China's UK envoy compares Japanese militarism to Voldemort

I love theatrics! And this one blows me away: “Our two countries have a common responsibility to work with the international community to oppose and condemn any words or actions aimed at invalidating the peaceful post-war consensus and challenging international order.” So where does peace come from? Not from this rhetorical BS, but rather, action. Or the reduction of said reactionary aggression. See y'all in March or April, 'cause like the Terminator said, 'I'll be back". Or as I like to say to my Japanese family, 'mata kimas!' Heaven help JT!

So...the CCP are like Harry Potter? More laughable blather from the CCP. Ambassador Liu Xiaoming's resorting to a children's tale to discuss China-Japan relations, encapsulates perfectly the infantile nature of CCP foreign policy and diplomacy. The ambassador resorting to a reiteration of events that occurred 70-120 years ago to justify CCP China's belligerent behavior and aggression in the present is pathetic.

The CCP simply don't seem to comprehend that none of the nations which fought Japan in the Pacific War do not harbour eternal resentment towards Japan in the present as they do, or a desire to get 'payback' for it. This infantile obsession about taking revenge on Japan by CCP China for events of 70+ years ago deserves to be ridiculed, and condemned for the warmongering that it is.

Pure comedy, these Chinese government officials.

Great China we respected for long disappeared under the communist regime. Japan learned a lot from them in the past. The country put importance on order and virtue in politics. Do they read their great classics today?

I'm not sure it's a good tactic to demonize Abe. After all he represents a sizable faction in the Japanese population on the conservative side. It is clear to everyone that Abe is setting up China as the enemy. This is frustrating. Still it's better to attack just his policies and specific actions. Some decorum must be afforded to the symbolism of the PM position, or else you will alienate the Japanese public, which would be totally counter productive.

On the BB in Japan, China is called a big ROK, and ROK is called a small China recently.

After all, they are akin.

I'm not sure it's a good tactic to demonize Abe.

You cannot demonize that which is already demon.

China continues to use history as a political football. Yawn.

However I think Asia might tend see that China makes a better Voldemort than Japan and no one does it better then the United States. But nice to see another Harry Potter fan.[Grin]

Actually, I think the Yasakuni - horcrux analogy is pretty acurate!

While China is compared to the knockout club, they are known to hit you when you are not looking.

Personaly I prefer the analogy Mr Abe as Anpanman Chinas leaders as Baikinman.

I wouldn't mind betting that this year Japan-China relations will take a real dive. Both nation's courses have been set, and due to national pride (on both sides) neither of them will be able to back down. The rhetoric and provocations will ramp up and something really bad is going to happen.

People seem to confuse or use the word "conservative" when referring to a persons political affiliation. How does the word "conservative and militaristic " have the same meaning. Lets call it what it is, or maybe campaigning under "The Militaristic Party" wouldn't gather any voters. So neighbouring countries are entitled to get upset when they judge a close neighbours leader as a militarist rather than a conservative. If we are to believe Abe's intentions to keep peace and not war, visiting a contentious shrine is not an ideal way for a countries political leader to behave, politically speaking. So now we have more tensions in this, what once was a peaceful and stable part of the world, even if only for several decades. On this issue I don't favour any of the countries involved, I think all politicians and bureaucrats worldwide are of the same mold,

Guess that makes China either Smaug or Sauron and the Chinese military Orcs.

“Our two countries have a common responsibility to work with the international community to oppose and condemn any words or actions aimed at invalidating the peaceful post-war consensus and challenging international order,” he added.

So when is China going to practice what it preaches to the rest of the world?

what a great idea. If everything was explained to Japanese politicians in the form of a manga / movie character, they might finally understand something....

Yes China, be afraid. be very afraid of us!

Oh China you so funny!

It is kind of funny. But what I want to know is, did he write it in English? If so, well done!

How convenient, its the movie "The Railway Man " and Americans are making same thing with the " Ubroken" , how convenient, two similar movies made just in time when Japan is most sensitive , it seams there is some western politics backing those movies to be made, and I really think America will not protect Japan in the case of China attack , Japan is for America big economic enemy, and for them, destruction of Japan would be highly desirable . Specially if someone else do that, and that someone is China . Korea just trying to destroy Japan economically , while China wants blood.

