Abe's shrine visit affronts world

[webfact]

Abe's shrine visit affronts world
Li Wei
China Daily

Shinzo Abe visited the controversial Yasukuni Shrine that honours 14 World War II Class A war criminals on Thursday, making him the first sitting Japanese prime minister in seven years to set foot in the shrine.

The Yasukuni Shrine is a symbol of Japanese aggression in WWII. The prime minister's provocative visit is a political act, which highlights his wrong understanding of Japan's militarist past and dangerous political orientation. The visit in essence is a flagrant provocation to the peace-loving people of the entire world, a gross trampling upon historical justice and human decency, and an outrageous challenge to the post-war international order and the international community.

Top among the reasons for Abe's shrine visit is his political stance, the core of which is desire to overthrow the international community's trial of Japanese militarism and get rid of its image as a vanquished country in a bid to develop the country into a major political power with strong and independent military strength.

Abe's political stance has been fully exposed in his book Towards a Beautiful Country: My Vision For Japan and a series of speeches. In his childhood, Abe was deeply influenced by his grandfather Nobusuke Kishi, who succeeded in turning himself from a war criminal into the prime minister. Abe inherited Kishi's political ideas. But different from his grandfather's gray wisdom, Abe prefers to express his outlook without any disguise. So it's not hard to understand he has committed some transgressions in revealing his own political ambitions.

Interest groups that have a close relationship with Abe, mainly some right-wing groups and right-leaning politicians and businessmen, have also played a role in bringing about Abe's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine. These people gave Abe support and encouragement after he resigned as prime minister in 2007. Now in power once again, Abe is bound to repay them and must work under pressure from right-wing groups and right-leaning interest groups.

Abe has repeatedly expressed his regret that he did not pay his respects at the shrine during his first term in office and said he would deliver on this political commitment at an appropriate time. Finally, despite Tokyo's diplomatic tensions with Beijing and Seoul, he entered the shrine on the first anniversary of the day he started his second term as prime minister.

Shifting the focus of domestic contradictions was also smugly calculated into Abe's decision. Domestically, the nuclear pollution accident has not been effectively controlled and a final solution is still a distant hope. The newly introduced state secrecy act has provoked concerns about muzzling the media and curtailing public access to information on issues such as the Fukushima nuclear crisis.

Though Abe's economic policy has produced a short-term effect in lowering the exchange rate and boosting the stock market, there is no progress on the adjustment of structural problems. Japan's economic outlook in 2014 is still not optimistic. In the face of shrinking domestic support and a negative evaluation of his performance over the past year, Abe needed to do something to distract people's attention.

Abe's shrine visit again brazenly affronted Chinese people and the people of other victimised countries and aggravated relations with Japan's neighbours. Countries that once suffered from Japanese militarist aggression established diplomatic relations and now carry out civil exchanges with Japan on the premise that it admits its past aggression and adheres to the correct view of history. Therefore, having a right attitude toward history is a major principle that bears on the political foundation of Japan's relations with its Asian neighbours and is a moral baseline for civil exchanges.

Abe's shrine visit will further exacerbate the tense situation in East Asia, and it has already given rise to high vigilance among the international community, especially China.

In order to achieve its political power dream, the Abe cabinet has approved a new national security strategy, new National Defence Programme Guidelines and a Mid-Term Defence Programme that will use the "China threat" as a pretext to strengthen its independent military capability, maximise Japan's role in the US-Japan alliance, set up and play a leading role in an "ocean alliance" surrounding China, and strive for hegemony in Asia.

In the face of Japan's military buildup under Abe's wrong view of history, China and other victimised countries have to raise their vigilance and make good preparations to respond, even the United States should take precautions against Japan's intentions. Washington has repeatedly reminded the Abe administration to take no risks. During the US-Japan Security Consultative Committee meeting held in October, Washington contained Tokyo's demand for "proactive pacifism" or "proactive contribution to peace", which aims to expand Japan's military role by undermining the Japanese Constitution.

Therefore, China, the Republic of Korea and other victimised countries should join hands in responding to Japan's dangerous tendency and actions that continue to exacerbate regional security situation. When necessary, response measures can be brought into the US-China strategic dialogue.

The author is director of the Institute of Japanese Studies at the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences.

Source: http://www.asianewsnet.net/news-55576.html


-- ANN 2013-12-30

[BwindiBoy]

No propaganda in that article then!!

