[Tintin Storm]

Currently, the ruling circles of Japan are trying to deny the aggression of Japanese militarists during the Second World War. This is very negatively perceived in the countries of the Asia-Pacific region, affected by the Japanese invaders.At the same time, Asian countries have repeatedly accused Japan hiding from the world public the horrors of the crimes of Japanese militarists.
It is worth recalling that the Japanese imperialists, who occupied the countries of Asia at the beginning of the last century, committed sinister anti-human crimes against the local population there. The actions of Japanese soldiers in the occupied territories even surpassed in cruelty the actions of fascist Germany. But unlike Germany, Japan does not recognize its war crimes and tries to evade historical responsibility.
Today, Japan is trying to rewrite the inconvenient pages of history that testify to the Japanese aggression against Korea, China and other countries. Japanese ruling circles are trying to erase from history the reference to war crimes committed by Japanese troops in the territories they occupied and forget about the decisions of the Tokyo process that condemned the aggressive policies of Japan and its leadership in 1928-1945.
At the same time, various political movements and non-governmental organizations declare that Japan did nothing wrong, and its actions were not aggressive and colonial in nature. Japan allegedly carried out self-defense and liberated the territory of South-East Asia from the colonialism of Western countries.
It is worth noting that Japan, with the support of the United States, has not been able to truly repent of its war crimes. The Japanese leadership is taking all possible measures to review the results of the Second World War, it practically denies war crimes committed by militarists, makes claims on sovereignty over the territories that after the war belong to other countries, tries to amend the peace constitution, which provides for the country's final refusal from militarism.
In addition, they are trying in every possible way to set the world community to the idea that the Japanese people were a victim during the Second World War, and war criminals were the defenders of the nation and today they are worthy of honors and worship.
In a situation where many of Japan's neighbors demand an apology from Japan, the Japanese leadership says that they have already had enough. It is worth recalling that even Shinzo Abe's grandfather, former Prime Minister Kishi, said that World War II is sacred and there is nothing to apologize for.
The current generation of Japanese, brought up on the heroization of war criminals, believes that it has long been time to stop apologizing for the events of the military past. However, it is worth recalling to the Japanese that by signing the Surrender Act on September 2, 1945, Japan recognized its defeat in the war and assumed responsibility for the actions of Japanese militarists during the Second World War.

[Victoribus Spolia]

What is the problem with their perspective?

I suppose it makes sense given their worldview and their alliance (dependence ) with us. The USA is tolerated by Japan, since the Japanese surrender to the United States was a tacit recognition (in terms of the Japanese spirit) of our unique worthiness due to our performance in War.

Its an alliance made in heaven really. Japan recognizes American awesomeness (sometimes begrudgingly) while America tolerates all the annoying things the Japs do both economically and socially. Its a rocky relationship going back to Admiral Perry and its not about to end anytime soon. Let them glorify their past, they can deny anything they want up to their surrender to the United States in WWII, for that reality is not only undeniable, but it is the only one that keeps Japanese vitality from moving back to the militaristic from the economic.

[Heisenberg]

Given that the loudest objections to the Japanese "rewriting history" come from the Chinese Communist Party (not exactly renowned for their commitment to objective truth), I say let the Japanese do as they like.

[Victoribus Spolia]

@Heisenberg,

I have noticed that I have found myself in agreement with you on more and more topics.

Should we be concerned by this correlation?

[Zamuel]

by signing the Surrender Act on September 2, 1945, Japan recognized its defeat in the war and assumed responsibility for the actions of Japanese militarists during the Second World War.

Yes they did, and no one is trying to deny that. War crimes were tried and their perpetrators punished. No one is trying to repress those facts. Wounds must heal, and it's high time the Japanese stopped nursing theirs and moved on. Their debt is paid and a new generation owes the world nothing. There are always those eager to repeat the errors of the past ... They do not threaten the new Japan or the world it is a part of.

All nations bear past guilt.

Zam

[Victoribus Spolia]

Now @Zamuel, and I are in agreement?

[Heisenberg]

I have noticed that I have found myself in agreement with you on more and more topics.

Should we be concerned by this correlation?

Let's throw some people out of helicopters to celebrate.

