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Abe talks business with tough line on peace during Israel visit

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Dude has got hell of a nerve to be talking about peace in that region of the world when he can't even get things calmed down on his side. Folks in Israel are not dumb, they must think he is a hypocrite.

Oh and the visit to the Holocaust museum, that is just plain wrong coming from a leader that refuses to recognize his own countrys past. Felt like slapping him through the TV set.

14 ( +19 / -5 )

Abe talks business with tough line on peace during Israel visit

While I genuinely applaud Abe's attempt to get some progress on peace in the Middle East, the truth is that Japan is fairly irrelevant to the process. They have no real leverage. For example, they are not on the UNSC, which can impact the tone and direction of talks. Nor are they in a position to really help either side militarily. Isreal has the U.S. to cover ist back, and The Palestinians, have numerous allies as well. But, as I said, any voice of reason in this situation is welcome.

0 ( +6 / -6 )

Abe blew a golden opportunity here when he was at the Holocaust museum to make a statement regarding Japan's own war past. He could have come across as a statesman, and one truly interested in peace if he would have made an open and unambiguous statement regarding Japanese involvement during WWII.

He is just blowing smoke and I hope no one is fooled.

14 ( +17 / -3 )

I understand the liberal arts English teachers hold Abe responsible for comfort women and Nanking despite being born several years after both events, but now he's responsible for the holocaust too?

Maybe if they had decent history teachers in Canada you guys would have real jobs.

-13 ( +7 / -20 )

Abe talks peace while some of the corporate executives he brought with him may be talking weapons sales now that Abe loosened restrictions on the Japanese arms industry.

6 ( +10 / -4 )

Abe talks business with tough line on peace during Israel visit

Tough line on peace my hat. He said nothing.

3 ( +8 / -5 )

Israel would rather its actions not be held to account in any international body. The reasons are obvious for those familiar with Israeli policies of using white phosphorous,shooting farmers and fishermen,bulldozing to death (literally ) international observers,torture of children and the list goes on....

0 ( +6 / -6 )

For a guy who ended his first term as Prime Minister of Japan hiding from his critics in the toilet, this Abe cowboy sure has the "tough talk" down pat, doesn't he?

Of course, just as in Japan, that's all it is. Talk. There's no "there" there at all. I mean, this is the "strong leader" who became "visibly shaken" at the jokingly casual yet critical comments of an entertainer in the Southern All-Stars! What a wimp! Abe never could take the heat that stems from making real decisions and taking real actions, while his policies (foreign and diplomatic) wilt under true, unbiased scrutiny.

Economists know this, the Israelis know it, and, sad to say, the Japanese public now knows it. Abenomics, just like his supposed "tough line" in the Middle East, is an illusion of action designed to convince his listeners that things will change just because he says they will. Well, three years in to what should be boom times, I'd borrow a line from Texas to conclude that this dude's "all hat and no cattle."

2 ( +4 / -2 )

Abe: "I might offer advice that may not be easy to swallow to both of the parties,”

Israel: "Okay, what is it?"

Abe: "Well, I COULD offer it, but... ummm... well, I wouldn't want to interfere..."

Israel: "What's your advice already!"

Abe: "Well, it seems there are some difficulties, and it seems they should be solved."

Israel: "That's not advice. You said you would give advice."

Abe: "Let me go home and form some panels to think about it."

I love the "tough line on peace", when the man is basically trying to put Asia on the brink. And laying a wreath at the memorial may be respectable, until he opens his mouth and says, "Today, I have learned how cruel humans can be by singling out a group of people and making that group the object of discrimination and hatred". Nah, nothing about how humans can just be terrible and cruel, or the horrid acts MANY nations have committed, including Japan! No wonder he 'just learned' when he denies the past of his own nation and helps white-wash the textbooks so no future generations can learn either.