[Ulysses G.]

China Daily

[NeverSure]

China is butt-hurt because Japan is signaling that it doesn't intend to be run over?

China is criticizing Japan's economy?

[Mosha]

Abe's shrine visit affronts world China

[Baerboxer]

Abe's shrine visit affronts world China

Speak for yourself.

Japan committed the most appalling atrocities in WW11. Yet, they escaped the level of trials and punishment meted out to their Nazi allies.

Japan has never recognized these crimes, or shown anywhere near the same level of contrition as Germany. Nor has it paid for the crimes or returned the billions looted.

Read the "Rape of Nanking" or any accounts of how they treated POW's and civilians, especially ethnic Chinese, in occupied countries.

Germany wasn't allowed shrines to its war criminals - but imagine the reaction if Chancellor Merkel visited something similar.

[7by7]

Agree totally, but would like to point out that it wasn't that Germany weren't allowed shrines to Nazi war criminals. They didn't want any as they wished to purge themselves of the guilt of their past.

[PaullyW]

It was a war, and things got very ugly. All of the world's diverse peoples do not subscribe to the same measures of acceptability when it comes to inflicting maximum damage.

Anyway, without being insensitive, I wish the Japanese had won Asia. Who knows? We might be living in a country full of respectable, smart, hardworking people with wonderful culture! Alas, there were just too many Chinese. :-(

[RickBradford]

You wonder what the Chinese expect.

They've just unilaterally announced a vast new Air Defence ID zone which includes territory which Japan holds, albeit contentiously.

Now they start whining about the Japanese PM visiting a national shrine, a fairly obvious riposte to China's blatant provocation.

What's sauce for the goose......

[Frank James]

Just read up on the history and meaning of the Yasukuni Shrine on (what else?) Wikipedia. There's a quote regarding Abe's visit:

"In an official statement, Abe explained that he wished to "report before the souls of the war dead how my administration has worked for one year and to renew the pledge that Japan must never wage a war again. It is not my intention at all to hurt the feelings of the Chinese and Korean people."

God help us if we ever have to fight those guys again.

[nottocus]

So the Jap PM wants to honour his war dead.

Why is it an issue?

[bangon04]

Agree totally, but would like to point out that it wasn't that Germany weren't allowed shrines to Nazi war criminals. They didn't want any as they wished to purge themselves of the guilt of their past.

Not entirely true.... the site of Hitler's death, the bunker, was bulldozed and erased / razed precisely to stop it becoming a shrine for Nazis and Neo-Nazis. The Adlernest in Bavaria was similarly erased from the map. The Memorials around the Munich Beer Hall where Hitler made his first attempt for power were demolished. There are plenty of examples.

Inside Germany the use of the Swastika (Hakenkreuz), and several other Nazi symbols, is banned for any use other than historical research,

[sirineou]

Abe's shrine visit affronts world China

Speak for yourself.

Japan committed the most appalling atrocities in WW11. Yet, they escaped the level of trials and punishment meted out to their Nazi allies.

Japan has never recognized these crimes, or shown anywhere near the same level of contrition as Germany. Nor has it paid for the crimes or returned the billions looted.

Read the "Rape of Nanking" or any accounts of how they treated POW's and civilians, especially ethnic Chinese, in occupied countries.

Germany wasn't allowed shrines to its war criminals - but imagine the reaction if Chancellor Merkel visited something similar.

Three words

Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Dresden

[bitcoinbob]

if the japanese won there would be no chinese in asia that is for sure , singapore govt says they only killed 50,000 chinese in singapore but the death toll is as high as 250k . the Americans were very lax on the Japanese. remember this they still did not surrender even after 2 nuclear bombs were dropped truman had to keep on bombing them. they are lucky the Americans did not go in and commit a complete genocide on japan and repopulate the island nation.who would have stopped them in 1945 and 46 but like most Japanese they are ungrateful for there fate

Edited December 30, 2013 by bitcoinbob

[sustento]

It was a war, and things got very ugly. All of the world's diverse peoples do not subscribe to the same measures of acceptability when it comes to inflicting maximum damage. Anyway, without being insensitive, I wish the Japanese had won Asia. Who knows? We might be living in a country full of respectable, smart, hardworking people with wonderful culture!

