Abe defends right to visit Yasukuni Shrine

Sorry abe Arlington & yasukuni are very different, if you cant figure it out, no one can help you!

If your having trouble understanding things perhaps you should have a talk with the Emperor on why he WONT go to yasukuni, hint there are some very good reasons, easy for most to comprehend!

"Amid the latest flare-up with China and South Korea over history, Abe quoted a U.S. scholar as comparing Yasukuni Shrine to Arlington National Cemetery near Washington..."

Yeah, except Arlington does not intentionally 'enshrine' convicted war criminals, and so it's not the same at all, really. If the guy needs to defend himself so much, you know he's doing something wrong.

Let him go as a private individual, if his beliefs are so strong. Take off the suit, or at least don't ride there in the company car and sign in as PM. He knows full well that it causes problems, and yet he is doing it anyway -- what kind of a 'leader' is that?

Let him go as a private individual, if his beliefs are so strong. Take off the suit, or at least don't ride there in the company car and sign in as PM.

You'd find some other reason to quibble about the visit and you know it.

Besides, doesn't the article specifically state that Abe has stayed away from Yasukuni? Oh looky, yes it does.

Abe, who was also prime minister from 2006 to 2007, has stayed away from the shrine after China and South Korea angrily denounced predecessor Junichiro Koizumi’s annual pilgrimage. But a growing number of Abe’s ministers visit it.

So if this article is to believed then its been at least six years since his last visit to the shrine. Still not good enough ?

Though I've yet to finish the entire [The Rape of Nanking] by Iris Chang, but I've come to understand why are the Koreans and Chinese strongly against the Japanese officials to visit the Yasukuni. I mean those 2.5m war criminals had done such inhumane acts to torment the innocence, they don't deserve to be enshrined in the first place.

“I think it’s quite natural for a Japanese leader to offer prayer for those who sacrificed their lives for their country, and I think this is no different from what other world leaders do,” he said.

Quite so, and I would think him heartless if he didn't. However there is no need to do it at Yasukuni, he could just as easily do it at some other shrine or temple if he so desired.

hidingout: "You'd find some other reason to quibble about the visit and you know it."

No, I would not, so don't pretend to know what I would or would not do. I honestly believe if people want to go and respect the dead, or practice their religious beliefs, all the power to them (so long as it's not hurting others), but to go in an official capacity as leader of a nation is something different altogether.

hidingout: "So if this article is to believed then its been at least six years since his last visit to the shrine. Still not good enough ?"

Drop the tone. Yes, it's good enough, unless he goes there in an official capacity. Defending his right to go, however, suggests he likely will in the future, and as PM. That he has stayed away in the past I give him credit for.

Abe never learned his mistakes.

Didn't he just say a few weeks ago that Japan would honor its war apology statements, now he defends his right to visit Yasukuni Shrine which strait denies these war crimes............... didnt' take long for him to go back on his words

Yasukuni like Arlington!?!?

Hahaha!!!! Arlington is secular. Yasukuni definitely is not. And Abe has rejected the idea of a secular memorial. Where do they find these "scholars"?

once again the Japanese are of the opinion that they can control kami. Once merged it cannot be separated again as they feel, but it's just religion. It's not real. A secular memorial would ruin their tourism so it's not done. Most of my Japanese friends are quite disgusted with Yasukuni and would welcome a different shrine without the war criminals. This will not end until such a shrine exists. Then politicians will have no excuse to not visit it, as it would no longer provide doubt of whom they pray to

& I defend mine & others right to have a memorial ceremony for those who fought & gave their lives, & for the crew of Enola Gay, but oh that's right we tried to do that but Abe & co were offended & protested so was cancelled, guess what is good for the goose is not always good for the gander... USA needs to start playing the victim as Japan does... Just saying...

China and Sk would hate it if Japan shoehorned daily like for example the uk does another patriotic war related themed story into their tv coverage to pay homage to the efforts of their people during previous wars.

Maybe China and Sk should behave to Japan more like the uk and others in terms of their attitude to Germany as they like to quote Germany so much. They will also see then that most countries at least once a year pay respect or thought to their military.

I think Japan doesnt much if at all by comparison shoe horn the military into daily Japan life, so once a year is a very little deal. Reaction is mostly just politics from SK and China for their own internal means.