China's government is full of hypocrites~ Since China is playing the idiot, Japan needs to play the straight man. Using a fictional story to justify their means is...laughable. And they can make a better example of Voldemort...using their own country.

Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Qin Gang said Monday that Abe was “not welcome” by the Chinese people

I get the feeling MOST of the older population of China DON'T WELCOME JAPANESE PEOPLE at all. Not much of a change if you're just gonna block out one more person.

“Our two countries have a common responsibility to work with the international community to oppose and condemn any words or actions aimed at invalidating the peaceful post-war consensus and challenging international order,” he added.

Then shouldn't we be turning our attention to China...? I mean, Japan doesn't even have an official military, just a defence force. Frankly, only the U.S., China, Russia and Britain and probably North Korea have enough power that will "invalidate the peaceful post-war consensus and challenge international order". Japan will only be getting enough to defend itself, not to waste on some war with China.

That ambassador must be kidding.

I equate Voldemort in many ways to the late Chairman Mao Tse-Tung, who has a history that is quite shocking. No one really knows how many Chinese died between 1949 and 1976 during Mao's rule of China with unfettered mass shootings, forced exile, labor camps and (possibly) deliberately induced famine, but I've read estimates from scholars starting at around 55 million and going as high as 100 million.

Until the Chinese people and government can fully come to grips with what Mao did to the country, I personally find the ambassador's remarks to be a case of "pot calling kettle black," to use the American English expression.

But that doesn't mean the kettle isn't black.

Really now, is this the best analogy a diplomat could come up with? Watching NE Asia politics is like watching vaudeville.

So...the CCP are like Harry Potter?

No I think it means the PRC is Hogwarts, the Chinese people are Harry and Ron, Hong Kong is Hermione and Taiwan is Neville.

Does that make North Korea Dudley ? or Luna Lovegood ?

Twit, clown, imbecile are some of the words that remind me of this idiot.

“If militarism is like the haunting Voldemort of Japan, the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo is a kind of horcrux, representing the darkest parts of that nation’s soul.”

He must have misspoken. Commies don't believe in souls.

Nice to see an mature an adult approach to the issues.

Frankly, only the U.S., China, Russia and Britain and probably North Korea have enough power that will "invalidate the peaceful post-war consensus and challenge international order

The big one you left out - France, which has a larger nuclear stockpile than China or the UK. Not that they are in any way rogue like China or North Korea, but just saying. You also left out India, Pakistan and Israel - the first two of which are by far the most likely to go off the rails and cause a catastrophe.

Commies don't believe in souls.

You do realize that China is absolutely nothing even remotely close to a communist state, right?

How convenient, its the movie "The Railway Man " and Americans are making same thing with the " Ubroken" , how convenient, two similar movies made just in time when Japan is most sensitive , it seams there is some western politics backing those movies to be made, and I really think America will not protect Japan in the case of China attack , Japan is for America big economic enemy, and for them, destruction of Japan would be highly desirable .

The makers of "The Railway Man" started work on it 14 years ago: http://www.scotsman.com/what-s-on/film/tracks-of-the-years-to-produce-the-railway-man-1-3242598. The film ends with British POW Eric Lomax forgiving and befriending his wartime enemy. I'm not sure of what point you and Liu Xiaoming are trying to make here.

“In the Harry Potter story, the dark wizard Voldemort dies because the seven horcruxes, which contain parts of his soul, have been destroyed,” ambassador Liu Xiaoming"

More proof that the PRC is run by people with childlike minds, because who else would use this kind of analogy!

They live in the land of fantasies.......

Sigh. China keeps on making itself a laughing stock. If you're going to make a comparison with someone evil, at least make sure they're not fictional. Here's a little checklist for you: Hitler = real. Voldemort = fictional. Chairman Mao = real. Sauron = fictional. Mussolini = real. Satan = well, the jury's still out on that one. Some say real, some say fictional. No evidence either way really. But you get the picture. But seriously, this envoy needs some professional and psychological help I think, and to grow up. Isn't name calling something that eight year olds do?

