Comparison - Germany vs Japan
Back in Sept 1999, two federal courts in New Jersey ruled in favor of a German company barring claims of a Slave laborer. Nonetheless, Germany and its industry recognized their responsibility and continued to negotiate.
Though the Nazi regime lost the war, German companies profited from Slave labor. German industrial wealth was 17 times larger After the war than in 1939 by using Slave laborers according to economic historian Dietrich Eichholz.
"We were treated worse than Slaves, you try to keep Slaves alive. We were like sandpaper: used, thrown away and burnt with the garbage."
In August 2000, the Foundation "Remembrance, Responsibility and the Future" was created by the German Government and German companies in recognition of Germany's moral responsibility towards those subjected to Slave labour during the WWII. The Foundation was endowed with Slave Funds of $5.11 Billion Euros, provided in equal parts by the German government and about 6,000 companies of German Industry.
In late 2000, an ambitious Japanese Diet proposed a similar fund to compensate Slaves, closely patterned on the German example. Unfortunately, it went nowhere.
There is also a Polish-German Reconciliation Fund for Poles who were used as guinea pigs in pseudomedical experiments by the Nazis.
"I pay tribute to all those who were subjected to slave and forced labor under German rule, and in the name of the German people beg forgiveness," said Johannes Rau, German president in 2000, "We will not forget their suffering."
To date, Over 1.63 Million Slave victims have received compensation from Germany.
Even professed Neutral Nations like Sweden and Switzerland have had the courage to take a painful look back at their WWII record; 1.25 Billion Swiss Banks Settlement signed in 1999 by the Swiss banks.
Can Japan be allowed to do any less ?
David Harris said "Those nations who hide behind the legal technicality will ultimately find that the wall comes tumbling down."
In Germany, it is a crime to utter what is called "the Auschwitz lie" - denial of the death camps.
In schools, Germany has hammered students with anti-Nazi education and the concept of Zivilcourage.
German leaders consistently apologize for their past aggression in the clearest possible terms. Former Chancellor Willy Brandt once even fell to his knees at the site of the 1943 Warsaw Ghetto Uprising on Dec 7, 1970 in Poland in tribute with the utmost sincerity to those who had died there at the Nazi hands.
Germany has also made generous acts of atonement and has paid 88 Billions Mark in compensation and reparations to Jewish Holocaust victims and will spend another 20 Billions Mark by 2005.
In 1963, president Charles de Gaulle of France and chancellor Konrad Adenauer of West Germany signed a historic treaty which reconciled these historic enemies. Without this, it is doubtful whether the European Union (EU) could have been achieved.
On Jan. 21, 1997, a joint reconciliation treaty was signed that Germany apologized for Hitler's invasion of the former Czechoslovakia, and Czech expressed regrets for the postwar expulsion of 2.5 millions of Sudeten Germans.
Germany has also paid pensions to the Jews in Israel and U.S. who were living in Eastern Europe during WWII since 1995, and German-speaking Canadian Jews since 2003.
German has made January 27th a national Holocaust Remembrance Day for the victims of the Holocaust since 1996. The date was chosen to mark Jan. 27th, 1945, the day Soviet soldiers liberated the Auschwitz concentration camp.
On May 10, 2005 Germany opens a new Holocaust memorial south of the landmark Brandenburg Gate in Berlin, marking the 60th anniversary of the end of war. " Today we open a memorial that recalls Nazi Germany's worst, most terrible crime ...." said parliamentary president Wolfgang Thierse. He added Germany now "faces up to its history".
German students are also required to visit former concentration camps as part of their Holocaust studies.
German Government has bought a former labor camp near Berlin to open a memorial to commemorate Slave laborers in 2006.
German government has made displaying the Swastika and other Nazi symbols illegal in Germany. Now German politicians have called for Nazi symbols to be banned throughout Europe.
German government passed a bill to restrict rallies by neo-Nazis and allow courts to impose sentences of as much as 3 years in prison or a fine on anyone found guilty of approving, glorifying or justifying the Nazi regime in public.
German government has even offered its formal apology for the colonial-era massacre of Herero tribe in Namibia happened 100 years ago.
Oliver Raag is one of many Germans doing volunteer work in Israel to atone for the deeds of their parents and grandparents. She is a German geriatric nurse whose grandfather transported disabled Jews and other Germans to a gas chamber. "The more I learned about that period in German history, the more I wanted to come here to show that there are other Germans who are not like the Nazis,"
UN General Assembly held a special session marking 60th anniversary of liberation of Holocaust Nazi death camps for First Time. Kofi Annan said, "It is essential for all of us to remember, reflect on, and learn from what happened 60 years ago......".
"I express my shame over those who were murdered, and before those of you who have survived the hell of the concentration camps," said German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, "The vast majority of Germans alive today are NOT to blame for the Holocaust, but they DO bear a "Special Responsibility".
German Chancellor paid tribute at the entrance to Auschwitzand and promised that Germany will fulfill its "Moral Obligation" to keep alive the memory of Nazi's crimes.