I think it is the fact they call it 'a right' that is causing the problems. I also think it is the media sensationalizing the visits that also contribute to the problems. Every country has their war memorials (sadly) and leaders should show respect for their war dead. I have been to yasukuni and found it to be a very interesting (and a little disturbing) shrine, slash museum. If the Japanese politicians and media didn't make such a big deal out of it there would not be so many objections. Koizumi visited there despite recommendations not to, but he showed his strength and integrity as a leader by doing so. He was the last great leader of Japan and throng if mullets since have just been political party puppets. Abe is another one. Bring back Koizumi! I miss his hair!

Really, Abe? What, were you jealous of all the attention Hashimoto was getting?

arlington and yasukuni similar huh... how long are they gonna play the ignorance card?

888naf, the BIG difference between Germany & Japan,(& it shows in it relations with neighboring countries), is that Germany actually accepts it's actions in WW2, not only does it accept it's past bad deeds, teaches them in schools, but also makes it by law that saying it never happened is ILLEGAL & prosecution happens for nationals that try to deny the past autrocites committed, meanwhile in Japan we teach children Japan did nothing wrong, US just dropped 2 atomic bombs for no reason, we are the victim, all our neighbors are just angry over nothing, as Prime Minister I can go & praise war criminals! Gee yeah, theta not much difference between Germany & Japan, once again Japan playing the victim card, & right wing extremist getting more support in doing so. If you wish to learn from histories mistakes, first the young need to be taught them...

if doing it this way would upset neighbouring countries, then why he did it in the first place, there should be other ways that would be accepted both internally and externally!

meanwhile in Japan we teach children Japan did nothing wrong, US just dropped 2 atomic bombs for no reason, we are the victim, all our neighbors are just angry over nothing, as Prime Minister I can go & praise war criminals!

I take it you have never been inside a Japanese school because it's pure fantasy that Japan teaches children that the country "didn't do anything wrong".

DJbooth - great point.

I am just completely amazed by the lack of respect and awareness the politicians have. After Hashimoto comes out and makes those ludicrous statements about how comfort women were justified, he then stands by the statement. Then the women from Japan protest and the Hashimoto offers to meet the comfort women. Then the US rebukes Hashimoto and says how his view is absurd and that Japan has to stop deny the realities of the past. The Hashimoto attacks the US and goes back to his hard line stance.

At a time when Japanese politicians are being rebuked from countries all over the world, how can the president of Japan come out make these statements? Japanese politicians and their political system are just absurd. How can all these politicians still have their positions? Nishimura was a goat in all of this.

I agree that every Japanese has the right to visit any place in their soil anytime they want, that includes politicians, relatives to the people buried there, and so on.However, there is a bigger question here than the "Can mister Abe go to Yasukuni?" and that is "Should the prime minister of Japan go to Yasukuni ignoring all the diplomatic and political impact that such an act implies?".

Japan is a country that doesn't get along well with its neighbors as we all know, and the last thing it needs right know is another burden that could affect its exports, international companies, citizens working abroad, etc. This "we do whatever the hell we want" kind of behavior is the same that China and Korea show in other matters.

Come on! They are only war criminals because the victors said so. Read the book, "The Tokyo Trials" by Bert V. A. Roling (who was a judge at the trials) and edited by A. Cassese to find out what a farce it all was. William Webb, the chief justice, was an Aussie and, understandably, most of the judges were rather biased!

Come on! Hitler & crew were only war crinals because the victors said so!(sarcasm intended). So what would happen if German PM & gov said "it is ok for us to visit Hitler & crew's war graves, because is our country so we can do what we want"???

Hitler never made it to court.....

Are the Japanese to ignore all the war dead just because Yasukuni also enshrines the souls of 14 men who allegedly committed war crimes?

@ serendipitous - you make it sound like it was a terrible thing that an Aussie was a judge in the war-crimes tribunal. Why? Who - pray tell - would have been appropriate "non-biased" judges - japanese?! Anyway - Abe won't be visiting the shrine any time soon, which is why he can only rant about it. He doesn't have the guts - pun intended!

I mean those 2.5m war criminals had done such inhumane acts to torment the innocence...

Oh please! 2.5 million souls are enshrined there; but only 14 were convicted (by show trial?) of being war criminals.

I can't stand Abe, but I do agree with his statements regarding Yasukuni. "I think it's quite natural for a Japanese leader to offer prayer for those who sacrificed their lives for their country, and I think this is no different from what other world leaders do"

I mean those 2.5m war criminals had done such inhumane acts to torment the innocence, they don't deserve to be enshrined in the first place.

