Ex-Australian POW, son of Scottish POW disappointed at no apology from Aso over wartime labor

Saturday 20th June, 06:55 AM JST

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northlondon at 01:05 AM JST - 21st June

I highly doubt that northlondon would tell Mr Coombs "get over it!" to his face

And I doubt even more that you would make that statement to my face. And you're quite right in a round-a-bout way. I would never find myself in the expat jolly surroundings of the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan, so I wouldn't have the chance to tell that to his face. I'm sick of people living their nice little Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan lifestyles in Japan, while doing things to disrespect this country.
northlondon at 01:23 AM JST - 21st June

fatfrench, debate the issue like a man. And it was you who started the childish say-it-to-his-face thing. Either you agree with people carrying a grievance for 65 years (a grievance against a nation that lost the war in a bad way and was flattened by atomic bombs and firebombings) and blaming the grandchildren who were barely born when such crimes were committed. Or you agree with maturity and don't hold prejudices against people just because of what their grandparents did (a little bit like the people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki).

Moderator: Northlondon and fatfrenchfool, that will do from you two.
northlondon at 02:09 AM JST - 21st June

the Japanese leader should be held responsible for the past conduct of his family’s company.

Ridiculous statement.

McAnulty also said he will tell Scottish children what happened to his father in Japan during the war.

He could also tell Scottish children what happened to Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the firebombing of Tokyo. He could then go on to tell them about the peaceful campaigning of people from Hiroshima and Nagasaki who want an end to nuclear arms. That would balance things out a little wouldn't it.
OssanAmerica at 02:18 AM JST - 21st June

Apologies, reparations, etc for acts in connection with wars are handled between governments, not to each and every individual who has a gripe for the simple reason that there'd be no end to it. Imagine if the surviving familes of every german civilian that died in the allied bombings wanted a personal apology from the Brtish PM. And then we can move on to every country that ever bombed another. Sorry but some one needs to say it- these guys need to get a life and move on.
northlondon at 03:10 AM JST - 21st June

Sorry but some one needs to say it- these guys need to get a life and move on.

Well said Ossan. And as I have mentioned before, it is embarrassing that the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan have given these guys a platform, right here in Japan.
browny1 at 10:59 AM JST - 21st June

Northlondon - you seem to have a lot of insider info on the machinations of the FCC and it's reason to be.

I think if you look at the FCC guest list over the years you will find many "controversial" guests of all persuasions.

I don't necessarily (dis)agree with your slant re the happenings of 64+ years ago, but your snide attack on the "jolly" FCC appears to be comforting your own wounds.

And to attack the FCC in Japan, where everyday independent news reporting is considered daring, is quite laughable. The vested interests of the Japanese media conglomerates make the Murdochs of the world pale in comparison.

Moderator: The FCCJ is not relevant to this story, other than being the venue for a press conference.
Brunobear at 02:28 PM JST - 21st June

northlondon: Thanks to Mr Coombes and the millions of other Allied soldiers that stood up to Japan and the Nazi's in WW11, we all have the freedom to place a blog on Japan Today and newspapers in Europe.

Do you write to the newspapers telling the Jews to get over it?

Mr Coombes has taken 64 years to come to Japan to say something that has obviously tormented him all that time.

Mr Coombes would doubtless be pleased that tens of millions of Japanese youths since 1945, have not had to face an enemy in vicious combat and the misery that goes with it. On the tiny Japanese island of Iwo Jima in 1945, 20,000 heroic US Marines either died or were seriously injured and 25,000 Japanese troops died as the Allies advanced towards Japan. What do you think the causalty rate would have been without the two atom bombs being dropped. The people of Hiroshima and Nagasaki are hardly in a position to protest because they were largely vaporized in August 1945. Russia lost 12 million soldiers just fighting the Germans. 100 million people died in that war. There is no dignity in death, and the dead cannot speak or protest.

It is not our right to tell Mr Coombes what he should do! If the Aso brothers had dignified the situation and extended a warm and welcoming hand to this dear old Australian soldier, and arranged to see him (and perhaps if it happens, the other handful of Aso Mining Co slave labourers, who may be still alive) and show him some respect, I might have had some respect for the Asos'.

