politics

Abe's offering to Yasukuni shrine sparks criticism from Seoul

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How about they mind thier business and let Japan mourn ther war dead in peace?

14 ( +29 / -15 )

here we go . . .

Koreans and Chinese won,t shut up . . . this will go on and on and on . . .

15 ( +27 / -12 )

How about they mind their business and let Japan adore their war criminals in peace?

Fixed for accuracy.

-16 ( +12 / -28 )

Abe fulfilling his obligation as leader of Japan in remembering those who died for Japan. Every leader in the world has the same obligation to their nations.

14 ( +26 / -12 )

Hope Angela Merkel doesn't do the same thing.

Then again the Germans are open and honest about what happened in WW2 while the Japanese think they were only the victims.

Abe loves kissing his grandfather's arse.

I know 'Mother Complex' is a thing in Japan but I didn't know 'Granddaddy Complex' was a thing as well.

-17 ( +12 / -29 )

Japanese are famous for one thing, they don,t forget their past and this includes those who died for the country. yes, war criminals and crimes against humanity but how about patriotism, bravery and love for the country. like it or not it is all under the same flag.

8 ( +15 / -7 )

Peter14Today  05:34 pm JST

Abe fulfilling his obligation as leader of Japan in remembering those who died for Japan.

Not through any activity that involves a private religious establishment he isn't.

-7 ( +7 / -14 )

WWII finished over 70 years ago. There's so much life to live and enjoy without letting bitterness over the past get in the way. Forgive and forget.

7 ( +14 / -7 )

Being a PM. Abe should put nation's interests before his personal interests. That is called leadership. A proud Japan doesn't exists without proud neighbors.

-13 ( +6 / -19 )

well every country have a honor day for people who fought in wars it doesn't if it world war 1 or 2 or any war some people call them criminals some people call them hero's everyone should just mind his business when it comes to this topic

9 ( +16 / -7 )

Nobnaga:

Time has day and night,

Color has white and black,

If all died are the same,

Then there is no good and bad.

-7 ( +4 / -11 )

Yup n yasukuni or the enshrined dead there has nothing to do with two koreas it's US Soviet Union China.

-1 ( +4 / -5 )

Burying war criminals with honored fallen soldiers is a disgrace to their bravery and worthiness. It diminishes their honor. A separate site should have been built for the war criminals despite being military members. This is like saying bring Benedict Arnold back to the US and bury him in Arlington National Cemetery with the fallen brave honored US soldiers. In my book a traitor and a war criminal run in the same circles. The fallen men of Japan were only following orders of those who placed them I.e. the war criminals.

-5 ( +6 / -11 )

What else is new.

5 ( +10 / -5 )

Nothing new. A protest nation, I'll call it.

3 ( +8 / -5 )

Honor the military. They followed orders and fought proudly.

2 ( +8 / -6 )

the concept of Shrine is from China, it is man made civilization. As long as China says it is OK, then the names can be removed.

Since when did China have a monopoly in shrines? The concept of shrines goes far beyond that of China as multiple religions have had shrines in some form or another. I don’t think people who live free lives care for what a totalitarian state deems ok or not.

7 ( +11 / -4 )

How many times has Abe done this? The first time, sure be 'outraged', but now? Why? It's like an annual excuse to get mad at Japan for another thing.

2 ( +8 / -6 )

Criminal worshipper! Ditto his supporters!

-5 ( +6 / -11 )

Why is this new? Everything Japan does brings criticism from Seoul. Abe can not even visit a religious place.

1 ( +10 / -9 )

Who cares about the whining south koreans anyways

5 ( +11 / -6 )

Japan remembers it's war dead every year on August 15 at Nippon Budokan.

What is the point in in sending an offering to the Yasukuni Shrine if antagonises people? Japan constantly preaches harmony.

-4 ( +7 / -11 )

I have to admire the Japan's trick of enshrining the war criminals with other more innocent victims so that they can always say "sorry but not-sorry", or secretly honor their heroes/criminals and get away with it. Disgusting but clever, I should say.

