Posted on 05/31/2009 9:43:57 PM PDT by NeverForgetBataan
SAN ANTONIO — Japan's ambassador to the United States apologized Saturday on behalf of his country for the 65-mile forced walk of U.S. troops and allies during World War II that left some 11,000 prisoners of war dead.
"As former prime ministers of Japan have repeatedly stated: The Japanese people should bear in mind that we must look into the past and to learn from the lessons of history," Ichiro Fujisaki said at the American Defenders of Bataan and Corregidor, the San Antonio Express-News reported.
He said his country was extending a heartfelt apology for "having caused tremendous damage and suffering to many people, including prisoners of war, those who have undergone tragic experiences."
Although Fujisaki received a standing ovation from about half of the 400 to 500 attendees, others said the apology was overdue and didn't seem sincere.
Former POW Hershel C. Boushey told the ambassador that he did not accept "your apology," and that the atrocities and mistreatment many suffered was severe.
In 1942, Japanese captors marched about 78,000 prisoners of war — 12,000 Americans and 66,000 Filipinos — for six days on the Philippine island of Luzon to a prisoner-of-war camp in what became known as the Bataan Death March. Many prisoners were denied food, water or medical care, and some were stabbed or beheaded.
As many as 11,000 prisoners died, according to the U.S. Air Force.
Survivor Tony Montoya, of Woodland, California, also questioned Fujisaki's sincerity.
"This young man knows very little of the atrocities," Montoya said. "They probably rehearsed him on it."
(Excerpt) Read more at foxnews.com ...
Never thought I would see the day.
Or did Obama, instead, apologize for the US winning the war?
An uncle of mine was a Bataan survivor.
His stories were horrendous and I do think he ever had a peaceful day in his mind from the time he was captured until the day he died around 15 years ago.
lol!
Me neither. I cna understand the vets refusing the apology as to trite, and I can understand them declaring the ambassador to be too young. But I think the amazing thing is that Japan decided to apologize in any way, at all. Not that they shouldn't - it's just that they don't, to save face.
I wonder why they actually did it.
kim jong ill. NK
Oh! True confessions time here.
It is very difficult for the Japanese do admit doing anything wrong during WWWII when they stongly feel that they were wronged in the years previous to the War.
The Japanese believed they were acting like Western Nations when they invaded China. After all, France and England had invaded and conquered Africa and India, so how could it be wrong to occupy an adjacent, incompetent nation like China?
Then in retaliation for behaving like Western Nations they were stuck with an oil embargo by their primary petroleum provider, the U.S.A.
The United States might as well as tried to “cut their throats”, because this nearly brought Japan to its knees. And they felt they had no option other than to strike out for the oil fields in Indonesia. Since the Phillipines were between Japan and Indonesia, they invaded that archipeligo. And subsequently attacked Pearl Harbor. Big mistake!
WOW! Was that ever a mistake.
The Japanese have not ever really SINCERELY apologized for anything they EVER did in WW2. Like the atrocities committed in Nanking, China and other places in Asia.
They are like a criminal that is more sorry for getting caught than the real act committed.
They think that the suffering of the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki wash away all their sins, when in fact they are just really sorry for losing.
Good summation. Yamamoto tried to tell Tojo and Hirohito the same thing, but Tojo dominated the Emperor. Yamamoto was almost the only one who could have disagreed without losing his head for cowardice, the war blood was built up so high. But he tried, and Tojo turned it into forcing a loyalty oath from him, from which came Pearl Harbor, followed by Midway.
The Japanese are trying to demonstrate that there are new reasons to trust Japan.
And that’s cuz they’re going to announce they have nuclear weapons, see?
This...has LOTS to do with lots of more recent (or future) events that have little to do with Bataan.
Asians and WW2 vets here have great reasons to throw cold water on this stuff, but....soon we will have VERY GREAT reason to forget alllll about this history LEST WE BECOME HISTORY.
Remember at the end of WW2 when some Americans said that STALIN was our FRIEND?
Times change, and we have to change with the times....
The horrors of the War in the Pacific should never be forgotten. Simpletons like Jon Stewart forget that the path to Hiroshima and Nagasaki began at Pearl Harbor, Wake Island and Bataan.
This has everything to do with North Korea, and in the long run, China also.
I don’t think they consider Obama a really reliable ally in Asia, and they’re laying the groundwork for....something new.
I’d also say that the Taiwanese are going to start sweating...bullets, I’d say.
Yamamoto also said: “you can’t invade America. There is a rifle behind every blade of grass”
Yamamoto studied at Harvard i believe, and he knew pulling on the tigers tail was dangerous.
I think the Chinese are going down the same path right now. the question is..... Are we going to be ready for that. They aren’t going to be satisfied making toys and crap for the next 50 years.
It is good that Japan has done this but they have a long way to go with other countries...
He actually felt that Hawaii and the entire west coast of the US from Alaska to Mexico might be seizable. But his question to Tojo was, "then what?" The sheer logistics of 3,000 miles of an armed, advanced industrial nation, when they'd have to supply themselves from across an ocean, was absurd, and Yamamoto knew it. I think they all knew it, but the leadership only had one cultural command available - forward.
Barry Sotero will let Taiwan twist in the wind. he would NEVER commit a carrier battle group to the defense of Taiwan. He (Obama) might sell the Taiwanese some more stuff, but as far as really helping them out when TSHTF. No way.
I question whether Zero would really defend South Korea.
I’ve often wondered what would’ve happened if the Japanese would’ve gone back for a third strike a Pearl Harbor.
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