Germany led a commemoration of 60th anniversary of the liberation of Nazis' Buchenwald Death Camp. "We cannot change History, but this country can learn a lot from the deepest shame of our History," German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder urged the world never to forget the horrors perpetrated by the Nazis, "I bow before you, the victims and their families."
On Mar 16, 2005 German Foreign Minister gave a speech for the "Remembering the Past, Shaping the Future" session and calls the Jerusalem's new Holocaust memorial "A place of 'Deep Shame' for every German, because the name of my country, Germany, is and will forever be inseparably linked to the Shoah, the ultimate crime against Humanity."
Speaking to a special joint sitting of parliament marking the 60 anniversary of the end of the war, Mr Köhler said: "We have the Responsibility to keep alive the memories of all the suffering .... We Germans look back with horror and shame ..... "
German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder implied: Japan Can Learn From Germany saying postwar Berlin had won the respect of its neighbors in how it contended with its Nazi past.
However, attending the 60th anniversary of End of War in stark contrast to an earnest apology by German leader Gerhard Schroeder, at a press conference in Moscow, Koizumi said : Japan has done enough "Self-Examination".
In stark contrast with very active Germany's Schroeder participating in June 6th V-60 celebrations in Europe, Japan’s Koizumi was not invited to participate in any of its neighbor’s Asian V-60 celebrations in 2005.
Why Japanese wartime Apologies Fail - A German Perspective.
German expert: Japan needs to launch self-critical debate on History said Eberhard Sandschneider, Director of the Research Institute of the German Council on Foreign Relations.
A Close Encounter with Hard Japanese Nationalism.
Japan finds itself staring at the Past as it looks into the Future.
While Japanese Yushukan Museum celebrates the Japanese suicidal fighting spirit, the Potsdam exhibit blames the Wehrmacht, Germany's army for bringing shame to the country.
Germany has chosen to examine their history in microscopic details and admit German culpability for the war. By contrast, Japan has long censored textbooks to conceal Japanese atrocities in China and Korea.
Germany has successfully earned back high respect of the world.
Japan must have the courage to do the same and earn back the respect of the world.
Of all the countries on Earth, Japan is the ONLY nation that used ALL 3 WMD in war, i.e. the WMD Biological Weapons, WMD Chemical Weapons, and the addictive WMD Drug, not to mention Nanjing Massacre, Slave Laborers, Sex Slaves etc ....... utterly ignoring international law and Geneva Protocol. It was a Total War - War Without Mercy Against Humanity.
Japanese invented Games of Rape and Massacre, turned Murder into Sport.
"The manner in which these victims met their death was extremely cruel with atrocities of such great magnitude and diversities, so ghastly that it made Nazi's Auschwitz Gas Chamber appear Humane."
In fact, mass murder was carried out systematically by the Japan long before the first Nazi's Auschwitz Gas Chamber were even built.
In Nanjing Massacre :
"Not only did live burials, castration, the carving of organs and the roasting of people become routine, but more diabolical tortures were practiced, such as hanging people by their tongues on iron hooks or burying people to their waists and watching them torn apart by dogs."
"An estimated 20,000 - 80,000 Chinese women were raped. Many soldiers went beyond rape to disembowel women, slice off their breasts, nail them alive to walls. Fathers were forced to rape their daughters, and sons their mothers, as other family members watched."
" Japanese Devils" by Minoru Matsui, is a documentary interviews film with 14 former Japanese soldiers, comparable to Claude Lanzmann's "Shoah". Matsui specifically requested these Japanese soldiers to only talk about their personally involved facts, not anything anecdotal.
In Sarajevo, Matsui introduced his documentary, "Here in Sarajevo, where the scars of war are still vivid in the city's landscape and the hearts of its citizens, I am filled with a range of emotions difficult to put into words," He added that he "never had the courage to ask my father : What did you do during the War ?."
For almost 3 hours, the elderly Japanese veterans list horror after horror. The Sarajevo technician confessed : "Compared to this film, What happened in Sarajevo was like Disney animation."
Yoshio Tsuchiya explained Japan's policy of "Strict Disposal", better known as "Unprovoked Genocide" , the "Three All Policy : Kill All, Burn All, Loot All" , and the "Compulsory Seizure Campaign", better known as "Laborer Hunting" to kidnap Chinese and exported them to Japan as Slaves.
Yoshio Tsuchiya explained the Strict Disposal (genju shobun), "You see, Strict Disposal meant "kill" It was a synonym for murder. With no trial or anything, just kill any Chinese you want." he added, "We didn't think of 'Chinks' as human, they were subhuman."
Taisuke Funyu said, "I completely lost my humanity, I lost my human conscience. I was just like a fiend. The more I killed, the more I began to enjoy it."
Taisuke Funyu admitted to setting fire to whole villages, and in one instances, burning down a house with an incapacitated mother who had just given birth. He heard her "Death Screams".
Yasuji Kaneko described how he and his comrades surrounded and wiped out an entire village, not because it represented a threat, but because they wanted a thrill.
Yoshio Suzuki told how, finding a mother with her newborn baby, he burned both alive in their hut and listened with satisfaction to the screams.
