[blueminnesota]

>A 1951 treaty between the United States and Japan absolved Japan of future individual American war claims, which means American taxpayers would be asked to pay for abuses committed by Japanese soldiers on American nationals on American territory.

Because of this, but ker-ist, it's like being punished for liberating them.

[CommandoFrank]

it's like being punished for liberating them.

OK, so let's 'unliberate' them...

[bill1952]

A 1951 treaty between the United States and Japan absolved Japan of future individual American war claims, which means American taxpayers would be asked to pay for abuses committed by Japanese soldiers on American nationals on American territory.

Which does not say that Japan cannot choose to do the honorable thing and recompensate survivors for a decade of torture, rape, pillage, and murder...

Honorable people, my butt.

[wyattearp]

A 1951 treaty between the United States and Japan absolved Japan of future individual American war claims, which means American taxpayers would be asked to pay for abuses committed by Japanese soldiers on American nationals on American territory.

I looked this up, at (San Francisco Peace Treaty)

and that is not what it says. From the treaty:

Article 14:
(a) It is recognized that Japan should pay reparations to the Allied Powers for the damage and suffering caused by it during the war. Nevertheless it is also recognized that the resources of Japan are not presently sufficient, if it is to maintain a viable economy, to make complete reparation for all such damage and suffering and at the same time meet its other obligations.

Therefore,

1. Japan will promptly enter into negotiations with Allied Powers so desiring, whose present territories were occupied by Japanese forces and damaged by Japan, with a view to assisting to compensate those countries for the cost of repairing the damage done, by making available the services of the Japanese people in production, salvaging and other work for the Allied Powers in question. Such arrangements shall avoid the imposition of additional liabilities on other Allied Powers, and, where the manufacturing of raw materials is called for, they shall be supplied by the Allied Powers in question, so as not to throw any foreign exchange burden upon Japan.

...(snip)...

(b) Except as otherwise provided in the present Treaty, the Allied Powers waive all reparations claims of the Allied Powers, other claims of the Allied Powers and their nationals arising out of any actions taken by Japan and its nationals in the course of the prosecution of the war, and claims of the Allied Powers for direct military costs of occupation.

All it says is that we waive reparations. It also says that "Such arrangements shall avoid the imposition of additional liabilities on other Allied Powers" with the exception of raw materials used in rebuilding. It says ABSOLUTELY NOTHING about US having to pay reparations for JAPAN'S actions. This is nonsense.