99% of Australians and Japanese are over it. But they were not involved or suffered. I haven't read you telling the international Jewish diaspora to get over it. The European Jews didn't even put up a fight to defend themselves or anyone else in WW11. They have not even put a up a fight to get apologies or reparations for anyone else but themselves from WW11. Good on them for what they got for themselves, but show elderly Mr Coombes and his comrades some respect.
realist at 07:30 PM JST - 21st June

OssanAmerica Im afraid you miss the point in all of this. These guys are merely trying to force an apology from someone who has lied about his familys past sins. To bring the actions of Britain and other countries into the argument as you have done is just an illogical argument that does not hold water. Britain and its Allies fought a Just War against the Evuil Axis of Germany, Italy and Japan in the 1930s and 40s. Maybe you dont remember your hisory, but many of us do remember the atrocities committed by the Japanese and their Allies. The Italians and Germans have acknowledged their past misdeeds. The Japanese have to this day remained mealy-mouthed about their past evil deeds. The current Japanese Prime Ministers family bears a heavy repsonsiblility for their past actions, which have never been pub licly acknowledged nor repented of. These honourable men of principle are merely trying to highlight something that is wrong. Of course, to liberal-minded and politically correct demagogues today this kind of action is quite unthinkable, isnt it? I for one hope the up the anti and get satisfaction for themselves and also for the rest of us, whom they represent.
fatfrenchfool at 07:32 PM JST - 21st June

it is embarrassing that the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan have given these guys a platform, right here in Japan.

get over it
OssanAmerica at 01:53 AM JST - 22nd June

realist,

I'm afraid it's you who has missed the point. As I've stated, this demand if accomodated, sets a precent which could have worldwide repurcussions on a scale that would extend far beyond what time and resources could be allocated. Put it simply, these guys are hardly the only victims of WWII who deserve an apology.
Brunobear at 08:32 AM JST - 22nd June

OssanAmerica: Set a precedent! Dignity and compassion cost nothing. Most of the sufferers are now dead. The ex-POW, Mr Coombes would be getting a reasonable Government war service pension in Australia, the free-est and most prosperous country on earth that he helped defend and build. Try and understand the brave old soldier's mental anguish at this late stage of his life. We don't get emotional about today or tomorrow, we get emotional about our past. Even if Aso Mining Company did offer some money - what 3 months pay and a secrecy agreement.
OssanAmerica at 09:06 AM JST - 22nd June

Brunobear, I won't argue with you on the basis of emotion and what these people suffered through. No one is denying that they suffered. In fact far far more people suffered and in many cases even worse than them in countries all over the world, a great many of them civilians not even serving in any military. The only governmental party that Mr Coomes has any relationship to is the Australian government, in whose service he suffered. The Australian government in turn has settled all WWII matters with the Govt of Japan. That's how war matters are settled, between governments, not on an individual basis. The notion that such a precedent can not be set seems to surprise you. If it were set can you imagine the number of similar demamds for apologies that could rise all over the world in many countries? Ask yourself why there are always treaties between countries when a war ends and what their purpose is.
JoeBigs at 10:33 AM JST - 22nd June

I find humorous how some of the statements made by the, "ASO, must pay for his families dealings in WW2" crowd.

When you look at it, ASO was born in 1940 and at the end of WW2 he was not even 5 years old. But you want him to apologies for the action done by his family when he was a mere child.

Why would Aso want to apologies for something he was not involved? Why would anyone want to do such a thing? If he accepts guilt for his families actions, then he would be liable.

If he is liable then this group can sue sue sue him for everything they can.

Oh before I continue, did you guys know that the Japanese did not sign the Geneva Convention on the treatment of prisoners of war?

So why would Japan follow a treaty it never signed?

Now let us take a look and see if anyone else has the right to ask for an apology?

Let us start with WW 2;

Fire Bombings of Germany and Japan by the allies. Who do you think should apologies for that?

Well why run through the lists? Every country commits crimes during wars. Every country thinks it is justified to do so because they are at war.

But let us not forget, history is written by the victors and those defeated are expected to pay for everything. If they committed the crime or not.

I myself think that it is about time we move on from the past and become a better world. But there are those people who try to flame their cases all for profit...

But as the say goes,"War is hell."

So it is about time to, get over it......
Brunobear at 12:30 PM JST - 22nd June

OssanAmerica: My main point is if it is okay for the International Jewish diaspora to remind us 365 days a years for the past 64 years how a minority race of Jews died in WW11, and continuously demand more and more compensation, why not the other 94 million non-Jewish. The war ended when the war in 1945 for the various nation states involved. I doubt if anyone suffered more prolonged misery than the Allied prisoners of war on the Burma Railroad. But for Mr Coombes, as an individual, he is free to make any claim he likes. If my families private business had harshly used Japanese 300 prisoners of War in WW11, I would have been ashamed and if an old Japanese former soldier came to my office door to express his grief, I would have given him a hearing, not just turned him away. If it was 1950 Mr Aso may have had a problem of 300 individual demands for compensation, but not in 2009 for goodness sake. and by the way, there is no "compensation crowd" as you gratuitously suggest except the Jewish one. No one or group in Australia was urging on Mr Coombes to my knowledge.
OssanAmerica at 12:43 AM JST - 24th June

brunobear;

I doubt if anyone suffered more prolonged misery than the Allied >prisoners of war on the Burma Railroad.

I disagree. It doesn't take more than a 15 minute overview of WWII globally to reach the conclusion that your above comment is clearly wrong.