Aso makes offering to Yasukuni Shrine

Wednesday 22nd April, 03:43 AM JST

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mushroomcloud at 02:23 AM JST - 22nd April

You can't blame Japanese leaders for wanting to go to Yasukuni. It's a shrine full of war dead, but it's also a symbol of their once powerful past.

The 'Japan Today' is one of shrinking global importance, and these leaders are keenly aware of this fact. The fact that Japan is losing most of it's economic global rankings to China gives these Japanese leaders severe indigestion at night. So, a stroll to Yasukuni to make them feel good temporarily in light of Japan's diminishing reality should be seen sympathetically.
ca1ic0cat at 02:45 AM JST - 22nd April

It's not unreasonable for him to go. What is unreasonable is the crying and shouting from SK, NK and China. You would think that two of those three had enough self confidence that they would stop whining.
mushroomcloud at 02:57 AM JST - 22nd April

"What is unreasonable is the crying and shouting from SK, NK and China."

Did you at least attempt to read the article?

'Prime Minister Taro Aso said Tuesday he made offerings at Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine for its spring and autumn festivals, prompting relatively mild expressions of concern from China and South Korea ahead of his planned visit to China next week.'

Who's crying, shouting amd whining? Rather, what this action does show is Japan's lack of self confidence, so much that she needs to continue to worship the past.
OssanAmerica at 04:38 AM JST - 22nd April

Who's crying, shouting amd whining? Rather, what this action does show >is Japan's lack of self confidence, so much that she needs to continue >to worship the past.

Ridiculous. Has niothing to do with habving or not having self confidence. Don't they worship the past in China as well?
john113 at 05:04 AM JST - 22nd April

It's very funny that so many posters here don't read the article! Aso didn't visit Yasukuni. He just made offering out of his pocket.
TokyoHustla at 05:23 AM JST - 22nd April

Good for Aso. Someone needs to stand up and show respect to the people who helped liberate Asia from the yoke of Western imperialism. Nations that were part of Japan's empire saw their infrastructure built and saw huge rises in literacy rates during that time. It's time to show some thanks for that help.
nigelboy at 07:07 AM JST - 22nd April

Ridiculous. Has niothing to do with habving or not having self confidence. Don't they worship the past in China as well?

Actually, every nation does. The U.S. takes a couple days off every year to honour the vets. I guess they're the king of insecurities according to mushroomcloud's logic.

And as john113 stated, Aso didn't visit the Yasukuni but but made an offering out of his own pocket. Usually, this doesn't make news for prior PM's but considering that Kyodo english translators and many incompetent foreign reporters think Aso's a nationalist/right winger, they were just waiting for this to happen.
tkoind2 at 09:17 AM JST - 22nd April

Another bone headed move by and idiot PM. Aso is useless, arrogant, inept and incapable of managing Japan through the current crisis. His only fortune is that Japanese people are too apathetic about politics to run him out off office. But hard times will soon teach them to care a lot more about how this country is run. Or Japan will find herself far down the list of global economies.
Seiharinokaze at 01:55 PM JST - 22nd April

Why don't they get as upset when the Emperor the head of state sends his envoy to the shrine biannually and has him offer something a bit more gorgeous than a pot of the sacred tree branches and even read a formulary in front of the deities for all these years? He visits in an official capacity at the expense of the public purse or our taxes. Why not China, Korea or anyone else make a big protest against the Emperor instead of being intent like a fool's memory sticking to one thing on attacking any private act for the shrine by a smalltime transient politician?
Yelnats at 09:35 PM JST - 22nd April

A few simple war criminals cause so much stress. Just because they are enshrined there, when you make your prayers, you tell the Shinto Gods to leave them out. Finished and done. Shintoism is so flexible it allows one to do anything. great party religion besides. I am going to convert. How does one do so? I want to ride a huge tree down a mountain and walk on fire, wear my underwear in public and get obnoxiously drunk. Anyone care to join?
realist at 11:10 PM JST - 22nd April

Sorry to read the comments of some people on this thread who are so blind they cannot see the truth about Yasukuni Shrine of Hate and all that it represents - the worst of Japan. State Shintoism, and the extreme fascism and xenophobia which it spawned, is EVIL. It is an evil curse on Japan and also on mankind, because it led to the deaths of millions, both in this country and also abroad. For 21st century Japanese politicians to go anywhere near this evil place is a affront to humanity and to civilisation, nothing more, and nothing less.
smithinjapan at 12:03 AM JST - 23rd April

usaexpat: "Smith: read the quote above I think that negates your claims about only caring for himself and his riches."

Does it? I agree with what you quoted in that it's a very nice sentiment, but people will say a lot under pressure, and Aso has been known to say things that aren't necessarily what he feels to 'appeal' to the public. What's more... I mean, you just can't help but recognize that the class A war criminals are still in there, and if he's worshipping for all he's worshipping for them, too. More than them 'sacrificing their lives for their country', I'd say they sacrificed THOUSANDS of others' lives (other nationals) for no reason whatsoever aside from mass slaughter. That's my only problem. If he, for example, said "I'm not praying for the convicted war criminals, only for those soldiers who risked their lives and died for their country (again, the former included)", I'd be 100% for it... but you still can't forget those others are included in the those mentioned.

Ossan: "I am in agreement with smith's view above. Except that the latter are obviously dwarfed by the former in numbers as evidenced by the stubborn adherence by Japan to article 9 and their constitution for over 60 years."

Very true. Sadly they still exist though, and hopefully when they do no longer (no, I'm not hoping for THAT) that will die with them. Also that those that stubbornly adhere to article nine, which is a unique example of people truly wanting peace in the world being written in a constitution and executed (so to speak), live much longer.

"Of course there is a third group which was not mentioned, those who do not condone the war crimminals and in no way would want to see their country revert to militarism but believe Japan must rearm in the face of real current events."

Hmmm.... mixed bag, eh. Building up defense is one thing, 'rearming' is somewhat vague. I don't think nukes should be an option; they would not be a deterrent in the least and would FURTHER (just thought that modifier might please you) flame an arms race.

Anyway, as I said before, I would love to see separate places to worship simply to eliminate this problem completely.
ebisen at 01:15 PM JST - 24th April

Amazingly - among the people tried there for war crimes apparently there is an officer who used to waterboard American prisoners.

Now there, how many prisoners did USA and China waterboard? Not 60 years ago but you know, more like 2-3 years ago?
rogerbentham at 02:26 PM JST - 24th April

it's time to shrine!
rogerbentham at 02:26 PM JST - 24th April

crazy people.