference based on political correctness, or other nations own version of what is politically correct.

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I want to know..what country on earth has a pristine history? Certainly not America, China or Korea. As a matter of fact America celebrates on of the worst war criminals in it's history and that is General Custer, although he is not considered a war criminal in America , but it doesn't mean that he was not one, it only means that the winning side gets to decided who is a criminal and who is not. I think it is better for the citizens of a country to decide what and who is appropriate for them to honor without outside interference based on political correctness, or other nations own version of what is politically correct.

All country has war criminal in it's history. What really important is not to worship them or honor them. For example, in Arlington, all war criminals are not included there.

Sorry, Japan: Yasukuni Is Not Arlington

Most important, one of the criteria for those buried at Arlington is an honorable discharge. Those court-martialed, tried for war crimes, or convicted of a felony cannot be interred. This is not the case for Yasukuni. In addition to the fourteen convicted war criminals who were found responsible for carrying forward the Pacific War, there are thousands who violated both Japanese and international laws. Notable is Washio Awochi (sometimes spelled Awachi) a civilian manager of a comfort station in Batavia (Jarkarta) who was convicted by a 1946 Dutch wars crimes tribunal (Case No. 76) of forcing Dutch women to be Comfort Women (sex slaves). He died in a Batavia jail.

http://nationalinterest.org/commentary/sorry-japan-yasukuni-not-arlington-9718

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it only means that the winning side gets to decided who is a criminal and who is not.

Regardless of who won during the WW2, the fact remain Japan and Germany did more harm and committed war crime more than any other countries.

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