2.5 million war criminals? So you are calling every young man who was conscripted into the Imperial Japanese Army a war criminal? Like every German soldier was a Nazi? Come off it, mate... you're brainwashed.

The shrine lists the names, origin, birthdate and place of death of 2,466,532 men, women and children and spans from the Boshin War of 1867 to World War II.

The Yasukuni Honden shrine only lists the names of those who died in service of the Empire of Japan as it was created by Emperor Meiji specifically for this purpose. The Yasukuni Chinreisha shrine was created by the priesthood to commemorate those who fought in opposition to the Empire and everyone else who had died in war; it includes the Japanese soldiers of the Tokugawa Shogunate and Republic of Ezo as well as those representing foreign militaries such as the British, US, Chinese, Korean and South East Asian forces.

Of the 2,466,532 people contained in the shrine's Book of Souls, 1,068 were convicted of war crimes by a post World War II court. Of those, 14 are convicted Class A war criminals.

So, not 2.5 million war criminals...

Last week Abe said he was against building a secular war memorial because "nobody would go there" and "Yasukuni is the only place where people want to go". In saying this Abe demonstrates his complete ignorance and lack of understanding of the issue. It seems he thinks that the war dead were entirely Shintoists and that no people of other religious denominations died for Japan. Why should Buddhists be forced to go to a Shinto shrine to prey for their war dead? Why not build a secular memorial to those who died that doesn't glorify war (as Yasukuni does)? Yasukuni is an inappropriate place for remembering the war dead. It's like having a memorial to the victims of Hiroshima in a nuclear bomb factory.

While the war criminals are enshrined there, most of the world won't agree with you Mr. Abe. If the war criminals were removed then no one would care or mind is my bet. No one wants to see the military men who died in their countries service the respect they deserve, it's just when convicted war criminals are also given that respect that many people get offended.

this is such a lame controversy driven by SK, China and the media (and of course JT posters love harping on japan). so what if a gov't official pays respect to the war dead? they aren't specifically praying to the "war criminals," if you can even really call them that. japan has repeatedly apologized for their past actions so give it a rest already.

Abe should suggest that people should pray at their family's Kamidana instead of Yasukuni if they want to pray dead soul. Each familly had kamidana and Butsudan for many generations,

@Douris Chong

You should know the book "The Rape of Nanking" has so many errors and incorrect statements. It is too naive to believe it is an evidence of Japanese atrocity.

Just refer to: http://www.jiyuushikan.org/e/nanking.html http://www.edogawa-u.ac.jp/~tmkelly/research_review_nanking.html

Those war criminals are dead. We have to pray for those people. they did wrong but they have a soul. tralala

Those war criminals are dead. We have to pray for those people. they did wrong but they have a soul. tralala

Funny thing, many Japanese I have heard often like to say their ancestors are in heaven looking down on them, but with these guys I wonder if their ancestors say they are looking up at them from hell?

You should know the book "The Rape of Nanking" has so many errors and incorrect statements. It is too naive to believe it is an evidence of Japanese atrocity.

And you should know that The Rape of Nanking is not the only source documenting that tragedy.

The priests believe when a person dies they are cleansed of their evil deeds. It is a sort of redemption of forgiveness. Christians believe in this but differently. The war criminals paid the price on earth for their misdeeds. I am not sure if they are forgiven or not but as a Christian it is not my call.

So what the PM of Japan is exercising his rights under the Constitution. It is his right and no outsider is going to dictate what he can do in his own country under the law.

DP812

Of course I know there are many materials that are written about Nanking incident, but not all of them are so ridiculous as The Rape of Nanking, and some are clealy denying there was such kind of massacre as said. Have you read both? You do not have to make "you" in italic.

"I am of a view that we can make a similar argument about Yasukuni, which enshrines the souls of those who lost their lives in the service of their country,” Abe told the policy magazine Foreign Affairs."

The difference lies in : the Americans & its allies won the WWII hence their fallen soldiers are heroes. By the same token, they since then have been keeping Japan as "subordinate" at their service. Now, the PM S. Abe wants to break these rules of the game imposed ( mainly) by the Americans ? The best option as per SUN ZI's strategies would ironically be strengthening ties with Americans rivals ( Russians, Chinese etc ) as a leverage. The last the Americans ( probably more than the Koreans / Chinese / Russians etc ) would like to see is : Japan becomes 'too' normal a nation ! ( think it twice, ah you've got it )

Ina0891

The timline approach of yours is clear and convincing.