This is pretty comedic. Mostly for me because all of my Japanese students (young and old) LOVE the Harry Potter books. This is bound to hit a cultural nerve with the Japanese.

at least china is doing something different for this diplomatic cause, i am wondering what japan's politicians will be doing, going or preparing to visit yasukuni again? of course they are also preparing to change the constitution..why don't they rally with their ally (ies)?

When I read the headline I was wondering who the hell is this Voldemort dude as I had never heard of him. So now if I am to understand all this I need to rent & watch the HPotter dvds I guess, too much LOL!

As we already know, the Chinese government does not rate the UK or the people living within it. Given that the Harry Potter series is so popular there, they are probably trying to discuss the Japan issue in terms they think the people in the UK can understand.

@SecularBeast I recommend reading the book or seeing the movie The Railwayman if you have time, it delves history, the past, the present, hate, war, reconciliation and finally forgiveness through one man's true story. Events that happened 70 years ago are still important, especially to individuals and their families caught up in them. It's a very relevant personal story to set aside recent events.

The "new film" he mentions is "The Railway Man". It tells about torture of British soldiers building the Burma Railway. But THE LESSON FOR CHINA: (spoiler alert) the British man meets the Japanese man who tortured him, and they reconcile and become close friends. Did Mr. Chinese ambassador notice that when he saw the movie?

I don't see the comedy at all in Ambassador Liu's analogy. The Harry Potter series of books is not what many post World War II people would call a 'children's series' -- those who have read it know how deeply it delves into the creation of various forces that combine to create a diehard evil. Those familiar with the story behind the book Protocols of Zion know there is nothing to laugh at when it comes to taking a peaceful work and changing it into a catalyst for enslavement, brutality and war. Those who have read or seen a television adaptation of one of China's greatest masterpieces, Xi You Ji (Journey to the West), know what the Ambassador means when he speaks of deep remorse and penitence. The actual piece for the Daily Telegraph is well written and I consider all points well taken. I am looking forward to seeing the film Ambassador Liu mentioned, Railway Man. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/10546442/Liu-Xiaoming-China-and-Britain-won-the-war-together.html

How can you even take China seriously with that remark and their general troll behaviour? Honestly they make constant threats but wouldn't really dare to make aggressive moves. They know they don't really have allies to rely on.

" the British man meets the Japanese man who tortured him, and they reconcile and become close friends."

Did the Japanese man tell the British man it was regrettable but he had to torture him to free and help him, and do so without a shred of emotion? Or did he apologize and maybe shed a tear?

Did the Japanese man later go to Yasukuni in his old uniform and pay respects to Tojo while declaring Hiroshi Abe a hero?

It's true, China would/could never attack Japan. They would have no way to move their troops to Japan in order to fight! Japan, being an island country with an extremely powerful Navy is essentially a fortress.

So on that note, the Chinese blustering is just that - blustering. That's why it's sad to see Japan (and a lot of confused foreigners) reacting to the Chinese by escalating tensions.

while declaring Hiroshi Abe a hero?

Hey I liked "Thermae Romae" as much as the next man, and I think he has some good screen presence... but I wouldn't go so far as to call him a 'hero'... YMMV...

Japan has not killed a single foreigner for about 70 years, has paid a LOT of money to all over the world , but not paying to Japanese and leaving huge debt, keeping war renouncing constitution. Yes, Japan is a villain.

Oh my gosh. I few so good!

Things are starting to get better, asia diplomacy is a mess but at least now we can have fun while reading news. :)

I am so surprised with such an analogy coming from the chinese. Now I start to believe in the restoration of China X Japan relationship.

Smile! There is a place where the world keeps China's opinions. The USA stock market fell dramatically 1/2/14 because of fear of lack of production by China. The Big Bad Wolf is in trouble now. Run, China, run!

Argus, Lt. Hiroshi Abe oversaw the construction of the Burmese Railway. He was sentenced to death as class B and C war criminal, but his sentence was later reduced to 15 years jail. Under his supervision, over 3000 British Commonwealth POWs were murdered.