[ThirdTerm]

At the same time, various political movements and non-governmental organizations declare that Japan did nothing wrong, and its actions were not aggressive and colonial in nature. Japan allegedly carried out self-defense and liberated the territory of South-East Asia from the colonialism of Western countries.

The liberation perspective is only right about the Dutch East Indies. Sukarno, who proclaimed the Republic of Indonesia in 1945, was handpicked by the Japanese as a leader of the nationalist movement in the region. It was a win-win situation for both Japanese nationalists and their Indonesian comrades and invading Japanese troops were actually greeted as liberators. Indonesian nationalists wanted to get rid of the Dutch who were interned and deported and Japanese nationalists had access to Indonesia's natural resources in return.

“Liberating” colonized areas in Asia

The idea to form a Great-Japanese realm obviously fell on fertile soil, for it became the base of the foreign policy of the Japanese government in the thirties and forties.

It was a two-step plan. The first step Japan undertook consisted of a purposeful expansion of land. The aim was to obtain a better political and economic position in the inter-national dominion. To meet this target Japan, just like Germany who expanded its territory and power over the West-European states, Japan likewise sought expansion of territory and power in Southeast-Asia.

Indeed, after having occupied French Indo-China [1940], the Japanese thus covered up at the west flank and also covered up at the back via a non-aggression pact previously concluded with the Soviet Union. Japan could now apply themselves of the Philippines, controlled by the Americans; Malacca with Singapore colonized by Great-Britain and the Indonesian Archipelago under Dutch authority.

The only military power that could prevent a Japanese ‘liberation’. was the American Pacific fleet, riding at anchor in Hawaii. This force, however, was eliminated by the “sneak-bombardment” of Pearl Harbour [7 Dec. 1941]. At that same time the mediocre British Royal Navy was bombed in Hong Kong and Singapore. The British Government sent in two battleships HMS Repulse and HMS The Prince of Wales, but they were destroyed in the South Chinese Sea two days later. So the way was paved for the Japanese attack on the Philippines and British Malacca. with Singapore.


Concerning the Dutch East-Indies and to avoid an enumeration of military operations and actions, I will only briefly enlarge on the fact why it was so easy to conquer “the fragile structure of that hefty Dutch sea-borne empire”.

It boiled down to the fact that the Indonesian Archipelago was too extensive an area for an adequate defence of the complete area. Secondly the protection of such a large archipelago, required a large maritime fleet and a huge air-force and/or the help of friendly nations. Thirdly, the measures the Dutch East Indian government wanted to take as a preparation of a possible war, were torpedoed in advance by the pacifist and socialist minded attitude of the Dutch government in The Netherlands. Fourthly the Dutch-Indian air force, army and navy were for the greater part sacrificed to defend Malacca and Singapore.

In fact there was but one ABDA-naval force under the command of a Dutch rear-admiral Karel Doorman, to fight the Japanese. The naval force consisting of 1 American cruiser [Houston], 1 British cruiser [exeter], 2 Dutch cruisers [java and de ruyter] with a couple of torpedo boats and 1 Australian cruiser [Perth], gave a heroic, but unavailing battle in the Java-sea to defend Singapore [surrender on the 15th of February 1942]. Consequently there was no more power to defend the Dutch Indies and a Japanese invasion in the Indonesian Archipelago could not be prevented any more.

So when early in 1942 the Japanese attacked the Dutch East-Indies, there were too few men-of- war and too few airplanes, so hardly any defence to make a stand. From the Netherlands - seeing the war situation in Europe - there was no help to be expected. Neither could Great-Britain offer help. Firstly because of the British naval potential in Asia had been bombed away [1] and secondly because the British Empire had its hands full with respect to the Battle of Britain. Nor was assistance to be expected from the American side either because the American Pacific Fleet had been destroyed for the greater part in Pearl Harbour.

The only force which could have prevented a Japanese invasion was a line of defence formed by the Indonesian people itself. However, instead of defending their country the Indonesians cordially welcomed their ‘liberators’ and harbingers of their independence. So on the 8th of March 1942 the Dutch-Indian Government capitulated.