It's very informative as well as educational. Thank you.

meanwhile in Japan we teach children Japan did nothing wrong, US just dropped 2 atomic bombs for no reason, we are the victim, all our neighbors are just angry over nothing,

I've been in Japan a long time and I have never heard one person say anything remotely like that. This is precisely the kind of hyperbole that adds nothing to the discussion.

All my efforts to teach tolerance and respects to my children are brought down the drain by these fools.

STOP THAT RIGHT NOW!

YubaruMay. 18, 2013 - 11:35PM JST

! Those war criminals are dead. We have to pray for those people. they did wrong but they have a soul. tralala

Funny thing, many Japanese I have heard often like to say their ancestors are in heaven looking down on them, but with these guys I wonder if their ancestors say they are looking up at them from hell?,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, You are right. .That is why Kamidana was always way above your head hanging position from ceiling permanently People look up , put both hands together and pray for Kamisama. In Their Home. They don;t commute to shrines every day. .

Abe should suggest that people should pray at their family's Kamidana instead of Yasukuni if they want to pray dead soul. Each familly had kamidana and Butsudan for many generations,

Excellent! That's exactly what common Japanese do to commemorate their ancestors. There is absolutely no need to go to the shrine.

By the way, you asked me what State Shinto is. I can tell you the Yasukuni form of worship is exactly State Shinto. Before 1945, State Shinto was the national religion of Japan. It was a religion created by the Meji Oligarchs to encourage/ brainwash the Japanese into sacrificing their lives for God, ie. the emperor. State Shinto was also the main instrument that the fascist Japanese government used for spreading of fascism and militarism between 1868-1945 (also known as State Shinto period.)

From world-religions-professor.com

"Shinto became the state religion, and was used to promote a distinct ideology of Japanese superiority. Passages from Shinto mythology were appropriated to support the Emperor's divine status via his direct lineage back to Amaterasu, the racial superiority of the Japanese people and the general superiority of their land because of their divine origins. Moreover, these supremacist ideologies were taught in school curricula and in public civic life... Emperor Hirohito in 1946 denounced his own divinity as well as the racial superiority of Japanese people."

Abe, whose grandfather was arrested but not prosecuted as a Class A war criminal, hit back at criticism of his views on history

Shinzo Abe's grandfather, Nobusuke Kishi isn't the only top WWII criminal in Shinzo Abe's family line. His great granduncle, Yosuke Matsuoka, the biggest partner of Adolf Hitler in Asia is one of the 14 top WWII criminals enshrined (i.e. promoted to kami/god) in Yasukuni. A memo from Emperor Hirohito, disclosed in 2006, revealed that he stopped visiting Yasukuni Shrine because of the enrollment of war criminals in 1978, stating "they even enshrined Matsuoka and Shiratori".

And this is Yosuke Matsuoka

http://bemil.chosun.com/nbrd/files/BEMIL085/upload/2006/09/HitlerMatsuoka.jpg

http://bemil.chosun.com/nbrd/files/BEMIL085/upload/2006/09/Hitlermatsuokawalk.jpg

In 1978, the Shinto priests enshrined 14 top or Class A war criminals convicted in Allied trials.

The decision to enshrine the 14 top WWII criminals was actually reached in 1969. There are documents that show that Yasukuni war shrine only agreed to the enshrinement of the 14 top WWII criminals in 1969 upon recommendation by the Japanese government when Eisaku Sato, the younger brother of Nobusuke Kishi and granduncle of Shinzo Abe was the Prime Minister.

From Kyodo News, State in '69 OK'd war criminal inclusion

"Among the documents are lists dated from Jan. 31, 1969, presented at a meeting between shrine officials and the then Health and Welfare Ministry of people who could be enshrined at Yasukuni and the document says the shrine and the ministry shared the view that Class-A war criminals are "able to be honored."

The ministry and the shrine also agreed not to make public the idea that Yasukuni would enshrine the war criminals, a decision that appears to be linked to the constitutional issue of state and religion remaining separate."

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Yasukuni shrine, so what? Many Japanese people do it every year, including my closest friend. Because they are true patriots and pay a plain respect to fallen warriors of their country. As for Big Complaining Mouths from the USA and other parts of ignorant world, just ignore them. They like to push their ugly mugs into domestic affairs of Japan.

