Tokyo Protests Anti-Japan Rallies in China

NY Times ^ | April 11, 2005 | NORIMITSU ONISHI

[neverdem]

TOKYO, April 10 - Japan lodged a formal protest against China on Sunday after violent anti-Japanese demonstrations in Beijing, even as marches in front of Japanese government offices and businesses widened to southern China.

The Japanese foreign minister, Nobutaka Machimura, summoned the Chinese ambassador, Wang Yi, here on Sunday morning. Afterward, Mr. Wang said the Chinese government condemned the demonstrations on Saturday in which protesters threw rocks at the Japanese Embassy in Beijing and vandalized Japanese businesses.

"We formally demanded China's apology and compensation," Mr. Machimura said after the meeting, adding that Mr. Wang had not apologized.

As the two men talked, however, thousands of Chinese demonstrators reportedly marched on the Japanese Consulate in Guangzhou and staged anti-Japanese demonstrations in Shenzhen, both in southern China. The ptotests over the weekend were described by the news media here as the biggest anti-Japanese protests in China since diplomatic relations between the countries were normalized in 1972.

The marches have set off a steep decline in the already troubled diplomatic relations between Asia's big powers and threatened to harm their important economic relationship. Japan has recently adopted a more assertive foreign policy, and its relations with South Korea have deteriorated as well, so the dispute with China could leave Japan isolated in Asia.

Its simultaneous disputes with China and South Korea, two countries invaded and occupied by Japan, have been rooted in differences over the past, including the approval last week of Japanese junior high school textbooks that critics in and outside Japan say whitewash Japanese militarism. But the fight over the past has also crystallized into a fight over the future, as South Korea and China have each moved to oppose Japan's effort to win a permanent seat on an expanded United Nations Security Council.

South Korea's ambassador to the United Nations, Kim Sam Hoon, recently said that "a country that does not have the trust of its neighboring countries because of its lack of reflection on the past" could not play the "role of a world leader." In China, the marchers were protesting Japan's effort to gain a Security Council seat as well as the textbooks.

The Ministry of Education's approval of textbooks that contain significant revisions of painful historical events is one of a number of signs of a rightward shift here.

The textbooks, for example, play down the issue of the so-called wartime comfort women, Asian women forced by the Japanese military to work as sex slaves, as well as the issue of Asians brought to Japan to be forced laborers.

The new textbooks avoid mentioning any figures about the Nanking massacre in China, in which 100,000 to 300,000 Chinese were killed by Japanese soldiers.

South Korea was particularly incensed that the textbooks categorically stated that islets claimed by both countries, called Takeshima here and Tokdo in South Korea, belonged to Japan and were illegally occupied by South Korea.

In another point of contention, China has demanded that Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of Japan stop visiting the Yasukuni Shrine, where war criminals are enshrined.

China also condemned Japan for recently pledging to join the United States in defending Taiwan against China.

Japanese politicians, however, have dismissed the complaints of China and South Korea, saying they are trying to exploit the past to keep Japan from claiming its rightful place in the world. Shinzo Abe, the acting secretary general of the governing Liberal Democratic Party, said Sunday that anger at social problems in China, including widening income gaps, was really behind the weekend marches.

"Japan is an outlet to vent that anger," Mr. Abe said in an appearance on the "Sunday Project" television program.

"Since the Tiananmen incident, these kinds of demonstrations were severely restricted, but the authorities tolerated these kinds of anti-Japanese gatherings, and the people themselves used these anti-Japanese marches," he said. "Because of the anti-Japanese education there, it's easy to light the fire of these demonstrations and, because of the Internet, it's easy to assemble a lot of people."

China's and South Korea's complaints have only strengthened the hands of conservative politicians like Mr. Abe or Shintaro Ishihara, the governor of Tokyo, who take an unapologetic stance toward Japan's neighbors.

Under Mr. Ishihara, whose views were regarded as extremist only a few years ago but are now mainstream, the Tokyo metropolitan government has for the second year punished teachers who refused to stand and sing "Kimigayo," the national anthem, a symbol of militarism to many inside and outside the country, or refused to force their students to do so. During this spring's graduation ceremonies, 53 such teachers were punished.

In another telling sign of Japan's growing nationalism, Green Day, now celebrated on April 29, will almost certainly be renamed "Showa Day" soon to commemorate the birthday of the late Emperor Hirohito, who led Japan during its conquest of Asia and who is a revered symbol of Japanese rightists.