To his credit though, he not only admitted he was a war criminal, he also testified against the Japanese government on behalf of Koreans seeking compensation for the war. In other words, his words were followed up by actions that matched, most unlike most of Japan on this issue.

@JapanVisitor - thanks for your comment, and I agree. My father lost two brothers during the Pacific War fighting the Japanese in Papua New Guinea and Borneo and the post-war period required a lot of soul-searching by ex-servicemen and those affected at home. While some could never relinquish their grudge against the Japanese, by far the majority (including my family) did.

This healing was greatly assisted by the post war relations established between Japan and Australia, where the concerns of the government were never about exaction of eternal revenge, but to assist in the establishing a liberal democracy in Japan and an improvement in living standards there - that is to help establish conditions in Japan that would prevent a repeat of the factors that led to the Pacific War, and foster friendly relations between our nations for future generations (which have proven to be very successful).

We also had amazing public figures like Sir Roden Cutler and Tom Uren who had been victims of Japanese prison camps who spoke against adopting a revenge mentality and taking an approach similar to that advocated by the government of Australia. On a human level, Australian troops witnessed the brutal conditions that ordinary Japanese soldiers operated under and bore them little personal animosity - because they, like our troops, were placed into brutal war environment under orders, and like them would have preferred to be at home with their families living a peaceful life.

While I totally agree with the sentiment of your post on a personal level, this healing must also take place at a national level. Whereas nations like Australia sought that healing with Japan on a national level, in the case of China, the CCP deliberately prevents that healing from taking place by insisting upon maintaining its 'grudge and revenge' mentality with the Japanese and propagating it as a state pseudo-policy. It is incredibly immature and only sows the seeds for further bloodshed.

I'll have to try and get a a copy of the Railwayman. Regards China and Japan, I think Lu Chuan's 'City of Life and Death' is a must see, which revolves around the 'Rape of Nanjing'. This film not only relates the horrors visited upon the Chinese, but also sympathetically addresses the brutalizing affect upon ordinary Japanese soldiers when ordered to carry out commands that conflict with the basic humanity we all share regardless of nationality.

Present day Japan is in no way voldemort, but I do see yasukuni as a horcrux equivalent.

In Christian country like Britain , chinese ambassador needs to have knowledges of Bible when talking about people souls after death.

The film ends with British POW Eric Lomax forgiving and befriending his wartime enemy.

Just like the crew of the USS Indianapolis forgave and befriended Mochitsura Hashimoto.

Never thought I'd see the day when china would try to defeat japan with magic wands.

Can we have a Dodgeball reference next, please!

I think properly used...Japanese militarism have no apology...

Since the CCP is so bent on getting apologies, why doesn't their UK envoy try to get some from where he is? Or maybe he only had Harry Potter in the selection of movies in the plane to London and nothing about the Opium Wars? Or maybe is it easier to harass a country with a pacifist constitution than one with a bigger nuclear arsenal than yours?

Voldemort....oh dear. We'll be heading into 'your mum's so fat' territory soon.

This is just China telling its ambassadors to try and rally support in their assigned countries. I wouldn't be surprised if something similar happened in Germany, hence the question from the press about Japan and Merkel's spokesperson giving a general response.

How about China getting its human rights record in order first? That should be more important than trying to equate the Japan of today with that of the 1930s. Oh yeah I forgot, that's an internal matter.

Okay, Harry Potter in politics...now I really saw everything. Please, politicians should act seriously, not like little kids.

China is going all out here.....ot make themselves look like complete asses. Where do they train diplomats these days

Oh, and it's a bit rich for China to try and rally vocal support from the UK with this "we fought shoulder to shoulder" BS, seeing as they basically refused to see our Prime Minister and a senior cabinet member a few months ago as 'punishment' for meeting the Dalai Lama.

Pre-PRC China had dignity. This lot are an embarrassment.

Those Chinese leaders are like Moe, Larry and Curly. Very funny guys lol...

Im sorry...but how bloody ridiculous. And all this China/Japan nonsense is like Tom & Jerry or Coyote and Road Runner.

