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The Issue of Yasukuni Shrine (FAQ) |
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Question 1 Answer 1 There is nothing to do with ideologies or religions. Until the end of 2nd WW (the Greater East-West War?) the war-dead was enshrined not only at the regional guardian shrine (gokoku-shrine) , but also at own supporting temple. On the same time he was enshrined at Yasukuni shrine. Since the Japanese people thought that it was common to be enshrine at Yasukuni in those days, we should respectfully follow suit. It is also natural that the government readers visit Yasukuni shrine. There is no reason to change the custom by the reason of the partial (a few or few) people's opinions at post war. Besides the Japanese government or court should never give the hand. This is the will letter to his loving child (baby) form Captain Uemura who applied and died for a pilot flying from Sebu island in the Philippines on October 26, 1944: "I really want to see your growth until you get married and make a happy family, but you must not feel sorry for yourself if you don't see my face because of dead (at this war). If you want to see me at grown-up, come to "Kudan" and pray faithfully & deeply . You will see my face in your mind. p.s. Motoko, the toy you played with at your baby now becomes as my charm hanging in my plane." Kudan is place where Yasukuni shrine is located. Motoko-san in the letter visited Yasukuni at 1967 and comforted her dead father with her dancing at the house of worship. Question 2 Answer 2 Except China and Korea (south & north), there aren't any criticisms form any other nations. It is international common sense that criticizing at the other country's way of life is none of business. It's a kind of interference of their domestic affairs. Have you ever heard of Vietnam's complaint against the U.S. president visiting the Arlington National Cemetery? Moreover, the allied Powers or Koumingtang China (now Taiwan) who fiercely fought with Japan had never had such an idea. Besides Korea as a part of Japan territory fought with us. Since Communist Party (now People's Rep. Of China) was very small power, they would never have established the country without Japan-Koumingtan war. addition
by translator: The Korean Case The Chinese Case Conclusion What is Yasukuni
Shrine like? In Yasukuni shrine there are only directory notes of those war dead. There are no memorial tablets ("ihai") or no bones ("ikotsu") of them. Their names were written without any pieces of mistake by the professional Shinto priests who purify themselves and wore traditional white clothes as sacred war deaths. In the sacred precincts , there is another shrine which is enshrined for not only foreign dead or war criminals (enemies) like "Byakko tai" who fought for Tokugawa or Saigo Takamori at the Satsuma Rebellion, but also animals (horses and dogs, pigeons used for wars). "Yuhshu Kan (=pavilion)" there displays air-planes of "Zero fighter" and "Suisei", (strangely C56 Stream train too) and historical armaments from Satsuma Rebellion to this war (2nd WW) and a lot of pictures and remembrances of war dead. There are corners you can see these-day news on the screen and video library, and a reading room. On the first floor you can enjoy old Navy foods like "Navy coffee" or "Navy curry". "Yasukuni Kaikan (=hall)" next to the pavilion has a free lounge and a library providing books related to war histories or war chronicles. Question 3 Answer 3 Besides, Prime minister Nakasone's visit in 1983 and 1984 had nothing to do with these two countries. No attention came. But, it's always the case that Asahi Shimbun and left-wing groups had started objection, and [just like a miner/faked fire at first becomes a big fire] some political stuff of Chinese government might think it would be a big advantage to use political scandal of their enemy. What if he was regarded as pro-Japanese? It is an episode of post Prime minister Nakasone; According Nakasone by himself, there was a political conflict among Chinese leaders, and Nakasone heard his Yasukuni visit might influence on resignation of General Secretary Hu Yao Bang. "Hu Yao Bang is a very good friend of mine. So I thought I should help him", so he refrained from visiting Yasukuni. His decision or judgment, however, failed in increasing pro-Japanese groups in China. Oppositely, it now led the first bad example to accept their interference after that. Prime ministers visits to Yasukuni shrine after the war: 1945 October 23 Hidehara (Kijuuro) The above records clearly prove that Yasukuni visit by Prime ministers had never occurred any international interference even from China or Korea for 40 years after the war. In addition, Prime Minister Masayoshi Ohhira who went and worshipped three times since 1979 was a pious Catholic. Only Nakasone's blunder (miss-judge) in 1985 had born the un-returnable situation. As for Korea they just followed suit with China. But Mr. Hashimoto or Mr. Koizumi now has been trying to come back to the past and normal situation. Question 4 Answer 4 addition