Once in the country the Japanese took over the most important and influential levels of government, army and the economy. In doing so the Japanese took the second step on their way to the realisation of the Great-Japanese Realm. This step to Dai Nippon should lead to the elimination of the Dutch influence in the Indonesian Archipelago.

In a situation where many of Japan's neighbors demand an apology from Japan, the Japanese leadership says that they have already had enough. It is worth recalling that even Shinzo Abe's grandfather, former Prime Minister Kishi, said that World War II is sacred and there is nothing to apologize for.

Kishi was a war criminal but he was handpicked by the Americans to rule the country on their behalf. Japan's ruling circles and the Liberal Democrats were funded and controlled by the CIA to make the country a bulwark against Communism in Asia.

In a major covert operation of the cold war, the Central Intelligence Agency spent millions of dollars to support the conservative party that dominated Japan's politics for a generation.

The C.I.A. gave money to the Liberal Democratic Party and its members in the 1950's and the 1960's, to gather intelligence on Japan, make the country a bulwark against Communism in Asia and undermine the Japanese left, said retired intelligence officials and former diplomats. Since then, the C.I.A. has dropped its covert financial aid and focused instead on gathering inside information on Japan's party politics and positions in trade and treaty talks, retired intelligence officers said.

The Liberal Democrats' 38 years of one-party governance ended last year when they fell from power after a series of corruption cases -- many involving secret cash contributions. Still the largest party in Japan's parliament, they formed an awkward coalition in June with their old cold war enemies, the Socialists -- the party that the C.I.A.'s aid aimed in part to undermine.

Though the C.I.A.'s financial role in Japanese politics has long been suspected by historians and journalists, the Liberal Democrats have always denied it existed, and the breadth and depth of the support has never been detailed publicly. Disclosure of the covert aid could open old wounds and harm the Liberal Democrats' credibility as an independent voice for Japanese interests. The subject of spying between allies has always been sensitive.

https://www.nytimes.com/1994/10/09/worl ... -60-s.html

[Victoribus Spolia]

Let's throw some people out of helicopters to celebrate

Only communists.

.....For now.

[Potemkin]

Currently, the ruling circles of Japan are trying to deny the aggression of Japanese militarists during the Second World War. This is very negatively perceived in the countries of the Asia-Pacific region, affected by the Japanese invaders.At the same time, Asian countries have repeatedly accused Japan hiding from the world public the horrors of the crimes of Japanese militarists.
It is worth recalling that the Japanese imperialists, who occupied the countries of Asia at the beginning of the last century, committed sinister anti-human crimes against the local population there. The actions of Japanese soldiers in the occupied territories even surpassed in cruelty the actions of fascist Germany. But unlike Germany, Japan does not recognize its war crimes and tries to evade historical responsibility.
Today, Japan is trying to rewrite the inconvenient pages of history that testify to the Japanese aggression against Korea, China and other countries. Japanese ruling circles are trying to erase from history the reference to war crimes committed by Japanese troops in the territories they occupied and forget about the decisions of the Tokyo process that condemned the aggressive policies of Japan and its leadership in 1928-1945.
At the same time, various political movements and non-governmental organizations declare that Japan did nothing wrong, and its actions were not aggressive and colonial in nature. Japan allegedly carried out self-defense and liberated the territory of South-East Asia from the colonialism of Western countries.
It is worth noting that Japan, with the support of the United States, has not been able to truly repent of its war crimes. The Japanese leadership is taking all possible measures to review the results of the Second World War, it practically denies war crimes committed by militarists, makes claims on sovereignty over the territories that after the war belong to other countries, tries to amend the peace constitution, which provides for the country's final refusal from militarism.
In addition, they are trying in every possible way to set the world community to the idea that the Japanese people were a victim during the Second World War, and war criminals were the defenders of the nation and today they are worthy of honors and worship.
In a situation where many of Japan's neighbors demand an apology from Japan, the Japanese leadership says that they have already had enough. It is worth recalling that even Shinzo Abe's grandfather, former Prime Minister Kishi, said that World War II is sacred and there is nothing to apologize for.
The current generation of Japanese, brought up on the heroization of war criminals, believes that it has long been time to stop apologizing for the events of the military past. However, it is worth recalling to the Japanese that by signing the Surrender Act on September 2, 1945, Japan recognized its defeat in the war and assumed responsibility for the actions of Japanese militarists during the Second World War.