Another game was to force 2 villagers to have Sex and just as the man was about to climax, a soldier would shoot him dead," said Taisuke Funyu, "In the military, the more crimes you commit, the better your record."
"Once you've killed your 2nd or 3rd, you stop thinking about it," Yasuji Kaneko, describing how he grew numb to slaughter after bayonet drills using live Chinese prisoners. "It was ultimately about competition", "So how many you killed becomes a standard of achievement."
"You stop thinking about it. In my mind I was just killing Chinks..... The more I killed, the more I enjoyed it. In the winter the soldiers would start a roaring bonfire, and warm themselves at it by bringing a baby and throwing it into the fire. We'd all stand around and laugh."
Masayo Enomoto said, "There was a young woman in the village, and I raped her. After I did her, I killed her. It then occurred to me that we had no meat. And I could give the troops this meat. I cut her up, taking the best parts, and fed them to the men. It tasted better than pork."
Masayo Enomoto said, "We came across a village full of women. We stripped them and made them lie down along the side of the road. After we raped them we stuffed petrol-soaked rags inside their vaginas and burned them. It was a message to the enemy, but it was also entertainment for us."
Every year on Aug. 15 at noon, Japan's "Day of Armistice", known as the "Day of Surrender", Japanese government calls for a minute of silence "in memory of the more than 3 million who perished in WWII.", But that figure is only Japanese casualties. The rest of Asia's 30 Millions war death are totally ignored in historical amnesia.
Compared with most Shinto shrines, which were founded hundreds of years ago, the Japanese Yasukuni Shrine was a relatively recent affair. It was built by the Imperial Order of the Meiji Emperor in 1869 for the sole purpose to glorify Japan's imperialism. During WWII, Japanese Militarists took over the shrine. Yasukuni is a military war memorial to glorify its brutal past, anything but a symbol of peace. It grounds in central Tokyo include a museum devoted to glorifying Japanese militarism as a noble cause that tried to liberate Asia.
Ironically, Japanese Emperor Meiji, whose name Meiji originated from "Yi Jing (I Ching) " , A Chinese Classic , also took the name Yasukuni from a phrase in "Chunqiu Zuoshi Zhuan " (Shunju Sashiden) , another Chinese Classic , meaning "Bringing Peace to a Nation."
War / Colonial Brutal Invasion / Enshrined:
Meiji Restoration - 7,751
South-West War - 6,971
War against China - 1874
Taiwan Punitive Expedition
( Taiwan Mudan Invasion ) - 1,130
War against China - 1894
Sino-Japanese War - 13,619
War against China - 1900
Boxer Rebellion - 1,256
War inside China - 1904
Russo-Japanese War - 88,429
21 Demands - 1915
First World War - 4,850
War against China - 1928
Jinan Incident
( 53 Jinan Massacre ) - 185
War against China - 1931
Manchurian Incident
( 918 Invasion ) - 17,176
War against China - 1937
China Incident
( 77 Marco Polo Bridge Full Invasion ) - 191,250
War against China - 1941
Great East Asian War
( Asia Invasion WWII ) - 2,133,915
Total War Dead Enshrined : 2,466,532
Of the 11 wars listed above, most of the Japanese wars were fought to invade and colonize China. The Russian-Japanese War was fought inside China in 1904 to determine who had more "Rights" to colonize China, ended with Treaty of Portsmouth.
Just a few paces from where Japanese PM Koizumi dropped a coin and prayed, is the Yasukuni museum. The museum portrays Japan as both the martyr and savior of Asia to drive "the foreign barbarians", to liberate and protect Asia from Russian Bolshevism and European colonialism. Pearl Harbor was "forced" by "a plot" by President Roosevelt. Japanese-led massacres, Korean comfort women, Chinese sex slaves, or tortured PoWs are not mentioned.
The Yasukuni Museum display shows Japan as a victim of a conspiracy by Western colonial powers and Japan was forced into war in self-defence to bring peace to Asia.
In a Museum film, Pearl Harbor is described as a "battle for Japan's survival," while one exhibit blames the 1937 Nanjing Massacre on the Chinese leaders who fled the city while ordering their men to fight to the death. After the fall of Nanjing to the Japanese, the museum notes, "the Chinese citizens were once again able to live their lives in peace."
The Museum also displays the first engine that travelled the infamous 415 km Railway of Death - Thai-Burma Railway without mentioning the savage death of 16,000 PoWs and 100,000 Asian Slaves, described by Cameron Forbes in his book Hellfire as " built on the Bones of the Dead", i.e. 300 death for each mile.
WWII is called "the Greater East Asian War", invasion of China is described as "China Incident". The Museum displays a reconstructed Zero fighter and the Short Sword used by Gen. Korechika Anami who advocated to continue the War even after the 2 Atomic Bombs.
Okinori Kaya, a Class-A War Criminal for life imprisonment, paroled in 1955, and became Justice Minister. He was instrumental in getting a bill to the Diet that, if passed, would have turned Yasukuni into a national shrine. He kept the bill alive through 5 rejections until finally giving up in 1974. However,
in 1959, Yasukuni Shrine began to enshrine Class-B and Class-C war criminals. It had secretly enshrined 1,068 WWII Criminals including 14 CLASS-A War Criminals in 1978. News of the secret enshrinement caused an uproar when it leaked out 6 months later.