4 ( +7 / -3 )

But Abe, who travels Tuesday to the West Bank town of Ramallah, said he was also to give some tough advice to both Israel and the Palestinians.

Abe is hardly in a position to give advice about not exacerbating tensions. Perhaps he was referring to his visits to Yasukuni shrine

1 ( +5 / -4 )

Moreover I find Abe's visits to Anne Frank's house in Holland, and the Holocaust museum extremely ironic in view of the fact he can't even acknowledge his country's own wartime past - and wants Japanese people to be taught his own sanitised version. It's highly likely the leadership of Israel is laughing behind closed doors at Abe's hypocrisy

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Israel doesn't bother listening to it's actual patron, the US, who would have a tremendous amt. of influence if they only chose to to exert it. The notion that they're going to listen to the Pentagon's poodle is beyond laughable. And if warispeace is correct and Abe's dream of arming combatants the world over includes Israel, then Japan too is complicit in 21st century war crimes.

-1 ( +3 / -4 )

I imagine the Israelis don't care one jot about what goes on in Japan. Japan has made numerous apologies for its war time record and Israel is mature enough to draw a line the sand and move on. Not throwing tantrum after tantrum decrying the apologies as insincere.

Still waiting for all these denials by Abe by the way, any links to speeches, statements, interviews will do.

-4 ( +3 / -7 )

The notion that they're going to listen to the Pentagon's poodle is beyond laughable.

I have a feeling PM Abe is acting on the request of USA.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Abe is trying to make a difference on the world stage,but he makes no difference on the world stage.

3 ( +3 / -0 )

Still no links to these countless denials? Wow this kindergarten class is lasting forever! Maybe he's singing all the verses to "wheels on the bus".

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

Japan has made numerous apologies for its war time record

All of which have been cancelled out by Abe's, Hashimoto's, and Ishihara's statements.

Israel is mature enough to draw a line the sand and move on

Oh I'm sure they're not offended by Abe, just amused as we all are.

Still waiting for all these denials by Abe by the way, any links to speeches, statements, interviews will do.

Google Abe+denies: You'll be busy all day.

Abe needs to get rid of the log in his own eye before he points out the speck in Israel's

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Tina, of course, in terms of geopolitics and the great game, the Foggy Bottom boys and their partners in empire at the Pentagon play the music and the LDP just dances to it. So you're right, Abe is acting within the confines of stated US policy--to imagine that anything in his prepared remarks hasn't been vetted by the US beforehand would be (sadly) naive. So while Obama and many executives before him have clucked on about peace in our time, their actions have directly contradicted such rhetoric. The vast majority of Israeli military hardware being manufactured by US armaments industry being the most principal illustration of this pt. Exports, mind you, that never cease to flow no matter how egregious Israel's actions have been.

innit: In my short time here, it seems as if most commenters are salarymen/women. I work at a university. I don't hear of many doing the eikaiwa drill, not to disparage their opinions if they do. As if teachers, at whatever level, have less profound things to say than, for instance, those leading your average 1st world nation these days. What, pray tell, given your obviously tortured relationship with the English language and basic reasoning, do you do?

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Mr.ABE is still denying the compensation to Korean sex slaves in south Korea. My considerations, Mr.ABE's visiting of holocaust museum is a hypocrite. because he doesn't have a accordance his historical viewpoint. Japan was a partner of german during WW2. Japan government tried to ethnicity cleansing policy to the Chosun(Korea). It is a historical fact. Mr. ABE should apologize and visit Independence museum of South Korea. Mr.ABE should kneel down and apologize to the people of South Korea.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

*EasternCowboy

Compensation was completed through Asian Women's Fund with an apology letter from former PM of Japan. Except for some korean women who couldn't accept it since Korean govt and media intimidated them not to.

Congressional Research Service Memorandum, April 3, 2007

*Conclusions (an extract)

*The Asian Women's Fund appears to have been a genuine effort by the Japanese government to compensate and assist former comfort women. As discussed, several governments appeared to have accepted this by cooperating with the Asian Women's Fund.

