Hmmm. OK... (Here I thought you can't do both at the same time...)
From NHK English (8/2/2013; emphasis is mine):
US report expresses concern over Japan's policy
A report released by the US Congress says visits by Japanese Cabinet minister to war-related Yasukuni Shrine could increase tensions in East Asia.
The US Congressional Research Service on Friday published a new report on Japan-US relations. It indicates the deep concerns US officials have about Japan's relations with neighboring countries.
The report notes that relations between Japan and China are in stalemate about which nation has sovereignty over the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.
It also says US authorities are concerned about the differences in historical perceptions between Japan and South Korea.
The report warns that regional tensions will increase if Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his cabinet members visit Yasukuni Shrine on August 15th to mark the end of World War Two.
Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine honors Japan's war dead, as well as leading figures convicted of war crimes.
The report welcomes the recent Upper House election results. The ruling coalition led by Prime Minister Abe won the majority.
The document says that for US policymakers, the continuation of Japan's administration is a welcome change after several years of political paralysis.
It expresses expectations for Japan's participation in the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade negotiations and its defense buildup.
30-Day free trial by following the link.
Tokyo Time
![[Most Recent Quotes from www.kitco.com]](http://www.kitconet.com/charts/metals/gold/t24_au_en_usoz_2.gif)
8 comments:
Those enshrined in Tasukuni are enshrined as Shinto deities. This includes even those who did not wish to be enshrined (numerous Koreans, Malays, Chinese).The fact that the enshrined dead are Shinto gods and not merely souls upsets those who would rather see a national cemetery (no deification).While certainly war criminals from the west may lie in a cemetery, they are not deified into Christian, Bhuddist, etc. gods.
That Yasukuni (typo)
It is common diplomacy, or newspeak if you want, to both criticize, threaten and congratulate in the same speech, that hasn't changed for hundreds of years. We're trapped into this, so only the elite understands, and only the elite rules, with or without the actual use of brute force. Wasn't Lenin an elitist ?
What's the actual US meaning ? Alas I'm not in the elite club. Let's have a try.
It could be back to the post-WW2 "We want a strong Japan" (economically that is). With a difference : "Japan is no longer our best rival. China is to be".
Or it could be "Do as you want, but we won't have a fight with China on these rocks, whatever the resources around and under".
Or : "Don't have a fight with China. We welcome the new government, as we have to, just to be polite. We don't have much hope with it, though. Shake your booty at last."
Or "Sorry we have to blame you officially. Don't worry. There will be other rounds. China is a paper tiger, with many problems ahead. As broke as us, but we're much closer to a full recovery."
Et caetera...
At anon at 3:20 AM
Right, though the simple fact that foreign people were forcibly enrolled in the Japanese army, and enshrined or buried in Japan (fake or not) as fighters for Japan is enough to upset their country / relatives, being called deities or not.
I don't believe a single second the Japanese authorities have any respect for the enrolled as warriors or anything, they were just slaves in my understanding.
Which doesn't mean a number of Japanese would feel pity for them, just as it was also awful for a number of Japanese to happen to be enrolled in the war to China or elsewhere.
Japan is getting closer and closer to be a facist state. All the sign are there and the US starts to realise as well. Only the Japanese are the only ones who has no clue.
Just to clear up the issue, Yasukuni is NOT a cemetery. It is a Shinto shrine which enshrines the war dead starting back from the Meiji Era. The souls (spirits) enshrined are Shinto gods (deities). Proposals have been made to construct a national non-Shinto memorial site for the war dead. This would mean no deification of the war dead souls (spirits).
Admin wrote:
Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine honors Japan's war dead, as well as leading figures convicted of war crimes.
As noted above, admin, this is not the complete story. The shrine does not only honor the war dead but also deifies them as Shinto gods.
Uh... I didn't write. That's NHK.
Admin:
Thanks. You did highlight however the info that the visit to Yasukuni is to mark the end of WWII.
The purpose of the visit from the Japanese perspective is to honor those deified spirits(souls) enshrined at Yasukuni. This includes those who died in wars beginning with the Meiji Era.
Post a Comment