Japan finally apologies

[Green Light]

TOKYO - JAPAN'S new liberal prime minister shunned a visit to a shrine that has outraged Asian neighbours for honouring war criminals, breaking from past governments' tradition and instead apologising on Sunday for the suffering World War II caused.

Members of the now-opposition Liberal Democratic Party, which ruled Japan nearly continuously since the end of the war, made a point by carrying out their own trip to Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on the 65th anniversary of the end of World War II.

The Shinto shrine - a spectacular building with sweeping roofs and a museum in its grounds that glorifies kamikaze pilots - has set off controversy by honouring the 2.5 million Japanese war dead, including Class A war criminals such as Hideki Tojo, Japan's war-time prime minister who was executed in 1948.

Among those who visited Yasukuni was LDP leader Sadakazu Tanigaki and former Prime Minister Shintaro Abe. About 40 legislators went to the shrine, but none from Prime Minister Naoto Kan's Cabinet, according to Japanese media reports.

Mr Kan leads the Democratic Party, which took power last after winning elections on promises of greater transparency and grass-roots democracy. It is the first time since the end of World War II that the entire Japanese Cabinet has avoided visiting Yasukuni on Aug 15, the day Japan surrendered in the war.

'We caused great damage and suffering to many nations during the war, especially to the people of Asia,' Mr Kan told a crowd of about 6,000 at an annual memorial service for the war dead at Budokan hall in Tokyo. 'We feel a deep regret, and we offer our sincere feelings of condolence to those who suffered and their families,' he said. 'We renew our promise to never wage war, and we promise to do our utmost to achieve eternal world peace and to never repeat again the mistake of war.' Among those listening to Mr Kan's words were Emperor Akihito, whose father Hirohito announced the surrender 65 years ago in a radio broadcast - the first time the Japanese public had heard the real voice of the emperor, who had been revered as a living god to justify imperial expansion. -- AP

 

[downgrader]

Younger people all forget, very sad....

Please google Sook Ching massacre to understand the atrocities of the Japanese in Singapore

 

[Velma]

Though it is just talk, it is still a step in the right direction. Naoto Kan has already apologised twice for the Japanese atrocities of WWII. First to the Koreans, and now to the rest of Asia. Maybe, at last, we can see a younger generation of Japanese that is willing to admit their fault of ancestors. In the most optimistic scenario, maybe China, South Korea and Japan can reconcile and put WWII behind them.

 

[Ramseth]

I don't understand or agree with Chinese and Korean (and other war victims') sentiments against Japanese political leaders visiting the Yasukuni shrine. The dead enshrined there might be war criminals but they're dead, mostly executed for their war crimes. This makes no sense with national apologies that are separate matters. It's like, what do you think if you have a relative who's a terrorist and murdered many people. He's then caught and executed. You're not even allowed to visit his grave?

 

[IR123]

These are political leaders. They carry official authority. Thus to apologise in an official capacity and to visit as political leaders to shrine of people who did terrible things is clearly an act of hypocrisy.

They can always visit in a private capacity, anonymously.


As for terrorists, there is no automatic declaration that their relatives are innocent. They may well be even more guilty. In that case, what should the victims' relatives do?

 

[Devil Within]

I don't understand or agree with Chinese and Korean (and other war victims') sentiments against Japanese political leaders visiting the Yasukuni shrine. The dead enshrined there might be war criminals but they're dead, mostly executed for their war crimes. This makes no sense with national apologies that are separate matters. It's like, what do you think if you have a relative who's a terrorist and murdered many people. He's then caught and executed. You're not even allowed to visit his grave?

Visiting the dead in that shrine is regarded as a form of respect and honouring them as hero. Hence, political leaders visiting those war criminals in that shrine is insinuating that they regard them as heroes of Japan and not criminals. That is what China and Korea are protesting about.

 

[Ramseth]

These are political leaders. They carry official authority. Thus to apologise in an official capacity and to visit as political leaders to shrine of people who did terrible things is clearly an act of hypocrisy.

They can always visit in a private capacity, anonymously.

A minister is a minister 24/7. Just like police and army. In any case, I still find nothing wrong with minister, even officially declared, visiting a shrine for the dead, even if for criminals for whatever crimes.

A national apology is a different matter. Germany gave that to Israel when their Chancellor (PM) visited and knelt down at their Holocaust memorial site. Nobody bothers Germany with their war pasts anymore. They came clean with their leader on his knees. They said, a man knelt down, and a nation arised.

As for terrorists, there is no automatic declaration that their relatives are innocent. They may well be even more guilty. In that case, what should the victims' relatives do?

You're straying into the area of assumption or at least suspicion of guilt simply by association without even prima facie legal proof or grounds.

 

[jw5]

I don't understand or agree with Chinese and Korean (and other war victims') sentiments against Japanese political leaders visiting the Yasukuni shrine. The dead enshrined there might be war criminals but they're dead, mostly executed for their war crimes. This makes no sense with national apologies that are separate matters. It's like, what do you think if you have a relative who's a terrorist and murdered many people. He's then caught and executed. You're not even allowed to visit his grave?