by translator: Winners of the last war in the Tokyo court indicted the 28 accused for "the Guilty Against Peace", and they were called the So-called A criminals. But the judicial process was quite personal. Each accused had to fight and testify against the allied forces (enemy's) accuser and before the enemy's judges with his personally hired lawyer. [addition: It's quite an un-fare trial at all.] Anyway 25 accused (3 were died during the trails) were indicted guilty. Hideki Tohjoh, Kouki Hirota and the other 7 were given death sentences, and Kiichiro Hiranuma and the other 18 were life sentences. 7 death sentences and 7 dead in prison were now enshrined in Yasukuni Shrine. Of course unless you are loser, there aren't any war criminals. If war itself is wrong, the leaders of the US government or the US army were all the A grade war criminals. People ordered to ill-treat the POW or done it were indicted the B grade and C grade. However miss-treatment done by winner were scarcely indicted [Trial of the US soldiers who abused Iraqi POW now is only exception, but the verdict is quite light compared with the said trial.] When Japan was independent of the Allied forces occupation in 1952, the bailing movement of the accused was prevailing over lots of Japanese, and the petitions were signed by almost all the adults (40,000,000) in those days. Next year in 1953, the Diet passed the Bailing Law without any objection including Japan Social party or Japan Communist party. Besides, according to the 11 clause of San Francisco treaty with 11(post allies forces) countries approval, the alive A grade prisoners were bailed in 1956, and all the B, C grade prisoners were set free until 1957. As the result, for example, post Foreign Minister Shigemitsu and post Financial Minister Kagaya, who were lucky commuted to life imprisonment from death sentence, reinstated to a vice-Prime Minister or Justice Minister. In the next year of the San Francisco treaty "the Aids Law for Casualties and Bereaved Families of War Dead" was reformed, and the annuity of bereaved family were covered to the war criminal's families together with the gratuity. By the reformed law since 1960 the released war criminals and bereave family have been pensioned the same as ordinal the demobilized solder annuity or ordinal bereaved family annuity in accordance with their service period. The meaning is that period of their imprisonment were counted considered as military service. As seeing like above, there were no so-call war criminal any more regally not only in Japan, but also to the world. But only the so-called A criminals were in question that they had responsibility of this war defeat. At least they were all leaders at that moment. The Law of Yasukuni shrine which will decide the future of Yasukuni shrine was just deliberating in the Diet at that time. So, the enshrinement of so-called A-class criminals was already approved by the representatives of supporters, but the decision of their enshrinement was waited to the decision of that Law in the Diet for a while. The deliberation of this Law dragged on a place, and possibility of withdrawal came out. Therefore the representatives of supporters demanded to enshrine so-called Aclass criminals in Yasukuni shrine. Then they were enshrined in annual festival of autumn, 1978. In addition, the Law of Yasukuni shrine was withdrawn As for the so-called B, C criminals , they were already enshrined in 1959 with the other war dead. Of course there has nothing to do with discrimination from other war dead, when we visit Yasukuni Shrine. addition
by translator: From the Western view of hitory Prime Minister Hideki Tohjo and his cabinet were regarded as dictators like the Adolf Hitler's or the Benito Mussolini 's. But, on second thought, Japanese society has been traditionally group-oriented. Japanese people re-recognized there weren't any dictators in this war, either. For example the Tohjo cabinet resigned in July, 1944. Next was the Kuniaki Koiso's and the Kantaro Suzuki's in April 1945 accepted the Potsdam Declaration and ended the war. Italy defeated because of the resignation of Mussolini, and Germany did because of the death of Hitler. But Tohjo resignation didn't end the war. Why? Because he was not dictator. To tell the truth just after the war people