Shindo was not State religeon. Japan was Teikoku, not State. Every family had one kind of Buddhism and Shindo, Even militray tyrany government did not push, then. Dainippon Teikoku, not State (Shu in Japanese) at all. Yhen when WW II began, Christian ministers had to close their kindergartens and went out of Japan, Manchuria, etc. We missed Church services but we have 'shiyo ga nai custom (fuzoku) so that was it then. People went to Omatsuro of Otera )temples) and jinja( shrine( whenever it was operated. Japan was not monothetic country for generations.

hidingoutMay. 19, 2013 - 01:50AM JST

I've been in Japan a long time and I have never heard one person say anything remotely like that. This is precisely the kind of hyperbole that adds nothing to the discussion.

Well, you're either living in a gaijin bubble or you don't speak Japanese, it's inferred all the time, especially on the annual Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombing days. The whole ceremonial processes are about Japan living in the passive (things were done to Japan) and the active (Japan did things) is collectively forgotten.

Because of this national amnesia we have the stupid comments from politicians, academics and institutions who should be educated to know better.

Nobukatsu Fujioka, prof at Tokyo University. He co-authored The New History Textbook, which denies the Rape Of Nanking.

Aso, the Deputy PM. 'The Japanese control of Korea was mandated by the League Of Nations, when the League Of Nations never existed and wouldn't for another 20 years.

Yushukan, the museum at Yasukuni. 'Franklin D. Roosevelt had forced Japan to go to war in a calculated effort to lift the U.S. out of the Depression'.

And what we dangerously have, if people don't tow the party line, thay are branded a traitor (for example the writer Katsuichi Honda) and they have to live their lives in danger of physical attack and constantly go around in public in disguise. The consensus of Japanese opinion on what the nation collectively did or didn't do between 1937-45, is so far off the radar, that there is not even the basis for any diaologue with anyone but themselves.

Change should begin at Yasukuni. Either get rid off that monstrous excuse for a museum, Yashukan, or build a new national memorial for the war dead that does exactly what it should do, remember those who gave their lives for their country, and nothing else.

technosphereMay. 19, 2013 - 04:19AM JST

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited Yasukuni shrine, so what? Many Japanese people do it every year, including my closest friend.

I'm guessing here, but your friend is not a national politician of Japan and therefore not a representative of the state and of the collective people of that state, who by virtue of paying his salary, have a right to command certain behaviour, which is valid for the private citizen, is not acceptable by him/her, as long as they hold that public position.

It's not rocket science.

Matsuoka was a Christian who promoted Christianity in Yamaguchi Prefecture.

nigelboyMay. 19, 2013 - 07:21AM JST

Do you even know where the right wings groups are during those two dates and what they are protesting about?

What are you smoking at this time of the morning, that's if you actually are in Japan? Where in my post do I even mention the right wing groups, fool?

It is his right and no outsider is going to dictate what he can do in his own country under the law.

And it is the right of everyone who wants to complain and protest these actions as well, and if it means that Japan suffers internationally, economically, or anything else because of it, everyone can look back and point to Abe and every other selfish politician who childishly through a hissy fit about their rights instead of using common sense.

Hey if it was right under the law to murder someone it's the same thing right?

smithinjapanMay. 18, 2013 - 02:44PM JST Yeah, except Arlington does not intentionally 'enshrine' convicted war criminals, and so it's not the same at all, really. If the guy needs to defend himself so much, you know he's doing something wrong.

So if someone defends their position many times they must be wrong?

Interesting analogy there, so if anyone here has ever been accussed of anything wrong, don't defend yourself because you are guilty!LOL

Wow, talk about impartial.

So Smith, how many bones are there at the shrine please do tell.

Douris ChongMay. 18, 2013 - 03:02PM JST I mean those 2.5m war criminals had done such inhumane acts to torment the innocence, they don't deserve to be enshrined in the first place.

Wow, don't know much about the shrine I see!LOL

You guys love making up anything to suit your mistaken cause.

Read up some more and get some facts.

Okay folks, please raise your hands if you think that there are bones enshrined to the Yasukuni Shrine .

For those that appear not to have a clue, please read about the shrine and what is really there.LOL

I love the sheer benightedness of some folks here.

your friend is not a national politician of Japan and therefore not a representative of the state and of the collective people of that state, who by virtue of paying his salary, have a right to command certain behaviour, which is valid for the private citizen, is not acceptable by him/her, as long as they hold that public position.

"Not acceptable" for, say mr Hashimoto, huh? Why, I wonder? Because someone from the USA, China or South Korea dislikes that kind of behaviour? Big deal. He is a legally elected mayor of japanese city and has all rights to express his opinion concerning to certain aspects of japanese history. Without "wise advisors" from other parts of Asia or North America.