All nations rewrite history in their own favour. In fact, we Brits do it more than anyone else, and we're still at it. For more than two centuries, the British Empire spread blood-soaked mayhem around the world. Back in the 19th century, we slaughtered far more Chinese people than the Japanese did in the early 20th century. Then we rewrote history to pretend it never happened. The only difference is that when we rewrite history it stays rewritten. Lol.

[Heisenberg]

For more than two centuries, the British Empire spread blood-soaked mayhem cricket, afternoon tea and railways around the world.

Fixed it for you, Pote. There, doesn't that feel much better?

[Potemkin]

I propose a compromise....

For more than two centuries, the British Empire spread blood-soaked mayhem, and cricket, afternoon tea and railways around the world.

[Saeko]

History has been rewriting Japan for long enough. It's payback time!

[Victoribus Spolia]

History has been rewriting Japan for long enough. It's payback time!

Are you Japanese? Or just think they are justified?

[Steve_American]

I'm 71, which means I grew up right after the war.
I, for one, have never forgiven the Japanese nation for the war.
Germany apologized and groveled to get back the respect of the world.
Japan did not. They said it was all our (the US's) fault because we made them bomb Pearl harbor.
Because we froze their oil supply.
Which we did as a part of a "short of war" effort to get them to abide by the Kellogg-Briand Pact and stop invading their neighbors, Manchuria and especially China; and then Fr. Indo-China.
We had every right to do this because the UN didn't exist and the League of Nations had dissolved.

The Japanese Army (who by 1941 ruled Japan and the Emperor hadn't stopped this) had not gotten the memo that WWI had demonstrated to every nation that stealing your neighbors' land was no longer profitable. And almost every nation except the USSR signed the Kellogg-Briand Pact that outlawed war in 1927 & 28, incl. Japan, Germany, and Italy. BTW, Japan had discovered the truth of the non-profitability of war in its stalemated war in China, but they were in denial.

[ThirdTerm]

Imperial Japan was controlled by the military which gained too much political power by the 1930s and civilian control was completely lost in the end. Big wars benefit military officials to gain promotion in their ranks and they desperately needed a major conflict in every ten years, which was why Japanese militarists started a two-front war which was unwinnable. What's dangerous about the current Abe government is that Abe is a revisionist as a grandson of Prime Minister Kishi, who served as a minister in the Konoe and Tojo governments. President Eisenhower authorized the CIA to provide secret campaign funds to Kishi and the LDP. In return, Kishi shepherded a revision to the mutual security treaty between the U.S. and Japan that secured the U.S. right to retain its bases in Japan against the people's will. I think if President Trump can revise the mutual security treaty and withdraw some of American troops, historical revisionism by right-wing LDP politicians, who are presumably controlled by Washington, would end. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party has been in power since the 1950s and it was originally set up by the CIA, which also acted covertly to discredit socialist oppositions and keep the pro-American LDP in power. When the Social Democratic Party gains power by replacing the LDP in the future, it will sincerely apologise for the past and get along fine with China and Russia. The Social Democratic Party wants the cancellation of the U.S.-Japan military alliance and dismantling of U.S. bases in Japan.

This article asks what explains the survival of small parties by analyzing the survival of the Social Democratic Party of Japan (SDP). Many new parties were founded in the early 1990s but few have survived. The SDP is thus an outlier case. The SDP is a successor to the Japan Socialist Party (JSP) but many members of the JSP joined the new center-left Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) in 1996. The DPJ prospered but the SDP has faded into electoral insignificance, barely maintaining enough support to qualify as a political party under Japanese law. How and why does the SDP survive despite its dismal performance in elections? I argue that the continuing support of the All Japan Prefectural and Municipal Workers Union (hereafter, Jichiro) has played a significant role in the SDP’s survival. Jichiro officially decided to support the DPJ but some prefectural branches continued to support the SDP. The SDP case confirms that societal organizations have played a significant role more than charismatic leadership or policy distinctiveness for small party survival. The SDP case also indicates that societal organizations may hinder cooperation with other parties and might undermine unified opposition building against the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP).
https://academic.oup.com/ssjj/article-a ... 61/4070447