You'd certainly be living in a country whose xenophobia makes that of the Thais look insignificant by comparison.

[geriatrickid]

Abe's shrine visit affronts world China

It is offensive to any nation that suffered at the hands of the Japanese war criminals whom Abe worships.

It is an affront to the Australian, Dutch, Canadian, UK and USA POWs.

The Koreans are quite upset.

My family lived in occupied China and witnessed Japanese atrocities. I am disgusted that a Japanese PM would pay homage to war criminals.

What would your reaction be if Merkel went to pray at the memorials to Himmler, Goebbels, Rosenberg et al?

She wouldn't because she's a responsible world leader and a decent human being.

The Chinese have the higher moral ground on this issue.

[rgs2001uk]

So the Jap PM wants to honour his war dead.

Why is it an issue?

Lets start by asking the people of, in no particular order.

Phillipines, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia.

Wont even bother with China and the Rape of Nanking.

Strange how the Yanks were quite happy for poor old Tojo to take the rap and keep the war criminal Emperor in power.

60 effin years later and still they havent learned, sailing their warships into the area looking for another Gulf Of Tonkin incident.

Let the Japs stand on their own two feet, maybe time for some payback thats long overdue.

Never mind as long as the war machine keeps turning and military hardware sales can be made, who cares.

Does the country have oil?

[geriatrickid]

So the Jap PM wants to honour his war dead.

Why is it an issue?

Not just war dead, but class A war criminals.

The people who bayoneted non combatants for practice, who undertook horrific germ warfare experiments on Chinese civilians, who sent hundreds of thousands of civilians into slave labour, who tortured and brutalized allied POWs, who raped and murdered their way through asia, who took whatever they wanted, who left a legacy of death, pain and suffering. This is who Abe pays homage to.

[sirineou]

During WW2 there were many "Class A " war criminals on all sides,

Their position in History is dependent on who is writing it

[7by7]

You are, of course, correct that history is written by the victors, but to say there were many Class A war criminals on the Allied side is a bit rich.

Care to name a few and their crimes?

Bearing in mind that 'Class A' was defined as engaging in a conspiracy to wage war.

Edited December 30, 2013 by 7by7

[sirineou]

You are, of course, correct that history is written by the victors, but to say there were many Class A war criminals on the Allied side is a bit rich.

Care to name a few and their crimes?

Bearing in mind that 'Class A' was defined as engaging in a conspiracy to wage war.

I don't mean to change the subject , away from the OP but I believe I have already mentioned there examples of war crimes committed by out side,

Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Dresden. I am sure there are others

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allied_war_crimes_during_World_War_II

In the link at the bottom you will find the timeline that led to the derision to detonate nuclear bombs,on civilian populations.

Please pay particular attention to the Japanese attempts to surrender prior to the bombings,the stambling part being the wording "'Unconditional surrender" and the removal of the emperor, Ironical after the bombs were doped the emperor was allowed to remain.

And the reports of the targeting committee

June 17

McCloy tells Stimson that "there were no more cities to bomb, no more carriers to sink or battleships to shell; we had difficulty finding targets."

Indicating the state of the Japanese military, and ability to fight,

http://www.nuclearfiles.org/menu/key-issues/nuclear-weapons/history/pre-cold-war/hiroshima-nagasaki/decision-drop-bomb-chronology.htm

Now you could argue and say it was necessary for as to commit these acts,But I am sure if given the chance the other side could raise equal arguments in defense of their atrocious acts.

Edited December 30, 2013 by sirineou

[Jingthing]

China is starting to act the bully in the region but so far they haven't been a particularly toxic bully in the context of history. I totally understand the Chinese objection to the shrine visit and I totally support it. I think people who know history would largely feel the same. Why is Abe doing it? To pander to the Japanese right wing, is it?

[sirineou]

China is starting to act the bully in the region but so far they haven't been a particularly toxic bully in the context of history. I totally understand the Chinese objection to the shrine visit and I totally support it. I think people who know history would largely feel the same. Why is Abe doing it? To pander to the Japanese right wing, is it?

Do you also support the Japanese objections to the Chinese bullying that you agree is occurring,

and don't you think the visit to the shrine might be as a reaction to the Chinese flexing of militate muscle in the area?

There is historical evidence that Japan was forced to enter WW2 by US expansionism in the area that blockaded Japan from the raw material necessary to support it's economy,

Would such similar expansionism by the Chinese, threaten Japanese access to markets necessary for it't survival. and force Japan to re-militarize?