In Seoul, Kim Yun-ok said, "The Japanese soldiers enshrined at Yasukuni Shrine are the very ones who Raped our grandmothers."
More than 86 % of the enshrined Japanese soldiers were from WWII. Private Tadokoro Kozo of the 114th division said in 1971 interview, " There wasn't . ANY . soldier who didn't Rape. After things were done, usually we killed them ..... We didn't want to leave any trouble behind ....."
Nearly 21,000 war dead from Korea and 28,000 from Taiwan, most of them forced into war service under Japan's colonial rule, are enshrined at Yasukuni without their families' permission. The Taiwanese arrived in Tokyo said they want their relatives' names removed from memorial plaques there because it is "morally unpardonable that Murderers and Victims are honored at the SAME place."
In the past 3 years, Taiwanese went to Tokyo 7 times to protest against Yasukuni Shrine, demanding de-enshrinement of their family member of the forcibly conscripted war dead, insisting that "We are not Japanese ! We are the Victims of Japanese war crimes !", but without success in liberating their enslaved ancestral souls.
The "Return the Souls of our Forebears" protest delegation has come to the U.N. and brought with them are 2 old books that record the Japanese army employed the extreme brutal "Three All Policy : Burn All, Loot All, Kill All" in 1913 and 1914 against the Taiwan Aborigines who were resisting the invaders. A Japanese military photographic team followed the fighting, compiled its photographs into these " Pictorial Albums of the Punitive Expedition" and submitted them to the Japanese War Ministry as evidence of the army's "great military achievements".
The 2 albums now serve as undeniable proof of the Japanese army's war crimes. During its invasion and 51-year occupation of Taiwan, Japan killed more than 600,000 Taiwanese people, including large numbers of Aborigines.
For people in Asia, Yasukuni Shrine is a symbol of Japan's brutal militaristic past.
It is also a symbol of Japan's failure as a nation to collectively face its past war responsibilities.
It is not that the Asian do not want to forgive the Japanese. Unfortunately, it is many of the Japanese do not think they need to be forgiven.
Since the war, only Japanese Prime Minister, Yasuhiro Nakasone in 1985 and Ryutaro Hashimoto in 1996, have made the visit, only once. The torrent of protest was enough to persuade them not to make another. However, Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi, drawing sharp criticism from other Asian countries, made his official tribute to the war Yasukuni Shrine the 5th time on Oct. 18, 2005 since he became prime minister.
Under Article 11 of San Francisco Peace Treaty, Japanese government was to "accept the judgements" of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East. Japanese government officials to a shrine that has deified war criminals violates the spirit of the Peace Treaty.
Japan has not yet signed the convention for the International Criminal Court, which tries War Criminals.
What is wrong about Koizumi's visits to Yasukuni Shrine to grieve for those who gave their lives for their country in the past war ? Here is the answer.
First in Feb., Japanese Osaka District Court ruled that the Koizumi's visit was made NOT as a private citizen but in his official capacity.
Then in Apr. 2004, Japanese Fukuoka District Court ruled that Koizumi's visit to Yasukuni Shrine has violated Constitution because it violated the separation of state and religion.
Also in Sept 30, 2005 Osaka High Court ruled Koizumi's shrine visits were a religious activity and Un-Constitutional. The Un-Constitutional Ruling stands since the Japanese government cannot appeal to the Supreme Court.
In fact, the question of Constitution was settled in 1991 when Sendai High Court ruled that an official Yasukuni visit by a PM or the Emperor was Un-Constitutional under Article 20 of the national charter.
Koizumi defied logic, insisting that neighboring countries would not be offended by his Un-Constitutional shrine visits.
The visits marked a further step in the resurrection and legitimisation of the symbols of Japan’s Militarism.
Imagine if German government publicly denied Nazi's war crimes and flatly refused to offer true apology and compensation to the victims, then Chancellor of Germany went to a Nazi shrine and paid tribute to Hitler, and Goebbels, and telling the world it's just for peace,
Do you think U.S., Britain and other countries will remain silent ?
Imagine if current German government adopt the Nazi's song and Swastika as their National anthem and flag, and then honor Hitler by making his birthday as a National Holiday,
Do you think U.S., Britain and other countries will remain silent ?
Japan has done exactly that.
Since 1999, the playing of the Imperial Japanese notorious militarism anthem Kimigayo (His Majesty's Reign) and the flying of the notorious militarism Hinomaru (Rising Sun) flag, have been compulsory at Japanese school ceremonies, but many teachers refuse to toe the line and filed a lawsuit taking the Tokyo education board to court. Kazuhisa Suzuki, who teaches civics at a high school in Kanagawa Prefecture, said: " It's as though Germany brought back the Nazi Swastika and forced teachers to stand for it. If teachers don't fight it, who will ? " Japan’s patriotic revival. Last year 243 teachers were punished for not honouring the notorious Militaristic flag and 67 reprimanded for not ordering students to sing the notorious anthem. You cannot force them to sing it in Japan, or to listen in London.