Unfortunately, the more "cool" the Chinese government try to be, the more "dumb" they sound.

“China and Britain were wartime allies,” Liu wrote. “Our troops fought shoulder to shoulder against Japanese aggressors and made enormous sacrifices.”

China is re-writing history. The ROC under Chiang Kai Shek and the Kuomingtang were our allies. They were attached by and chased off the mainland to Taiwan by Mao Tse Tung and the CCP; today's "China- the PRC". The Chinese PLA made enormous sacrifices killing ROC soldiers who had been fighting Japan. The PRC sent troops to the Korean peninsula and killed British (and US, Australian, Canadian ,the list goes on) China as a totalitarian communist dictatorship has been able to subscribe to the practice of the government declaring what the facts are, no matter how incorrect historically, and forcing their people to accept it. For some reason hey seem to think that they can treat the rest of the world the same way.

stuarto In your country you don't pray for the souls of fallen soldiers? What did japan wrong?

When did Mao and Churchill and Eisenhower fight together against Japan? All historic pictures had Chiang kai Shek ,not Mao.

You do realize that China is absolutely nothing even remotely close to a communist state, right?

Is the country controlled by a single party called the communist party? Does the control of the communist party extend to every crook, cranny and alley way, stamping out any opposition before it can take a breath, and curtailing freedoms wherever they may be found? Do people live in fear of being disappeared by the communist party? Does the government officially worship dead communists like mao?

You actually don't even need to answer any of those questions - of course PRC isn't "communist" in the idealistic sense of the word - they just maintain the trappings and the names and the rituals and the front because these are tools which can help them to continue abusing their people.

If you call yourself a communist, you can hardly blame others for following your lead and also calling you a communist. The real question is, who'd want to go on identifying themselves as a communist when its been proven to be a failed model for society? Answer - someone who is far too stubborn/proud to admit they were ever so monumentally wrong.

Britain colonized China as well. I guess they have double standards. I don't believe Britain apologized to China for its own aggression.

OMG, this is the most hilarious thing I've heard since the situation over the Senkaku got worse.

A poor metaphor, it lacks sophistication and suggests that someone has a rather immature taste, not only in political finesse, but in literature. The Japanese should remove the offending ‘7 souls’, AGAIN issue an apology, perhaps one at the 2020 Olympics, and be sure that Tibetan and Taiwanese Olympiads are invited.

China is trying to use other countries soft power to boost its position, since their own soft power it's still weak. Once they also used Detective Conan in their news for the same aim, by quoting Haibara Ai while she was talking about how bad Japanese politics is, and yeah, Detective Conan is Japanese. Funny.

I've recently read the "MANIFESTO OF THE CHINESE PEOPLES LIBERATION ARMY" written in 1947, during their troubles with Chiang Kai-shek. I was impressed by their apparent deep desire for Peace and their desire to free their people from his tyranny. I'm finding all kinds of things out about China that I never knew. and I must say that my respect for this people just grows and grows. but I love and respect the Japanese culture also. Hope they find a peaceful solution. Peace and Love to all.

Japanese militarism was 70 years ago. Chinese militarism is current and a problem for the neighbors. Which is worse, visiting a shrine or sending ships into "disputed" areas to cause a fuss?

It would seem that China's quoting a children's movie shows the level of maturity they are applying to their diplomacy. My way or the highway. Anything you do is to damage / insult me. I'm gonna take my ball and go home. Grow up!

As far as the "Manifesto of the Chinese PLA" is concerned I'm sure that Tibet is a good example of the deep desire for peace. As far as freeing the Chinese people from tyranny is concerned I would think that the "great leap forward" and the cultural revolution are good examples.

Peace indeed.

There is also one background reason for Abe's nationalism. The third arrow of Abenomics involves reforming the economy. However, there are strong vested interests who will oppose the reform because they will loose. Abe needs to appeal to patriotism and nationalism to pressure to make vested interests change to make Japanese economy stronger, and thus make ordinary Japanese more stable and wealthy. He uses nationalism as a weapon against vested interests who are ruining Japan to stay wealthy. Abe is trying to appeal to Samurai spirit of self-sacrifice to make vested interests sacrifice to make Japan as a whole better. That is his strategy, but I'm not saying if it is good or bad. Just for understanding. Of course, vested interests are a problem globally, not just in Japan.

