On the 68th anniversary of
the end of WWII, a man in a Japanese
Imperial Navy uniform pays
his respects to the nation's war dead,
at the Yasukuni
Shrine in Tokyo.
Embarrassing Words of Japan's Leaders 'Ring Absurdly Hollow' (Ibaraki
Shimbun, Japan)
"Entangled in pursuing constitutional reform, Deputy Prime
Minister and Finance Minister Taro Aso referred to
the Nazi regime, suggesting 'we could learn from Nazi tactics.' This is absolutely
egregious. ... If he had been a politician in any major Western nation, his
career would likely have ended then and there. ... Wise political words are required
from Japanese politicians, who are said to hail from a mature nation."
Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe: As friction with China and Korea grows, Abe, the most right-wing Japanese leader in years, wants to revise Japan's post-war constitution for the first time.
The
anniversary of the end of World War II 68 years ago has again brought with it sweltering
heat. Yet even now, this country has been unable to move past the post war period.
Similar to last year, this summer's oppressive heat points to that inescapable
conclusion.
A year ago, days
before the August 15th anniversary, then-South Korea President Lee Myung-bak unexpectedly landed on the disputed Takeshima
Islets [aka/Liancourt Rocks]. On the very day of the close of World War II,
activists from Hong Kong landed on Uotsuri-shima to
protest the proposed nationalization of the Senkaku
Islands [aka/Diaoyu Islands],
leading to a flurry of arrests. Seemingly all at once last summer, our territorial
issues with neighboring countries erupted. A year later, we still have yet to
glimpse a path toward improved relations with China or South Korea. Both
relationships have cooled to a point reckoned to be at rock bottom.
Public
opinion polls in China and Japan reveal that over 90 percent of citizens in
both countries have an “unfavorable” impression of the other. These are the worst
results since surveys began in 2005. On top of that, more than 50 percent of
Chinese respondents think a military confrontation with Japan is likely to occur.
In
Japan, hate speech against Japanese citizens of Korean origin has become a significant
social problem. For a year now, politics, diplomacy and society have been caught
in a vicious cycle.
Irresponsible comments made by Japanese politicians, concerned
primarily with interpretations of history, are one background cause. These days, one cannot help but
notice how hollow and impoverished the language of our country’s politics is. And
because we live in such times, the language of politics is crucial, as is a
profound understanding of history. Politicians must wake up and pay proper attention.
Entangled
in pursuing constitutional reform, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister
Taro Aso referred to the Nazi regime, suggesting “we
could learn from Nazi tactics.” This is absolutely egregious. We might infer
from the context that Mr. Aso was playing for a laugh.
If he had been a politician in any major Western nation, his career would
likely have ended then and there.
[Editor's
Note: Minister Taro Aso's comment about "Nazi
tactics" for altering Japan's constitution refer to the pacific
constitution adopted during the American occupation, which forbids Japan from
having a formal military, and which is exceedingly difficult to amend. His full
remark was, "Germany's Weimar Constitution was changed into the Nazi
Constitution before anyone knew ... It was changed before anyone else noticed.
Why don't we learn from that?"]
Osaka
Mayor Toru Hashimoto, co-chairman of the Japan Restoration Party, said that
comfort women “were necessary.” He also went on to encourage the U.S. military
to employ prostitutes. Again, these comments would be unacceptable in any sane
country, however many caveats one might attach.
Posted By Worldmeets.US
[Editor's
Note: Last may before nationwide elections, Osaka Mayer Hashimoto is reported
to have said, "When soldiers are risking their lives by running through
storms of bullets, and you want to give these emotionally charged soldiers a
rest somewhere, it’s clear that you need a comfort women system. ... brothels
were necessary at the time to maintain discipline in the army." He also
went on to claim that there is no evidence that Japanese authorities forced
women in surrounding nations into sexual servitude].
Prime
Minister Shinzo Abe commented that the current
cabinet “may not uphold” in its present form the Murayama Declaration
- in which Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa apologized
to Asian nations for Japanese aggression and colonial rule. He created
unnecessary friction with neighboring countries by later rephrasing his comment
to “uphold in principle,” adding that he would leave the definition of
“aggression” to historians.
Politics
and diplomacy are built on the cumulative basis of words uttered in the past.
If prior statements and declarations can easily be taken back, politics will no
longer hold up. A country in which statements are easily rescinded and the
language of politics and diplomacy ring absurdly hollow is “abnormal.”
This
year, the careless words of politicians have compounded the territorial
disputes over Takeshima and the Senkaku
Islands, turning them into great dilemmas of historical interpretation. Rather
than improving, Japan’s relations with China and South Korea have continued to
deteriorate. Of course, responsibility also lies with rising nationalism in
China and South Korea, which is why it is more important than ever to avoid carelessly
triggering nationalistic sentiment in those countries. Wise political words are
required from Japanese politicians, who are said to hail from a mature nation.
Novelist
SaiichiMaruya believes Japanese political discourse
remains stunted because “it has no conversational partner … there is no
intellectual exchange between audience and speaker … only an inferior exchange.”