[Credo]

The dropping of bombs during WWII is not a war crime. The difference between the nuclear bomb at other bombs was in the size of the explosion. No conventions about using bombs.

[Scott]

Stay on topic.

[nottocus]

Other countries honour their war dead (I'm sure some of them committed atrocities too), so why can't the Japs?

[Credo]

I don't think the problem is honoring the war dead. It's honoring war criminals in particular.

[sirineou]

The dropping of bombs during WWII is not a war crime. The difference between the nuclear bomb at other bombs was in the size of the explosion. No conventions about using bombs.

But it was a war crime to use them on a civilian population.

But that's not the point. the point is that all sides committed atrocities in that war, The difference is that we won,

We honor our dead , let them honor their.

[GentlemanJim]

You are, of course, correct that history is written by the victors, but to say there were many Class A war criminals on the Allied side is a bit rich.

Care to name a few and their crimes?

Bearing in mind that 'Class A' was defined as engaging in a conspiracy to wage war.

Well by the definition you offer then it should be easy to get Blair and Bush categorized as class A war criminals.

The Japanese were particularly ruthless with various civilian populations in Asia, I can understand the long lasting hatred of the Chinese for anything Japanese, and guess that if the US were not the Japanese guardian Angel then China would have solved all land disputes once and for all with Japan many years ago by wiping it out. Regarding whether 'our side' had war criminals, I have no doubt that had we lost then several commanders would have been tried and convicted as war criminals. One case to ponder is that of AVM 'Bomber' Harris, who masterminded the firestorm bombings of Dresden and other cities. As a retired pilot from the RAF, I understand the tactical move he made, however it was essentially a war crime no matter how you fluff it up or what motivational reason you give. So as the victors we see him as a hero, had we lost he would have ended his days hanging from a German gallows.

The poster who said 'war is ugly' is correct and perhaps we cannot complain at the way combatants treat each other as we send them to kill each other after all, but when it comes to the innocents, that is what differentiates a war criminal. The bayonetting of children and babies and the enforced enslavement into months or years of constant gang raping is abhorrent and only a minor part of what the Japanese did. Non of that deserves to be honoured. Should any of our countries wish to mourn the loss of all the young soldiers lives that were lost at the whim of politicians, I have no problem with that, or to remind our children of the sad and savage consequences of armed combat, I have no problem either, but that is different to honouring the lives of 14 commanders who were responsible for untold carnage, human suffering and misery, and that is what Abe has done. He is deliberately (and dangerously) provoking the Chinese Government (a move I doubt they would have made if Uncle Sam were not nestled within Japan's shores), and once again the suffering of the innocents is ignored. There are still people alive who suffered at the hands of these 14 whose wounds while never healing will have been opened wide by this latest act of arrogant insensitivity. It is not necessary to explain to 14 dead and decomposed people how hard your administration has worked during it's political term of office, it is BS. One problem the Japanese now face is that the Asian holocaust has been completely wiped from the history books in Japanese education. The Children know nothing and have known nothing about it for decades. Speak with a German and they will shift their feet anxiously knowing of the guilt they carry from the actions of the Nazi's, a reaction I might add that they should never have as non of us are responsible for the actions of our forefathers, but speak with a young to middle aged Japanese person and there is no such reaction. It is not that they do not care, it is they don't know and have never been reminded. I guess they are therefore, destined to make the same mistake, (having said that, we seem to be doing the same with Iraq and Afghaniistan, so maybe this is sadly all in our genetic make-up).

The dropping of bombs during WWII is not a war crime. The difference between the nuclear bomb at other bombs was in the size of the explosion. No conventions about using bombs.

Please look up in detail about what happened in Dresden, it was as 'effective' as any nuclear weapon drop, it was just a little slower and took 1000 times more aircraft, the result was the same. Countless innocent lives torn apart or roasted with weapons designed to make the cities burn. The fact we can claim it may have saved countless lives of our coalition soldiers does not take away from the fact that it was a war crime, the target was the innocent population and tit for tat doesn't work, a war crime is a war crime...........unless of course you are the victor!

[7by7]

To those who say "Remember Hiroshima, remember Nagasaki, remember Dresden." I reply "Remember Nanking, remember Guernica, remember Coventry."