The previously named Emperor's Day was changed to Green Day in 1989, after Hirohito's death, partly in consideration of Asian sensitivities. Two attempts in the last five years to rename the holiday for Hirohito failed.

[BenLurkin]

It seems the Red Chinese want a shooting war and won't be satisfied until they get it.

[cmsgop]

Very Interesting this whole Thingy™..........

[Brian328i]

Go Japan! Arm up and give China a little taste of what is to come if they don't listen up now.

[Flavius]

what these two nations, these two diverse and rich culture need are UCLU and affirmative action programs to you know get along

maybe some outcome based education as well, maybe also an Oprah special on harmony with the zen masters

they should just go nuclear on each other and get it over with
for the rest of us

[AmericanInTokyo]

Yes. Wouldn't that just be wonderful.

[JeffersonRepublic.com]

"Arm up and give China a little taste of what is to come if they don't listen up now."

I sure hope the U.S. can avoid getting involved. We should state very loud that we will avoid trade with both sides if war breaks out.

[Flavius]

well cant live forever

[neverdem]

ping

[TapTheSource]

This is all happening because (contrary to Communist plans) Japan sided with the US (and against Red China) over the issue of Taiwan. The Communists were counting on Japan staying neutral. The protests are being stoked by the Communists both in Red China and South Korea. I just hope the average South Korean and Japanese citizen isn't falling for this shameful and disingenuous Communist ploy to use the past in order to bring Japan into line in the present.

BTW, a number of knowledgeable South Korean friends of mine strongly suspect that the current president of South Korea is himself a Communist. I don't know about the rest of my fellow FReepers, but given the recent behavior of President KIM Dae-jung, their arguments are starting to sound more and more plausible.

[TapTheSource]

Ping!

Smirnov, how's that Golitsyn book coming???

[sushiman]

" We formally demanded China's apology and compensation,"

That's a laugh ...The Koreans and Chinese have been waiting for an apology and for compensation for WW2 atrocities , slavery and forced prostitution fpr 50 years ...

[Wudan Master]

To the Chinese people, the concept of FAMILY is very very strong

I guess what they are saying to the Japanese Govt is " you cannot cover up and white wash all the terrible things your ancestors did to my ancestors, otherwise, NO MORE friendship..."

[AmericanInTokyo]

Classic divide and conquer strategy, isn't it. The communists in China, in North Korea and in South Korea, all gang up, and tell Japan and the US to shove it, both jointly and on separate issues.

The timing is impeccible.

So much for the six party talks on North Korean nukes.

So much for a united front against North Korea. They are getting exactly what they want. Fissures between D.C. and Seoul. Between Seoul and Tokyo. Between Tokyo and D.C. if possible (they will find something).

We ought to get it over with and form a mighty land, air and sea military Great East Asia Freedom Zone, an Axis of Freedom, of Tokyo, Washington, and Taipei (with New Delhi is an observer/supporter). South Korea can join when they finally get rid of their socialist President.

[TapTheSource]

Very well said. Please add me to your ping list (if you have one)!!!

[TapTheSource]

Anatoly Golitsyn on the main objectives of the phony collapse of Communism:

---

‘PERESTROIKA’, THE FINAL PHASE: ITS MAIN OBJECTIVES (Taken from declassified 1989 Memo to the CIA)

‘The new method sees ‘perestroika’, not as a surprising and spontaneous change, but as the logical result of thirty years of preparation and as the next and final phase of the strategy: it sees it in a broader context than Soviet ‘openness’ has revealed.’

‘It sees it, not only as a renewal of Soviet society, but as a global strategic design for ‘restructuring’ the entire capitalist world.’

‘The following strategic objectives of ‘perestroika’ may be distinguished:

For the USSR
(a) ‘Restructuring’ and revitalization of the Soviet socialist economy through the incorporation of some elements of the market economy.
(b) ‘Restructuring’ of the Stalinist regime into a form of ‘Communist democracy’ with an appearance of political pluralism [= ‘democratism’, or false democracy].
(c) ‘Reconsructing’ a repressive regime with a brutal face into an attractive socialist model with a human façade and seeming similarity to the Swedish social democratic system.’

For Eastern Europe

‘Economic and political ‘restructuring’ of the existing regimes into pseudo-social democratic models while preserving specific national historical features such as the strong Catholic Socialist tradition in Poland and the pre-war democratic tradition in Czechoslovakia.’