Kimiko Nezu has been punished by frequent transfers and salary cuts. She was transferred 4 times in 5 years, often to schools 2 hours from her home. Nezu is now allowed to teach only when another teacher is present. Officials warned that another offense could lead to her dismissal after 34 years of teaching. Neru, supported by pacifist groups and Teachers Union, has fought back by filing lawsuits against the moves; she has lost one, and at least 4 other cases are pending.
"I feel as if freedom to question authority is being quashed just as it was during the war years," she said "But I will never stand for that song, the same one that played when we were invading Asia. Never."
However, Japanese Emperor opposes compulsory flag, anthem in schools.
U.S., Britain and other countries remain thundering SILENT.
Minoru Morita, a Tokyo-based political analyst said, "These days we very often hear more experts say publicly that the U.S. wants such adversary relationship between China and Japan and that's why they remain SILENT."
Western apathy to Japanese WWII atrocities
In ironically speechless vivid contrast, Harry, son of Britain's Prince Charles and 3rd in line to the throne, drew a storm of world wide protest by wearing costume with a Nazi Swastika armband to a birthday party. Prince has ordered his son to visit Auschwitz concentration camp. Harry said he was sorry, "It was a poor choice of costume and I apologize".
German government has made displaying the Swastika and other Nazi symbols illegal in Germany. Germany would have tried Prince Harry for Nazi prank. Now, German politicians have called for Nazi symbols to be banned throughout Europe.
After the war, under the Cover-Up of State-Terrorism by U.S. against Humanity, U.S. granted immunity to the Emperor Hirohito. But many insist he was intimately involved in the planning and should be ultimately responsible for the Japan's inhuman brutal past. That was why after his death in 1989, his birthday was only marked as an ambiguous holiday called "Greenery Day", an oblique reference to his passion for plants.
The book "Hirohito and the Making of Modern Japan" by Herbert P. Bix, a historian who teaches at Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo, reveals information on the degree to which the U.S. government systematically deceived the whole world. Evidences show that senior aides to Gen. Douglas MacArthur and Japanese court officials schemed to fix testimony at the Tokyo War Crimes Trials so as not to implicate Hirohito.
Using official records that will be difficult for the Emperor's apologists to refute, Bix shows Hirohito as commander in chief of the Imperial military, was deeply involved in the day to day management of Japan's military aggression and knew all the war crimes in China, and involved deeply in early strategic decisions as Japan's army marched through China, approved an alliance with Hitler and Mussolini, and the plan to attack Pearl Harbor. To reassess the Emperor's new clothes, "The Hirohito diaries should be made public," says Japanese Diet member Taro Kono.
"Why, in this 60th Anniversary of the End of War, do we have to create a Showa Day ?" Seiji Mataichi, Japanese upper house lawmaker who opposed the bill asked.
Wartime Emporer Hirohito's Apr 29 birthday, the ambiguous "Greenery Day" a national holiday will be renamed as the "Showa Day" that will explicitly glorify Japan's brutal militaristic past.
It is a speechless irony to the whole Asia : the name of Hirohito's reign " Showa " , is originated from " Shu Jing " , A Chinese Classic , which means "Enlightened Peace".
Nearly 21,000 war dead from Korea and 28,000 from Taiwan, most of them forced into war service under Japan's colonial rule, are enshrined at Yasukuni without their families' permission. The Taiwanese arrived in Tokyo said they want their relatives' names removed from memorial plaques there because it is "morally unpardonable that Murderers and Victims are honored at the SAME place."
In the past 3 years, Taiwanese went to Tokyo 7 times to protest against Yasukuni Shrine, demanding de-enshrinement of their family member of the forcibly conscripted war dead, insisting that "We are not Japanese ! We are the Victims of Japanese war crimes !", but without success in liberating their enslaved ancestral souls.
The "Return the Souls of our Forebears" protest delegation has come to the U.N. and brought with them are 2 old books that record the Japanese army employed the extreme brutal "Three All Policy : Burn All, Loot All, Kill All" in 1913 and 1914 against the Taiwan Aborigines who were resisting the invaders. A Japanese military photographic team followed the fighting, compiled its photographs into these " Pictorial Albums of the Punitive Expedition" and submitted them to the Japanese War Ministry as evidence of the army's "great military achievements".
The 2 albums now serve as undeniable proof of the Japanese army's war crimes. During its invasion and 51-year occupation of Taiwan, Japan killed more than 600,000 Taiwanese people, including large numbers of Aborigines.
Japan is responsible for the death of 30 Millions in Asia, including Americans. Japanese government thumbs its nose at the survivors by denying its legal and moral responsibilities and then honors the perpetrators i.e. 1,068 War Criminals including 14 CLASS-A war criminals secretly enshrined in the Yasukuni Shrine in 1978. News of the secret enshrinement caused an uproar when it leaked out 6 months later.
In Seoul, Kim Yun-ok said, "The Japanese soldiers enshrined at Yasukuni Shrine are the very ones who Raped our grandmothers."
