[karajorma]

http://english.chosun.com/site/data/html_dir/2013/04/24/2013042401169.html

Abe Denies Japan Invaded Asian Neighbors

In a further lurch to the far right, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told lawmakers on Tuesday that he does not believe Japan's occupation of other Asian countries during World War II can be considered "invasions."

Abe claimed there are no set international or academic definitions of the word. "It depends on the point of view of individual countries," he said, referring to a statement in 1995 by then-Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama, which apologized to all Asian victims of Japanese aggression and from which rightwingers are scrambling to distance themselves.

Japan occupied Korea from 1910 to 1945 and invaded China and several Southeast Asian nations during an aggressive expansion to create what was billed as the "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere."

Experts here slammed Abe's remarks. Ko Sang-tu at Yonsei University said, "That is simply absurd. It's like saying Hitler's invasion of Poland wasn't really an invasion. If a German chancellor had said the same thing, he or she would have had to resign."

Abe told lawmakers on Monday that he does not feel bound by the Murayama statement. The global press was alarmed, with the New York Times saying he sought to whitewash his country's World War II atrocities, while the Economist warned that the right-leaning Japanese Cabinet is a bad sign for the region.

Abe said Japan's pacifist constitution was put together by what he called "occupying forces," referring to the victorious U.S. at the end of the war.

The constitution, which stipulates the country's desire for peace and pledges a policy of non-aggression, effectively "entrusted the lives and safety of the public to the goodwill of other countries," he claimed.

This suggests he is throwing his weight behind moves from the far right to revise the constitution so the Japanese military can launch pre-emptive strikes abroad.

On Monday, Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso and other Japanese politicians visited Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine, which houses the remains of Japan's war dead including convicted war criminals. On Tuesday, 168 members of the Diet followed suit, the biggest number of lawmakers since 1989.

The Japanese media were critical of the stunt. The Asahi Shimbun urged cabinet members to exercise "restraint" in speech as well as action, while the Mainichi Shimbun warned Japan's "national interests are at risk" if such strain is put on cooperation with China and South Korea in trying to rein in North Korea.

When I first arrived in China I very quickly noticed that the Chinese hate the Japanese. At first I thought it a little silly to still hate them over a war that ended more than 60 years ago but it's pretty obvious that the Japanese are trying really hard to keep the hatred alive.

[Apollo]

I'm not entirely certain that "far-right" would correctly describe that action, although Imperial Japan was certainly far-right.[/nitpick]

Can you link to the original article?

[Nemesis6]

In one sense, it's our fault... or specifically, that of McArthur. He let them keep the imperial dynasty in the hope of maintaining stability and averting a military occupation government as far as I understand.

[karajorma]

I'm not entirely certain that "far-right" would correctly describe that action, although Imperial Japan was certainly far-right.[/nitpick]

I don't know, what political label would you give someone who claimed the Holocaust didn't happen? And I think they're saying it's far-right cause he's moving to agreeing with the Japanese far-right on this issue.

Can you link to the original article?

I thought I had. Link added.

[An4ximandros]

Abe claimed there are no set international or academic definitions of the word. "It depends on the point of view of individual countries," he said, referring to a statement in 1995 by then-Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama, which apologized to all Asian victims of Japanese aggression and from which rightwingers are scrambling to distance themselves.

http://i0.kym-cdn.com/photos/images/newsfeed/000/461/903/3a9.png

 I can't believe this **** is still going on. FFS! The sooner Japan admits they ****** up, the sooner they can get this **** over with. This is as bad as Turkey denying the Armenian genocide and making it illegal to acknowledge.

[Apollo]

I'm not entirely certain that "far-right" would correctly describe that action, although Imperial Japan was certainly far-right.[/nitpick]

I don't know, what political label would you give someone who claimed the Holocaust didn't happen? And I think they're saying it's far-right cause he's moving to agreeing with the Japanese far-right on this issue.

I see your point. Defending the far-right and arguably fascist (fits that ideology better than any other common one) WWII Imperial Japan could be considered far-right in and of itself.

EDIT: It certainly has the uber nationalistic component of extreme rightism.

[Luis Dias]

This is all just sad. Abe is an asshole. And Japan, FFS what are you doing, leaving this guy free to do this kind of ****?

Japan still needs to work out its role in WW2. They probably still feel like the victims of the war, and oppressed by the victors. Perhaps that's why this political vision of Japan's lack of actual fault in the war is somewhat acceptable to the japanese.

It's also peculiar if you compare it with Germany. When the generation that was born after the war learned about the Holocaust and the nazi crimes, it was a generational rebeld epiphany against their fathers. They really did outgrow themselves. Not Japan it seems.