@SecularBeast Thanks for that. Appreciated. I will search out Lu Chuan's 'City of Life and Death' Have a good 2014!

In your country you don't pray for the souls of fallen soldiers? What did japan wrong?

In my country we don't pray for the souls of war criminals. So to answer your question, what Japan did wrong is have it's leader publicly go and pray for the souls of war criminals, which shows a lack of respect to other countries that suffered under those war criminals.

of course PRC isn't "communist" in the idealistic sense of the word

Or any other sense of the word. There is nothing communist about China at all. In fact, the PRC doesn't even call themselves communist, they are the People's Republic of China. Not the People's Communist China.

they just maintain the trappings and the names and the rituals and the front because these are tools which can help them to continue abusing their people.

They don't even do that. As I said before, China isn't even remotely communist, in name or actions.

stuarto In your country you don't pray for the souls of fallen soldiers? What did japan wrong?

tinawatanabe, there is only one country I know where its not widely condemned to name men hung for war crimes after a war as fallen soldiers and war dead. Essentially Yasukuni and its supports think them martyrs and heroes. It makes me sick. It makes all decent people sick. It makes the victims angry. It makes the relatives of the victims angry.

But don't blame all of Japan for this complete lack of sense. Its the PM, many in the government and those uyoku nationalist cretins.

In fact, the PRC doesn't even call themselves communist, they are the People's Republic of China. Not the People's Communist China.

And the CCP which runs the whole show? And the worship of dead communists like mao? Face it, they want to be known as communists, and it sure as hell isn't up to you to chide the rest of us for using their chosen appellation.

Face it, they want to be known as communists, and it sure as hell isn't up to you to chide the rest of us for using their chosen appellation.

So you were quite happy to call the old GDR government "democratic"?

I'm with Strangerland, China's no more communist than the US these days. People just project their anti-socialism onto the unpleasant regime there.

People just project their anti-socialism onto the unpleasant regime there.

Exactly. Which is stupid, because China is about as un-socialist as you can get. If you don't have money, you are out of luck. No social safety net there.

If you think Japanese public and leaders go to the shrine to pray for the war criminals, you are products of anti-Japan education. It is your countrys' fault, not Japan's.

They are going to the shrine to pray for the souls interned there. There are souls of some 100+ war criminals interned there, including 14 class A war criminals. Therefore they are praying for the souls of war criminals.

It's pretty straightforward. I'll give you the benefit of the doubt that you have the intelligence to understand that, but feel free to let us know if you don't.

Nobody is interned there, only names written on the books. There are about 2.5 Million souls there from all wars of last two centuries. Why do you particularly pick those 100? Probablity wise, low that we pray for the 100. And you should know you are hurting Japanese people feeling. That's why we are supporting for the revision of constitution because we can't take it anymore.

1068 war criminals' souls enshrined at Yasukuni. Come on. Its an easy enough number to look up.

only names written on the books.

AKA internment.

Why do you particularly pick those 100?

Do you really think the politicians are praying "please let these souls, all of them except the war criminals, rest in peace"? No. They are praying for all the souls, which include the war criminals. Therefore they are praying for the souls of war criminals.

I'm with Strangerland

Look, you call them what you like. I'm going to go with the word they have chosen to describe themselves. I'll probably usually just shorten it down to commie though because its such a pain to type out the whole word. Hope that's OK with you guys.

Well if you don't mind repeatedly being wrong, then there isn't much we can do about it other than point out that you are wrong.

In my country we don't pray for the souls of war criminals. So to answer your question, what Japan did wrong is have it's leader publicly go and pray for the souls of war criminals, which shows a lack of respect to other countries that suffered under those war criminals.

You don't? Even those who were summary executed in war prison camps? I don't know about you but those who were executed in prison camps are indeed "heroes" to one country and a war criminal to another.