FYI JT messages about "removal" of posts here on threads go directly to my spam box and never get read, so if you make comments in them anymore I am no longer reading them because you don't take advice, criticism, critique, or opinions on ways to make things better, and only view the status quo as being the way to go......

How very Hashimoto of you...living in the past.

@Farmboy: Thanks/. I copied: ..................... State Shintō (国家神道 Kokka Shintō?) has been called the state religion of the Empire of Japan, although it did not exist as a single institution and no "Shintō" was ever declared a state religion. Fridell argues that scholars call the period 1868-1945 the "State Shinto period" because, "during these decades, Shinto elements came under a great deal of overt state influence and control as the Japanese government systematically utilized shrine worship as a major force for mobilizing imperial loyalties on behalf of modern nation-building."[1] The term "state Shinto" appears in the Shinto Directive" of 1945, which concerned that part of the Shinto world which it termed "a nonreligious national cult commonly known as State Shinto, National Shinto, or Shrine Shinto."[2] The idea of "State Shinto" was popularized in 1970 by the postwar religious scholar Shigeyoshi Murakami to classify those ideals, rituals and institutions that were created by the government to promote the divinity of the emperor and the uniqueness of Japan (kokutai).[3] Murakami's book was one of the most popular books about religion in postwar Japan. While the concept has since been considered by scholars to be overreaching the actual scope of government interference in religion, it is certain that the government interfered.[4]

@Farmboy: , ..... Murakami's concept, not actual Japanese Govt practice. We did not have govt controlled relligeon at all. Don't tell us Japanese we had Govt controlled religeon because of Murakami's theory. Visit any Japanese home. You will see they have Butsudan for their Buddhism which they have been kept for generations = way before WW II. Govt. never ordered to abandon Buddhism in Japan. BTW. If you used WiKiPedia, read Japanese language section, too.

r

Wikipe3dia often uses ? when it has problems in a vocabruary in Japanese . State Shintō (国家神道 Kokka Shintō?) 神道 in Japanese is Shindo, not Shinto. ... Farmboy: your view is based on such half-baked articles by WikiPedia's English language version. With these people write Shinto and that is OK but if you want to talk in dertails of State Shinto (Shindo), research What really was in Japan. Other comment writers write with their opinions and do not pretend they are experts of Japan at that era. Learn from other comments writers. Never forget bilingual Japanese browse here.

When Japan Communist Party and Japan Socialist party were getting big, USA wanted GHQ to sop that. There was no politicians who could do. So, Kishi who was released from Sugamo Prison was used to quiet down Reds. It worked, He was used by Tojo, too. Japanese right wing then hated him because he was pro-American, After Asanuma was assassinated and Kishi was attacked by a knife, students in USA had relatives and friiends letter not come back to Japan, He was proAmerican, not proRussian, Russia was different, then I think Abe should stay away to be controversial and keep mouth shut about Yasukuni. He does not have to please other politicians in his party..

Just one question:

How can it happen that only the war losers ever have war criminals?

Well, you're either living in a gaijin bubble or you don't speak Japanese, it's inferred all the time, especially on the annual Hiroshima and Nagasaki bombing days.

I speak Japanese just fine and certainly don't live in a gaijin bubble. I question your sincerity on the topic if you can tell me that you have heard people say, as the original poster suggested .... ."Japan did nothing wrong ...... US just dropped 2 atomic bombs for no reason ...... all our neighbors are just angry over nothing ....

These are ridiculous statements which as I said earlier can be dismissed as the hyperbole of someone not interested in a meaningful discussion.

Readers, no more bickering please.

What are you smoking at this time of the morning, that's if you actually are in Japan? Where in my post do I even mention the right wing groups, fool?

Dog,

Your implication is that those who attend the ceremonies of the two bombings are blind to Japan's actions when in fact, they are the most vocal in criticizing Japan's action during that time. And then, when you go mention Yushukan, they represent a whole set of people from the opposite wing. What you did, in essence, was to broadly paint the entire nation people's when they represent the polar opposites of the population.

From, former defence Minister Kyuma, Tamogami, Nariyaki Nakayama, and Nishimura (who made the comment about Korean prositutes) are well known for calling out that most of the attendees of the memorial as a bunch of left wing, Nikkyoso dominated groups who have no relation with the actual bombing victims.

You're not the first poster to do this for I've seen quite a few here assume that those who attend the ceremonies are "right wing".