[Apollo]

Abe said Japan's pacifist constitution was put together by what he called "occupying forces," referring to the victorious U.S. at the end of the war.

The constitution, which stipulates the country's desire for peace and pledges a policy of non-aggression, effectively "entrusted the lives and safety of the public to the goodwill of other countries," he claimed.

Apollo says Japan forfeited the right to rule itself when it went on an imperialist rampage and brutally gang raped the citizens of Nanjing to death.

That might not be the elected officials fault, though--from what I understand, the military stole power from them.

[BloodEagle]

In other news, Japan pisses off China right when China starts to get serious about fixing the NK issue.  Great job!

[Apollo]

In other news, Japan pisses off China right when China starts to get serious about fixing the NK issue.  Great job!

Oh and that too.

[karajorma]

Well China and Japan have been involved in a little argument over the Dianyu islands for a little while already. I think this is deliberately meant to piss off China.

[Lorric]

The real question is how do the Japanese people feel about this? Are they rolling their eyes, or do they agree with it?

[BloodEagle]

I think this is deliberately meant to piss off China.

How is that a good idea under any circumstances, though?  I mean, at what point does 'let's piss off a nuclear power (that already hates us) for no gain on our end' sound like the right course of action?

The only way this makes any sense is if Japan has been secretly manufacturing working mobile suits (combined with their brain-wave cat-ear technology) for the purposes of conquering the world!

[NGTM-1R]

Japan still needs to work out its role in WW2.

In a sense, they have, and that's the problem. To be born in Asia, prior to WW2, was to be born chattel. It was sometimes implicit, and sometimes literal, but for every Asian country save Japan it was universally true. To be Asian was to be considered inferior. But Japan was in a position to do something about that. World War 2 in the Pacific, in a very real way, happened because Japan was seizing the opportunity to strike at those who had oppressed the region for generations.

Japan cast itself as liberator from white imperialism. It is the only war goal that Japan can be said to have actually achieved. By their victories in World War 2 they irrevocably destroyed the legitimacy of the colonial powers in Asia and freed an entire continent from western imperialism. To the Japanese mindset, which often values the integrity of the act more than the outcome of it, that cloak of purpose is what truly matters. This is at the heart of their inability examine their own actions during WW2 with anything like the seriousness their victims typically feel is necessary.

[Suongadon]

I think this is deliberately meant to piss off China.

How is that a good idea under any circumstances, though?  I mean, at what point does 'let's piss off a nuclear power (that already hates us) for no gain on our end' sound like the right course of action?

This isn't any different than Kimmy sputtering and chest thumping from North Korea, except with Uncle Sam and his aircraft carriers, rather than China being stuck backing up their bull****.


****. Someone should get Abey and Kimmy together on Skype. They could screech and bluster at each other until they stroked out. Record and broadcast it in primetime, make billions.

[StarSlayer]

Being an inconsiderate prick isn't exactly the same as promising to bathe two nations in radioactive fire.

[Klaustrophobia]

I'm not entirely certain that "far-right" would correctly describe that action, although Imperial Japan was certainly far-right.[/nitpick]

I don't know, what political label would you give someone who claimed the Holocaust didn't happen?

none whatsoever.  denying the holocaust, or any other bit of history, is not a political stance.

[Suongadon]

Being an inconsiderate prick isn't exactly the same as promising to bathe two nations in radioactive fire.

Ok. 'Any' is a bad choice, but I still think they publicize the **** they do for the same reason, it pisses off their 'enemies', and they know they can get away with it without consequences more severe than a stern talking to by an ambassador.

[Luis Dias]

Japan still needs to work out its role in WW2.

In a sense, they have, and that's the problem. To be born in Asia, prior to WW2, was to be born chattel. It was sometimes implicit, and sometimes literal, but for every Asian country save Japan it was universally true. To be Asian was to be considered inferior. But Japan was in a position to do something about that. World War 2 in the Pacific, in a very real way, happened because Japan was seizing the opportunity to strike at those who had oppressed the region for generations.

Japan cast itself as liberator from white imperialism. It is the only war goal that Japan can be said to have actually achieved. By their victories in World War 2 they irrevocably destroyed the legitimacy of the colonial powers in Asia and freed an entire continent from western imperialism. To the Japanese mindset, which often values the integrity of the act more than the outcome of it, that cloak of purpose is what truly matters. This is at the heart of their inability examine their own actions during WW2 with anything like the seriousness their victims typically feel is necessary.

Now that was enlightening, thanks.

[Mongoose]

Oh you, Japan.