More than 86 % of the enshrined Japanese soldiers were from WWII. Private Tadokoro Kozo of the 114th division said in 1971 interview, " There wasn't . ANY . soldier who didn't Rape. After things were done, usually we killed them ..... We didn't want to leave any trouble behind ....."
Again, U.S., Britain and other countries remain thundering SILENT.
Minoru Morita, a Tokyo-based political analyst said, "These days we very often hear more experts say publicly that the U.S. wants such adversary relationship between China and Japan and that's why they remain SILENT."
Western apathy to Japanese WWII atrocities
Double Standard ... Evil Cover-Up ... Evil Conspiracy ... or Axis of ... ?
German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder said, "The vast majority of Germans alive today are NOT to blame for the Holocaust, but they DO bear a "Special Responsibility".
German Chancellor paid tribute at the entrance to Auschwitzand and promised that Germany will fulfill its "Moral Obligation" to keep alive the memory of Nazi's crimes.
Germany led a commemoration of 60th anniversary of the liberation of Nazis' Buchenwald Death Camp. "We cannot change History, but this country can learn a lot from the deepest shame of our History," German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder urged the world never to forget the horrors perpetrated by the Nazis, "I bow before you, the victims and their families."
On Mar 16, 2005 German Foreign Minister gave a speech for the "Remembering the Past, Shaping the Future" session and calls the Jerusalem's new Holocaust memorial "A place of 'Deep Shame' for every German, because the name of my country, Germany, is and will forever be inseparably linked to the Shoah, the ultimate crime against Humanity."
Speaking to a special joint sitting of parliament marking the 60 anniversary of the end of the war, Mr Köhler said: "We have the Responsibility to keep alive the memories of all the suffering .... We Germans look back with horror and shame ..... "
German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder implied: Japan Can Learn From Germany saying postwar Berlin had won the respect of its neighbors in how it contended with its Nazi past.
However, attending the 60th anniversary of End of War in stark contrast to an earnest apology by German leader Gerhard Schroeder, at a press conference in Moscow, Koizumi said : Japan has done enough "Self-Examination".
In stark contrast with very active Germany's Schroeder participating in June 6th V-60 celebrations in Europe, Japan’s Koizumi was not invited to participate in any of its neighbor’s Asian V-60 celebrations in 2005.
Why Japanese wartime Apologies Fail - A German Perspective.
German expert: Japan needs to launch self-critical debate on History said Eberhard Sandschneider, Director of the Research Institute of the German Council on Foreign Relations.
A Close Encounter with Hard Japanese Nationalism.
Japan finds itself staring at the Past as it looks into the Future.
Remorseless Japan has virtually paid nothing for its horrific war crimes and continues to maintain an innocence that contrasts vividly with Germany's profound self-examination.
For 60 years, the Japanese have danced and dodged around the edges of their War Crimes and Atrocities.
Ironically, Japanese War Crimes cover-up is, in fact, a Cover-Up of State-Terrorism by U.S. against Humanity -- an U.S. "With-Us or Against-Us" mockery to its own war against Terrorism.
Backed and Cover-Up of State-Terrorism by U.S. against Humanity, Japan is now seeking its ultimate seal of legitimacy for its current resurgence of Militarism : a permanent seat on the U.N. Security Council.
Fumiko Nakamura, a 91-year-old former public school teacher, can't shake the profound remorse she feels. Ms. Nakamura used to exhort her students to fight for the Emperor. She is deeply ashamed of her involvement in the war. " I will carry this sin as long as I live," she says.
As Japan expands its military roles abroad, her voice has grown louder. Now that some Japanese leaders want to turn the "Self-Defense Forces" into Full-Fledged Military, 91-years-old woman has become more vocal than ever. "I see certain parallels between present situations in Japan and in the pre-war period," she warns.
Noriaki Kamiya, a high school social studies teacher in Nagoya. Rather than hiding his family history, Kamiya talked about it in his classroom and around Japan. At first he referred to his father obliquely, as an "acquaintance."
But in 1995, a young Diet member declared that her generation bore no responsibility for wartime atrocities, and he sees worrying signs of a revival of the same kind of nationalistic thinking. So he began speaking openly. " Japan has emphasized the part of Japanese as victims, such as in Hiroshima. But it hasn't touched the shameful parts." said Kamiya.
The Asia Peace Alliance of Japan in Japan which has support from 64 organizations warned that nationalism is on the rise and more should be done to prevent the younger generation from thinking that Japanese militarism is the way to go.
"Everything I hear these days makes me really upset," said Sunao Tsuboi, now 80 was a university student when the bomb exploded over Hiroshima, "I get a strong feeling that Japan is leaning to the right, that we're going down a road that we've been down before," His face still visibly scarred from the atomic burns and is worried Japan may again be headed down the path of militarism.
Kinhide Mushakoji, Professor of Osaka University of Economics and Law, said: "Now we're part of the west and millitarizing in support of the American government. People think it's right, That's what's really the problem I'm concerned about."
Taking advantage of US war against Terrorism, ironically, instead of self-defense, Japan dispatched its Self-Defence warships for the FIRST TIME in the postwar period to Afghanistan; and then sent its Self-Defence troops to combat zone for the FIRST TIME to Iraq, to help fighting Terrorism.