said in puzzle, "If the war was wrong, who should be responsible? If there is no-one in charge, we people should repent the guilty?" This was the real response among the people. So it is so natural that dead of the so-called A criminals should be enshrined in Yasukuni Shrine with the other war dead. Frankly our reasoning of the postpone was only because they were all national leaders as ministers or military generals at the war. They were responsible for leading the nation defeated. So in a Diet pro and con had often been discussed for a long time. The subject had nothing to do with the dictators.] Every August 15 the national memorial ceremonies for war dead sponsored by government take place in Japan. Of course the war dead were worshiped include the so-called A and B, C criminals. You may say we should exclude the so-called A criminals considering Chinese eyes. But it?fs not enough for them. According to recent ?gthe People?fs Daily?h in their bulletin, they also object the so-called B, C criminals enshrined. Reference: And it was hard to recognize from a Japanese sense of the present age, but the result followed the war instead of argument. And the defeated countries imitate the system of the won countries. It was the history of the conventional earth. After the industrial revolution of Europe for the 18th century, some European nations colonized the whole world with modern civilization and modern weapons. In Asia and Africa, most area became colonies. Racial discrimination was natural, and the colored race was not seen with the same human being. Japan rose suddenly as colored race in an Asian corner in that kind of times. The people who wore topknots and swards, established a modern nation and begun to make modern weapons. It was not thought that a colored race could do such a thing until then. The Japan defeated Russia by Russo-Japanese War (It showed that a country of a colored race could win in the modern war for the first time) Next, Japan get the armed forces of Europe out of colonies in Southeast Asia in 2nd WW. (The armed forces of Dutch from Indonesia, that of British from Malaysia, Burma and India, that of United States from Philippine, and that of French from Vietnam.) As for this thing, it was a meaning of turn point in the history of the world, in addition to a meaning of general war. The only independent country was Thailand in Southeast Asia of this time, and it was an allied country of Japan. Japan was defeated, but postwar, west European countries sent the armed forces to get back those countries again as colonies, but failed. (Of course acquired independent countries demand to former suzerain countries that "you must not do memorial services of a soldier killed in the independent war".) Question 5 Answer 5 Article 20 prohibits from religious activities of the nation or public organization. It means that in order to protect the people'right "Freedom of Religion" the law prohibits from treating any special organizations in favor or with interference. But it will be said ant-religionist if those organizations have to refrain 100% from any religions. Frankly saying, what kind of concrete action is legally against Article 20 is no so clear. Because Japan has long history and tradition relating with Shinto, so it is impossible for the nation to stay away from Shinto. For example the emperor's traditional ceremonies have to be done according to Shinto rituals. Foreign diplomats understand these exceptions. So President Cater and Reagan, Bush never refused to visit Japanese shrine like Meiji Shrine when they visited. It's not against their Christianity. No American citizen gave any claims them. In Japan we have also lots of schools sponsored by religious organizations from kindergarten to university. If public aids or subsidies for Japanese education are not paid because of the principle of the separation of religion and politics, it is quite unfair in the light of civil right. No body thinks it makes any sense or realistic. It must be another discrimination. As you know, the word "the Principle of the Separation of Religion and Politics" is imported from the U.S. When Japan lost at last war, General Head Quarter(GHQ) of occupation armies forced Japan to make today's constitution including this word. But the US itself doesn't follow suite. For example, President has to take the oath of office putting his hand on the bible before the clergyman at the inauguration. It is impossible for western countries to vanish the tint or color of religious rites in their public ceremonies. e.g. Every army taking some minister is no subject of accusation in the light of the principle. addition
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