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Rob_Hugo@PortNWThere is an article titled “Corporate Giants Pressure Japan’s Politicians to Stop Visiting War Shrine” in the May 28th edition of LA Times that brings to light the foreign complexities between Japan and China, and how Japan’s corporations are using their will to influence foreign policy.
In brief, the article states that the current Japanese government is receiving criticism from their decision to continue to visit a particular war memorial that honors both war dead and those that have been recognized as being war criminals. Despite the negative reaction received senior government officials from the ruling party continue to make the annual trip.
Countries that were the victims of Japan’s military aggression, like China and South Korea (particularly China, I read one statistic that stated that over 300,000 Chinese were brutally murdered between 1937-38 in what is called the rape of Nanking) react with understandable outrage when this traditional visit occurs, and it has had a dampening effect in relations between Japan and these countries. And according to Japanese companies, they see it producing a chilling effect on economic ties with those countries.
Therefore, Japanese companies who in the past have kept quiet on the controversial visits are now being vocal in asking that the Japanese government find a different way to honor those that have died in combat.
As I read this article I was amazed that the Japanese government would be so insensitive on this particular issue and continue to make the visits. One can only imagine the reaction of those victims and in the general public if the German government made it a habit of visiting the graves of infamous Nazi officials like Goering. I was also surprised to see that these visits play to a certain segment of the Japanese population, it seems as if some in Japanese society wish to minimize the violent acts their military participated in during World War II. Finally, I was surprised a third time when I saw that major Japanese companies were taking the lead in asking their government to end this particular practice, albeit for different motives.
AnonymousIt seems to me that the Japanese (in general) are a bit hypocritical. They try to criticize the use of atomic weapons during World War II. Yet they do not recognize many of their own atrocious acts (Rape of Nanjing, Korean comfort women) during that same war.
AnonymousOur government leaders, from local to federal, visit and honor the memorials of soldiers from many wars. Some, in our history books now, are not seen in such a high moral light. We honor the soldiers as those who defended our country's safety and goals (moral or not). We support our troops in the current Iraq conflict (moral or not).
The Yasukuni shrine honors those who have served the emperor since 1869. Most of the names honored there served to protect the safety and goals of their nation (moral or not). All nations with military traditions do it. If the Japanese government is making a show of it rather than just the expected traditional visits, then it could be considered an affront to its victims, but I don't think that is what has happened.
Since Japenese corporations now trade and do business in their former victims nations, it only make sense for them ask their government to show some consideration and back off the respect for their nation's dead soldiers. I wish they would make the move to begin voluntary reparations to the victims of their WW2 actions, but they seem to stop short of that. however, since the treaties ending the war absolved Japan from liability (arranged by the US), they don't have to think about it, ne?
VO