It is a speechless mockery to its own Cover-Up of extreme State-Terrorism committed during 14 years brutal WWII.
Japan with a history of aggression, crimes against Humanity, with NO signs of remorse, does NOT deserve to be a permanent member on the UN Security Council.
Falsification of History Textbook
The recent very strong reactions, i.e. large scale of protests against Japan and millions signed the online petition to U.N., from the people of Asia, especially from China and S.Korea, have shown that even though the war ended in Asia 60 years ago, the bitter issue of Japanese War Crimes committed before and during that war has clearly not been resolved.
But, vandalism is never an appropriate way to express one's anger. The violence against Japanese people and property is absolutely wrong because the Japanese Government does NOT equal to the Japanese People. One can despise a Government, but never dis-respect their people.
In fact, in the past years, it is the conscientious and courageous Japanese individuals, historians, lawyers, human rights activists, pacifists, teachers, doctors and former Japanese soldiers who brought forward many of the War Crime Cases against their own government. Some are even risking their own lives. They have contributed the most and donated much time and money to help the Chinese and Korean victims.
The Textbook was first approved by Japanese Government screening panel 4 years ago and had already caused extensive outcry in 2001 from neighbouring WWII vicitimized countries. China condemned Japan 'absurd' rewrite of WWII in 2001. Japanese education ministry said 137 changes had been made after widespread protests from Korea and China in 2001.
Dec. 2000 Appeal by Japanese Historians and History Educators - We cannot entrust History Education to a Textbook that distorts History.
Though given away for free, the Government approved nationalist New History Textbook is used only by 18 junior high schools. But it has caused outrages and been denounced by many Japanese conscientious educators and liberals in Japan.
It also underscores a disturbing broader trend in recent years. Japan's largest national newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun has called on its readers to celebrate the new Textbooks of cutting out all mentions about the Sex Slaves.
" All history textbooks are shifting their focus away from Japan's wartime atrocities," said Mikio Someya, spokesman for Japan Teachers' Association, the leading teachers' union in Japan.
"They are approved because their contents reflect the views of the government and conservative ruling party members." said Yoshifumi Tawara, who heads Children and Textbooks Japan Network 21.
The 2005 revised edition of Japanese History textbook distorts even more than the 2001 Edition: excises all mention of Sex Slaves, portraying Japan as more victim than aggressor; claims Japan had "no choice" but to occupy the Korea;
The new textbook questions Nanjing Massacre and says China provoked war : downplaying "21 Humiliating Demands".
Although still suffering as a Western colonial victim, during W.W.I, China nearly 100,000 laborers to help the allies in France; about 2,500 died. At end of W.W.I at the peace conference in Paris, China requested: do away with the privileges of imperialist foreign countries in China, cancel the Japanese "21 Humiliating Demands", take back the privileges in Shandong that Japan had taken from Germany.
However, not willing to give up their forced colonial privileges, U.S., Britain and France rejected China's demands. Instead, Article 156 of Treaty of Versailles transferred German concessions in Shandong, China to Japan rather than returning sovereign authority to China.
China refused to sign the Treaty of Versailles, compounded with the Japanese 21 Humiliating Demands led directly to the first mass movement in modern Chinese history, i.e. the famous First Chinese university student movement : May 4th Movement in Beijing in 1919 and triggered a nationwide Boycott of Japanese Goods. The movement also ignited a wave of searching efforts by the intellectuals for a solution to save China from foreign colonial powers. Some advocated gradual cultural reform, while others introduced Marxism and led to the birth of the Communist Party.
15 Japanese civic groups issued a statement, " The 'dangerous' contents filling the Textbook as a whole have not changed in any essential way. There are even parts that have been revised for the worse.", down playing Nanjing Massacre, ignoring Sex Slaves, depicting Japan as aimed at liberating other Asian countries.
The Textbook has been a big problem in Japan since end of war, 32 Years History Textbook Legal Battle for details.
Recently, Japanese civic groups ran an advertisement in the Yomiuri Shimbun calling on people to reject the new textbooks
The Root cause of the bitterness is NOT the History Textbook or the bidding of U.N. Security Council which are only the triggering factors. The Real Root Cause is the Cover-Up of State-Terrorism by U.S. again Humanity. It is also the Real Solution for the people in Asia because Without the Cover-up, Japan will have to Naturally and Willingly follow the great example set by the courageous Germany.
WEF founder and executive chairman Klaus Schwab warned Asia of the Risk of Un-Digested History, " Coming from Europe where a reconciliation process has taken place, we have today a clear "European Identity", parallel to our National Identity. This has not happened here in this region. We speak a lot about Asia, but where is the "Asian Identity" ?
The "Asian Identity" could only be achieved through the only path available, i.e. through truly sincere apology, compensation, and forgiveness.
Only then, the people of Asia can truly live peacefully and harmoniously together, and only then their Asian dream of an Union similar to the European Union (EU) could be realized in the future.