Do you have the slightest clue of what a Class A criminal is? Can a Class A criminal serve as a leader of a country later without any opposition from their former enemy countries? Can a Class A criminal serve as a Foreign Minister of a country where he was able to lead his country to gain the membership in the U.N. and address the acceptance at the General Assembly?

http://www.mofa.go.jp/policy/un/address5612.html

That's how the "world" perceived these so-called war criminals back then. So I ask, why are countries bringing up stuff that was not an issue back then?

You don't?

No, we don't. And apparently you don't know what a war criminal is - it's someone who has been convicted of a war crime.

No, we don't. And apparently you don't know what a war criminal is - it's someone who has been convicted of a war crime.

Which is what I stated. Be it summary execution or the IMFTE where the judge, jury, and executioner was the victor's, they were all deprived of due process standard as we know it.

A) Then they weren't convicted of war crimes.

B) The Japanese war criminals were.

Then they weren't convicted of war crimes.

They were. Hence, the executions that followed.

I compare China to Smeagol (Gollum).

China continues to show its immaturity and desperation in silly and vain attempts to cast Japan in the role of a villain when it is China who is the aggressive bully all over the Pacific trying to browbeat and steal land from every single neighboring country. It is sad to see western news outlets like the BBC and the US TV stations either ignoring this crisis or trying to help China whitewash its attempts. Japan has acted with dignity and restraint throughtout the continuing provvocaitons and taunts from China. Now China is resorting to fictional characters, and still trying to drag past history in to the present in its failed public relations flop.

I wont bother to read the usual posters making the usual slanted comments, but i am glad to see more and more reasonable and calm people seeing the truth of this matter.

They were. Hence, the executions that followed.

By your definition, anyone who ever died in combat was a war criminal, which would effectively make the term useless.

There is a difference better someone convicted in a court of law, and someone who died fighting in a war.

All countries involved in the war of 70 years ago suffered a lot and I would hope that none of them would want war to happen again.

China needs to grow up and move forward.

He wanted to tell UK people he read old old Harry Potter fantasy book to tell Japan is witch.

By your definition, anyone who ever died in combat was a war criminal, which would effectively make the term useless.

It's not my "definition".

.".. I suppose if I had lost the war, I would have been tried as a war criminal"-Curtis Lemay

He gets it. Don't know why you don't get it.

Whats the big deal, many of us here weren't even alive during this war. There've been plenty wars since then that Japan has not fought in.

are we talking about adults here? could have fooled me. -<

Time and time again, Abe has demonstrated that he is willing to be insensitive to the perception of Japan's neighbors.

I wonder what the perception would be if a high level official gave a heartfelt apology and the government decided to move those 14 indicted war criminals to another location? The digging up of the bodies "disturbing the site of the criminal dead" would be a huge sign that Japan was serious about separating the war dead and those who were indicted as criminals and would act as a symbol to divorce Japan's past role as a brutal aggressor from its current need to express sincere sorrow for that aggression.

On the other hand comparing Japan to Voldemort is certainly not helpful and my concern is that there is a constant cry from within China that Japan can do no good and that Japan has never expressed apologies.

I wonder what the perception would be if a high level official gave a heartfelt apology and the government decided to move those 14 indicted war criminals to another location? The digging up of the bodies "disturbing the site of the criminal dead" would be a huge sign that Japan was serious about separating the war dead and those who were indicted as criminals and would act as a symbol to divorce Japan's past role as a brutal aggressor from its current need to express sincere sorrow for that aggression.

Government cannot dictate nor order a private religious entity. That would be a direct violation of the Constitution.

There are no bodies, ashes, or tablets in Yasukuni (Repeating hundreds of times on this site)

The cremated ashes of the executed so-called Class A criminals are already housed in another location.

I know why it's controversial in Japan but why are these 14 so special to China and Korea?

Everytime I read or hear all those blablabla nonsense by Chinese or Korean I wonder in the most simple way: When they will realize that all countries which fought on WWII have overcame everything a long ago and they ought do the same? There's no good way to settle things down with China when everything they clearly seems to want is to rampage.