Are the political leaders relatives of the war criminals?
You just made your own point with your example.
The relatives of the dead should be allowed to visit their graves without any hindrance or condemnation.
But it's not so simple where it comes to unrelated political leaders.

 

[drifter]

Visiting the dead in that shrine is regarded as a form of respect and honouring them as hero. Hence, political leaders visiting those war criminals in that shrine is insinuating that they regard them as heroes of Japan and not criminals. That is what China and Korea are protesting about.

yes ..i know what you mean , but imagine if someone were to go your house and tell you what to do and what not to do in your own house ...do you think its ok ?

 

[Devil Within]

yes ..i know what you mean , but imagine if someone were to go your house and tell you what to do and what not to do in your own house ...do you think its ok ?

But don't forget, it was you who in the beginning go to that someone's house to kill, murder, rape and loot first. So what do you expect?

 

[Ramseth]

Are the political leaders relatives of the war criminals?
You just made your own point with your example.
The relatives of the dead should be allowed to visit their graves without any hindrance or condemnation.
But it's not so simple where it comes to unrelated political leaders.

Yes, it's a controversial issue, hard to define definately what's right or wrong, acceptable or not. As a Chinese descendant of war victims, personally I don't find anything wrong. Of course, I can't speak for others.

I've visited Yasukuni before. In fact, I located the tablets for Tojo Hideki and Yamashita Tomoyuki. Class A war criminals. Did I laugh and fuck them? Hahaha, you also got today? No. Do I respect them for what they did to my forebears. Also no of course. But that was war and they're dead.

 

[Received_by_Kings]

Really ironic that in Japan the opposition politicians are the ones who actually have some sense of dignity.

 

[Cestbon]

Younger people all forget, very sad....

Please google Sook Ching massacre to understand the atrocities of the Japanese in Singapore

Another 30 year 90% population will forget because those living in WW2 time already dead.
Maybe JAPAN should offer 10k japanese girl to be rape .

 

[Devil Within]

A national apology is a different matter. Germany gave that to Israel when their Chancellor (PM) visited and knelt down at their Holocaust memorial site. Nobody bothers Germany with their war pasts anymore. They came clean with their leader on his knees. They said, a man knelt down, and a nation arised.

Yes, that is correct. But the Japanese didn't do that. Everyone knew that the Emperor had his hand in the war, but he got off the chopping block. His subordinates took the blame and became a scape goat willingly and that's why he got this honour and respect every year and got his place as a hero in the shrine.

Also, the late Emperor never explicitly apologise outright. Only soften with regrets blah blah blah. Remember, the Emperor was regarded as God and the war was fought in his name. Unlike Hitler who died, the Emperor was still alive but didn't kneel down to apologise.

Even after Japan got liberated with the LDP, their leaders didn't explicitly apologise but only remarked that they regret causing pain and sorrow blah blah blah but never outright apologise for the war.

 

[drifter]

But don't forget, it was you who in the beginning go to that someone's house to kill, murder, rape and loot first. So what do you expect?

during war , no one is angel . thats war ...see how american in afghanistan behave during the war . thats why no one likes war .

 

[Devil Within]

during war , no one is angel . thats war ...see how american in afghanistan behave during the war . thats why no one likes war .

The problem is, it was the Japan who started the war and invasion. China and Korea didn't ask for the war. And Japan hasn't apologise for starting the war officially.

 

[Green Light]

 

[IR123]

You're straying into the area of assumption or at least suspicion of guilt simply by association without even prima facie legal proof or grounds.

I am not making a legal point here.



Even if you find nothing wrong with political leaders saying one thing and doing another, you cannot deny the right of others who do. That is why we have politics.

 

[Received_by_Kings]

A minister is a minister 24/7. Just like police and army. In any case, I still find nothing wrong with minister, even officially declared, visiting a shrine for the dead, even if for criminals for whatever crimes.

You should share your view and clarify all doubts with people publicly in China and Korea.

A national apology is a different matter. Germany gave that to Israel when their Chancellor (PM) visited and knelt down at their Holocaust memorial site. Nobody bothers Germany with their war pasts anymore. They came clean with their leader on his knees. They said, a man knelt down, and a nation arised.

There, you're confused and stupid. Did the Japanese prime minister or Emperor visit AND kneel before any Japanese war atrocities memorial site in any country in Asia? When that happens as with their masters the Germans, their nation would rise again. But it did not happen.

You mixed things up apparently in your mental disability.

 

[drifter]

The problem is, it was the Japan who started the war and invasion. China and Korea didn't ask for the war. And Japan hasn't apologise for starting the war officially.

no countries ask for war ...did afghanistan , iraq , vietnam ask for war ? did america apologise to afghanistan , iraq , vietnam ? what about those bomb that hit normal japanese in hiroshima , nagasaki ? did american apologise to those victims ?

big fish eat small fish are happening around the world ...its not just the japanese only ..