Here are some specific examples in the Japanese New Junior High School History Textbooks in 2002. and Tortuous tangles over Japanese textbooks
For details, refer to Children and Textbooks Japan Network 21
1. References to "Comfort Women" have disappeared from 4 out of 7 companies' product (if we include The Society's textbooks, it would bring it to 5 out of 8 companies). Furthermore, even in those companies who have retained references to "Comfort Women", only 2 of them place those references in the "15 Year Japan-China War, Asia-Pacific War" section; the remaining company only refers to "Comfort Women" in the "Postwar Compensation" section. In addition, only 1 company actually uses the term "Comfort Women" (ianfu), while the other 2 refer to "comfort stations" (ian shisetsu). Incidentally, the 4 companies that removed "Comfort Women" references currently dominate 80% of the market.
2. References to the Nanjing Massacre (Nanjing Incident) have also been considerably rolled back. Firstly, out of 4 companies that used the term "Nanjing Massacre", 2 have switched to the term "Nanjing Incident", Three of those companies formerly used the term "massacre" in the text, but all of them now refer to "murder" (satsugai) or "killing" (koroshita). Furthermore, while at present 6 companies refer to the numbers killed, only 2 will continue to do so, while the others will replace numbers with phrases such as "large numbers (were killed"), "many (were killed"), "a lot (were killed") (one even obligingly provides a qualifying footnote explaining that there is no agreement on the number of casualties).
3. On the Three-All Policy (Kill All, Loot All, Burn All), although 5 companies used to refer to it, only 1 will continue to do so in future, moreover the one company that referred to "Unit 731" will no longer do so.
4. References to the Battle of Okinawa have also regressed. From two pages to one, from ten lines to two and a half without its own sub-heading, from seven lines to five, from seven lines to four etc, with altogether 4 companies reducing the space allocated to this topic. In addition, 2 companies have omitted references to the number of civilians killed by the Japanese army and to "Group Suicides".
Okinawa Battle had killed approx. 100,000 Japanese soldiers (including local Okinawa conscripts), 12,000 US soldiers, and 100,000 - 150,000 Okinawans civilians. About 1/3 of the population of island were killed. Total death in the Battle of Okinawa is more than the Atomic Bombs of Nagasaki and Hiroshima combined.
An military order was also issued by the Japanese commander of the 32nd Army Headquarters: "Only standard Japanese is to be spoken. Anyone speaking the Okinawan dialect is to be executed as a spy." The Okinawan culture were oppressed and people were forced into the war by Japan.
Japanese historian Ishihara Masaie has pointed out the following factors contributing to the unusual high Okinawa civilian deaths by Japanese Army :
* Okinawa civilians were tortured and killed as spies by Japanese.
* Okinawa civilians were forced or made believed into "Group Suicides" (shûdan jiketsu). They were brain-washed and believed they would be tortured, raped and killed if fall into the hands of enemy. They either took their own lives directly with the distributed hand grenades, cyanide, jumped off the Suicide Cliff, or were killed by family member, close relative or friend as part of "Group Suicides".
It was for this reason that Japanese historian Ienaga Saburo argued that the large number of "Group Suicides" should also be included in the number of Okinawa civilians killed by the Japanese Army.
Kinjo Shigeaki, an Okinawa boy who had just turned 16 at war time, describes a typical scene in the book "Japan at War: An Oral History". He described a man "had that stick in his hands, he turned into a madman. Striking his wife and children over and over again, bludgeoning them to death. That was the beginning of the tragedy I saw. As if by a chain reaction, it spread from one family to the next. We all must die that way. Everyone seemed to think so. People began to raise their hands against their loved ones......."
"My memory tells me the first one we laid hands on was Mother. Those who had blades, or scythes, cut their wrists or severed arteries in their necks. Be we didn't do it that way. We might have used a string. When we raised our hands against the mother who bore us, we wailed in our grief. I remember that. In the end we must have used stones. To the head. We took care of mother that way. Then my brother and I turned on our younger sister. Hell engulfed us there........"
When the Battle of Okinawa was ending, no wonder the surrender of large numbers of Japanese soldiers was so shocking to the Okinawa civilians in disbelief.
* Okinawa civilians were driven out of their shelters by Japanese army.
* Okinawa civilians were robbed of their food by Japanese army.
* Japanese soldiers poisoned, stabbed, or strangled many small Okinawa children to death to prevent their noise of alerting US forces to their locations. Japanese soldier often pointed rifle at Okinawan mother and ordered her to kill her baby.
* Okinawa civilians were forced evacuations to malaria-infested areas by Japanese.
* Japanese moved their military command posts to areas occupied by the Okinawa civilian evacuees.
5. There are deliberate revisions of terminology, such as "advance" (shinshitsu) instead of "invasion".
6. The reality of colonial domination is treated in vague terms, and references to aggression in Asia are greatly reduced.
After watching an unedited footage of the Battle of Okinawa from the National Archives in Washington in Hawaii, one elderly woman told Fumiko Nakamura, a 91-year-old former public school teacher that she had been reluctant to see a "Jap movie" about the war. But after Seeing the suffering of Okinawans, however, she had changed her mind. " You should show this all over the world," she said.