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

strangerland, cheer my day after reading your comment. funny but truthful.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The easy way to honor the war dead without honoring the war criminals is to send an offering to the national cemetery.

Imagine how apoplectic Japanese people would be if the American president sent an offering to the Peace Memorial in Hiroshima to honor American war dead.

-7 ( +2 / -9 )

What is the point in in sending an offering to the Yasukuni Shrine if antagonises people?

To flex revisionist, right wing credentials.

Japan constantly preaches harmony.

Japan preaches a lot, but doesn't act in accordance with what they preach. It's known as tatemae.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

Enshrined at Yasukuni are not only unkown fallen soldiers but also the very people who led Japan to war in the 1940's and the consequent devastation. It's quite understandable for the Korean people to boil over this, but, more than that, it is the Japanese people's obligation to examine if Abe and his corhotrts' action was/is apprpriate enough. In this sense, Yasukuni is solely Japan's own domestic issue.

-5 ( +5 / -10 )

Koreans need to figure out how to fix their own problems instead of acting superior incessantly mouthing off interfering in Japan's internal affairs.

5 ( +11 / -6 )

I am usually not a fan of the Korean governments endless anti-Japan propaganda, but in this case they are right. Yasukuni has been tainted by the addition of the war criminals and that that stupid revisionist museum.

There is a beautiful memorial at Chidorigafuji near the Emperors palace; if he went there, the Koreans would have no reason to complain.

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

if he went there, the Koreans would have no reason to complain.

yet we all know they still would.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Japan preaches a lot, but doesn't act in accordance with what they preach. It's known as tatemae.

That is not fair. There are those types but there are also those being tarred by the actions of others against what they preach. Holding all of Japan as one when opinions vary is not fair. Tatemae, or fronting, is hardly unique to Japan either. For example I have see lots of people claiming to be anti-war while constantly making pretty excuses for every war proposed, favoring all current and proposed military expenditure and all the while saying "support the troops" as if prolonging the war is in the troops' best interest. Japan might be unique but its not THAT unique. Its also not a Borg hive mind.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

@Wobot

It finished 70 years ago to you but there are currently two Koreas for a reason

I see your point.

But do we really want continued angst and standoffs between every nation/s that's ever had a war? I believe the world would be a better place if all nations put long past evil acts in the past in spite of some lingering ill effects. Positively moving forward is always a better option. It brings more happiness and joy, economic benefit, etc.

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Japans former Head of State did not attend any ceremony at the Yasukuni Shrine. Maybe if the new Head of State attended the ceremony on 15 August at Nippon Budokan that would send a good message.

He would be acknowledging all those who died as a result of WW2, and at the same time not seen to be antagonising others.

Because I agree with many commentators, Japan has every right to honour it's war dead (but not war criminals).

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

This comes up every year, and every year the Yasukuni apologists demonstrate they just don't get it.

It is a symbol of ultra-right revisionism, whether you like it or not.

Imagine how apoplectic Japanese people would be if the American president sent an offering to the Peace Memorial in Hiroshima to honor American war dead.

@zichi - This.

Japan preaches a lot, but doesn't act in accordance with what they preach. It's known as tatemae.

@zichi - And this.

There is a beautiful memorial at Chidorigafuji near the Emperors palace; if he went there, the Koreans would have no reason to complain.

@WilliB - Yep.

yet we all know they still would.

@extanker - Nope.

Find me ONE article of the Korean government complaining about the Japanese officials paying respects at Chidorigafuji National Cemetery.

You won't.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Too many over-emotional people on these boards. In my country of origin, Kenya, I've visited and been awed by the statues commemorating those early Eurpoean explorers and adventurers in what was generally referred to as the Dark Continent. I got a chance to visit Henry Morton Stanley's monuments/statues in Bagamoyo Tanzania and in Zanzibar.

I do plan to visit Yasukuni in 2020!

I honor history, period. Not irrational victimology.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

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