The Japanese government appears to have a credible legal position based on the Japanese Peace Treaty, Japan's reparations agreements with several countries, and the language of the South Korea-Japan normalization treaty of 1965.

The Prime Ministers' letters state that the Prime Minister is speaking in The letters "as Prime Minister of Japan." The letters, all of which are identical in language, use the words "apology" and "apologies" and addresses these to all comfort women rather than just the recipients of the letters. Critics state that these are inadequate, but they have not detailed their reasons for considering the statements inadequate.

Japanese military may not have directly carried out the majority of recruitment, especially in Korea.

The Abe government and the Committee to Consider Japan's Future Historical Education seem to base their position largely on the situation in Korea where it appears that the majority of the recruitment of comfort women seemed to have been done by civilian recruiters who used deception and pressure on families rather than physical coercion.

An overlooked issue in much of the discussion of comfort women is whether former comfort women in allied and occupied countries had adequate freedom to decide whether to accept compensation and/or assistance from the Asian Women's Fund. It appears that they were intimidated in South Korea not to accept assistance from the Asian Women's Fund.

Despite the financial generosity of the South Korean government's own fund for former comfort women, the South Korean government and NGOs used it and other means as instruments of pressure and intimidation against Korean women who otherwise would have sought assistance from the Asian Women's Fund in 1997.

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

Abe talks business with tough line on peace during Israel visit

Since there is NO mention of what "business" is being talked about, I get the feeling it's contradictive of peace.

Abe says, "as a genuine friend I MIGHT offer advice that may not be easy to swallow to both of the parties". He did not elaborate futher? So the rest of the statements are just hearsay of what MIGHT have been said.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

He should really not be messing in the Middle East. seen the latest news on 2 Japanese hostages ISI are threatening to kill? http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2917804/Video-Islamic-State-group-threatens-kill-Japan-hostages.html

2 ( +2 / -0 )

Stuart: Good point. How much do you want to bet the 'business' with Israel involves arms exporting/importing, given that that is one of Abe's main objectives -- increasing the war machine at home and the pockets of those who build it -- in revising the constitution and the subsequent 'defense' spending. And if that's the case, needless to say his 'visit for peace' is nothing of the sort.

And anyone notice that since his visit and 'tough line on peace' and declaration of war on IS, and 'the war on terror' two Japanese are, for the first time, about to be beheaded by a terrorist group? Good job, Abe! Shining example of bringing 'peace' to Japan and the world.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

Compensation was completed through Asian Women's Fund with an apology letter from former PM of Japan. Except for some korean women who couldn't accept it since Korean govt and media intimidated them not to.

The money didn't come directly from the Japanese government, and moreover since then Abe and Hashimoto have been shooting their mouths off and undermining reconciliation efforts. If the Japanese government was truly sincere it would also be teaching about the "sex slaves" in history books. However, back on topic Abe is hardly in a position to be taking a hardline with Israel given his own issues with history

0 ( +2 / -2 )

@kurisupisu - Quite a list of non-facts there. How about some sources to back them up?

bulldozing to death (literally ) international observers

You're obviously referring to the Rachel Corrie incident (who is one person, by the way, not "observers". The driver of the bulldozer testified in court that it was an accident.

torture of children

Now you're just being ridiculous. What's next, "serving Palestinian babies as hors d'oeuvres"?

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

@EqualityL Some fact that is related to Abe, Jewish people, Hitler's request. Abe's grand uncle's father in law was assigned to govern Continent. (manchuria and China) There were many Jewish refugees and Hitler asked him to execute Jewish people. Because Japan called them respectfully Yudaya Jin, he sent all Jewish people to Japan instead of agreeing with Hitlers request. There are many fact about Abe that google or Wikpoedia. do not write. BTW, Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is invited to US Congress,

0 ( +0 / -0 )

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