Posted on 11/27/2005 7:44:53 PM PST by Dr. Marten
It's no secret that China has been vocal about visits made by Japanese leaders to the Yasukuni war shrine. But it has been largely seen as a Northeast Asian issue to be hashed out among Japan, China and South Korea...until now.
A Japan Today article reports this about Bush's recent visit to China:
When Bush met with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao during his weekend visit to Beijing, the Chinese officials "approached Bush" to elaborate on China's view of high-level visits to the Tokyo shrine that honors 14 Class-A war criminals among the war dead, Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said. Bush expressed understanding of China's views, Liu said.
Japan Today has an open thread following this article and I've skimmed through some of the comments but they seem like a lot of pointless bashing against either Japan, China or the U.S. so it's all still left me confused. What does China expect the U.S. to do and does the U.S. really care about Yasukuni?
I find it a curious predicament: Like many nations, the U.S. is not alone in wanting to cuddle up to China. You've got international business issues on the table first and foremost as well as concerns about the build-up of a strong Chinese military. (Better to be friends than enemies, right?)
But then you've got Bush's strong political friendship with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and it seems the Chinese have recognized this.
But still, so what? Is it in America's best interest to solve this problem? Would it be in their favor to tell Japan to lay off the visits? Who does the U.S. want to cozy up to the most? China or Japan? Or is that not even a question here?
And isn't it a little childish of China to be asking the U.S. to get involved?
I love how the article said:
Chinese leaders complained to U.S. President George W. Bush on Sunday about Japanese leaders' visits to the war-linked Yasukuni Shrine, and Bush said he understood, a Chinese official said Tuesday. [Emphasis mine.]
Did he really? :P
What the heck does this have to do with the USA?
It would be a serious mistake to side with China on this issue.
In the first place, China is never satisfied. Give them something under the threat of blackmail and they will immediately ask for something else.
In the second place, it is part of Japan's religion to pray for or honor their dead. Praying for the dead should not be made into a political question. Whatever these men did, and some Japanese leaders certainly did or permitted some horrible things during the war, they are now dead.
The Communist Chinese argue that all matters of religion must be subordinated to the interests of the state. The state comes first, last, and always, and religion must be subordinated to political interests. I don't believe that as Americans we can support such a position.
Ping
Do the Chinese think we are all powerful ?
There is no reason for America to get involved in this matter. Sino-Japanese relations, I suspect, will never be warm.
Even if they weren't Communists, it would be foolish to trust a mainlander Chinese.
The CCP is still groping for legitimacy with that whole revolution and stuff.
What are you talkin' about ?
Well, the Russians are playing the Japanese like a violin,
North Koreans hate the Japanese,
South Korea-Japan relationship is getting worse,
China-Japan relationship is getting worse, and
Even Taiwan (Republic of China) is criticizing the shrine visit (with the exception of the kiss-up to their Japanese master ones).
Am I missing any other neighbors of Japan?
The Chinese are ever mindful of the fact that American involvement in the war against Japan ultimately saved them from Japanese tyranny. They are surprised that many Americans seem to be unaware of their own history regarding this.
Thank you for the insight.
Yasakuni, then, would relate to our Tomb of the Unknowns. And it is safe to say that Americans who pay their respects at The Tomb of the Unknowns are not doing honor to Lt. Calley and the atrocity of My Lai.
And you fail to point out that the politicos in each of these counties who are following China's lead are liberal wing nut politicians who think Bill Clinton was a great president.
I look forward to Japan dedicating a substantial portion of its GNP to military spending in the future.General Douglas MacArthur allowed the creation of Yasakuni to take place. I side with him.
It was the U.S.A. that wrote Japan's postwar constitution, including the parts that refer to renouncing war forever. The Chinese know this (unlike some Americans) and this is just one of many reasons why this concerns the U.S.A.
"The Yasakuni shrine is a place which honors the war dead, whether they were complicit in the Rape of Nanking or not. Those who go there today to pay their respects were not even alive at the time of Japanese atrocities."
This is true of the shrine itself. There is an associated military museum which delineates some of the craziness of the sacrifices ( mini subs and kamakazi) that would mke it different than what we have at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. There are cultural differences but yes, you are right about the meaning of it.
Thanks.
So, Candor7 misrepresented the purpose of the shrine?
It is also interesting to note that many of our Southern Battle field memorial parks are run by right wing affectionados who believe that the South was correct in seceeding from the Union. That has nothing to do with memorializing the human sacrifice for their nation. Today that Southern patriotism defends our whole nation, just as modern day Japanese patriotism can, regardless of who is running their memorial.
Our nation needs military help in the Pacific, and who better to give it? Japan is a democratic parliamentary republic now. Not a neo fascist nation. They have paid their dues.
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