For Western Europe

(a) ‘Bringing about a new political alliance between the pseudo-social democratic regimes in the USSR and Eastern Europe and the Euro-Communist parties and genuine social democratic parties in Western Europe.
(b) ‘Restructuring’ political and military blocs—NATO and the Warsaw Pact—and the creation of a singe ‘Europe from the Atlantic to the Urals’ incorporating a reunited, neutral Germany.’

For the main US alliances

(a) ‘Splitting the United States, Western Europe and Japan.
(b) Dissolution of NATO and the US-Japan security pact, and the withdrawal of US troops from Western Europe and Japan.’

For Third World countries

‘The introduction and promotion of a new Soviet model with a mixed economy and a human face in Latin America, Africa and Asia through a joint campaign by the pseudo-social democratic regimes of the USSR and Eastern Europe and the genuine social democrats of Western Europe led by the Socialist International.’

For the United States

(a) ‘To neutralize the influence of the anti-Communist political right in the American political parties and to create favourable conditions for a victory of the radical left in the 1992 US presidential elections (In this context, Clinton’s stay with top Communists in Czechoslovakia and the Soviet Union during the latter part of the Vietnam war has profound and disturbing implications—TTS).
(b) To ‘restructure’ the American military, political, economic and social status quo to accommodate greater convergence between the Soviet and American systems and the eventual creation of a single World Government.’

The paramount global objective

‘The paramount global objective of the strategy of ‘perestroika’ is to weaken and neutralize anti-Communist ideology and the influence of anti-Communists in political life in the United States, Western Europe and elsewhere—presenting them as anachronistic survivors of the Cold War, reactionaries and obstacles to ‘restructuring’ and peace. Anyone who warns about Moscow’s true objectives is automatically branded a ‘Cold Warrior’, even by people who have doubts about Moscow’s motives.’

[TapTheSource]

RE: My post above...

As one can see, "Russia" (read: Soviets) and Red China's plans for Japan are failing miserably...let's hope Japan sticks to her guns!!!

[Smoote]

Let Japan apologise first for the monsterous things that the Emperors own Uncle did in Nanking in 1937. For the uninitiated below is link to a site with several galleries of photos which were taken of the events.

Not for the squeemish.

[Former Dodger]

Thanks for the ping, TTS!

The Golitsyn papers are scary and fantastic! As a child of the 50's and 60's I still don't trust the Commies and the "fake fall" theory is brilliant.

I also feel that the "Islamist" movement. Al Qaeda and the rest, is a Commie front.

Regardless of the Chechen problem, there are old KGB types helping the Muslim fanatics.

China may have waited too long...there is more dissent than reported: the Chinese people have developed a taste for Capitalism...
as for Korea: if the President of SK is a closet Commie, he's probably waiting for "Li'l Kim" to die or be assassinated to sweep in and "restore" Korea, then create a united Communist state...I don't know if the ROK's and other Koreans will allow that...he's probably got Chinese support, so this will bear watching. Pull our troops out now and put them along our southern borders where they can watch for illegals crossing AND get desert training for Iraq at the same time.

Japan, however, needs to "Get REAL!" and admit their treachery and torture during WW II: Nanking was real, not a fantasy, for starters. An apology, a SINCERE apology, and a gift would deflate the Commie argument quite well, I think...at least temporarily.

[TapTheSource]

==Let Japan apologise first for the monsterous things that the Emperors own Uncle did in Nanking in 1937.

Apologize to whom? The dictators that currently occupy North Korea and Mainland China are no longer Korean or Chinese--They're RED. The atrocities and genocide they inflicted on their own people exponentially dwarf anything Japan might have done during the "Rape of Nanking." The Communists could care less what Japan did back then EXCEPT FOR ITS PROPOGANDA VALUE TODAY. Perhaps Japan could apologize to real Chinese and real Koreans (Taiwan and South Korea). But then again, the facts surrounding the Rape of Nanking have been so twisted by the Communists that even scholars don't know what really happened. Surely, you don't want Japan to apologize for the Communist version of events in Nanking? And besides, Japan is currently allied with Taiwan (the real China) and the US against Red China. As I said before, this has all come about because Japan broke from its policy of neutrality and has openly sided with the US against Red China. Don't be fooled...that's why the Communists have taken to the streets to protest against Japan in Red China and North & South Korea. They are trying to browbeat Japan into towing the (Communist) party line.