Today, I visited the notorious Imperial Shrine of Yasukuni in central Tokyo. This Shinto Shrine is a dedication to the millions of Japanese war dead whom perished in a brutal era of aggression against their Asian neighbors, under the seemingly innocuous idea of liberation from Western imperialists.
This era lasted from the Meiji Restoration (1869) until the end of the Empire of Japan (1947) in the aftermath of World War II and the beginning of the Allied occupation of Japan. The rouse perpetuated by the Japanese government that they were “liberators” was an attempt to justify its war of conquest and subsequent savage dominion over many colonial possessions in Asia. This blatant propaganda only helped them in furthering their own imperial ambitions and replacing one imperialist with another. Those who subscribed to creating a “Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere” led by the Empire of Japan, also ascribed to a form of racial hierarchy whereas the Japanese were at the top and other groups were viewed as racially inferior. This is evident in An Investigation of Global Policy with the Yamato Race as Nucleus, which was a classified government document that describes the superiority of the “Yamato” people, essentially confirming that race theory did influence decisions in the Japanese government. Lastly, I do not use the word “savage” lightly and with regret, find it to be an incredibly accurate description of how the Japanese militaristic regime gained and maintained control of the East.
The shrine’s somber memorial to everyday soldiers remains tarnished by the presence of Class-A war criminals.
This unfortunate stain remains as a testament to not only those countries directly affected by Japanese military campaigns throughout the duration of the self-declared Empire of Japan, but also to the international community at-large that Japan has not reconciled with its controversial past.
Apologists for the Japanese government contend that Japan has already made amends for its actions many times over and the generation that had participated in these crimes have all but gone, however, this argument simplifies what it means to make amends. I would even dare say that it is myopic and even somewhat callous. However, I do concede that there is somewhat of a cognitive dissonance at play here, caused by time, that separates these apologists from the actual events themselves. This makes them not realize the severity and sheer barbarism of the events that they are attempting to defend. However, you do not have to actually experience the atrociousness of these events to empathize. Also, there are less distasteful ways to pay respects to the war dead. The source below may be biased, however, the information presented in the article has merit.
Next, in order to draw a contrast in regards to atonement for sin, we can compare how Germany has recognized its past transgressions.
Here is a list of the actions that the German government has done which the Japanese government has not done:
- The German government has created laws in response to the Holocaust in order to prevent Holocaust denial, while Japan has not created laws in response to their crimes such as the “Rape of Nanjing.” This has allowed for academic articles such as, “Analyzing The ‘Photographic Evidence’ of The Nanking Massacre,” to be published which seeks to deny factual evidence to deceive the public.
- Curriculum at schools have an explicit focus on learning about the Holocaust and other German digressions that happened during the war, this is adverse to Japanese students whereas atrocities such as comfort women and Unit 731 are merely overlooked or are just a footnote in the history books.
3. Reached out in earnest sincerity to neighbors to work towards reconciliation. German Chancellor Willy Brandt in 1970 famously knelt down in front of the Monument to the Warsaw Ghetto victims in a powerful showing of humility and humbleness. It can be argued that a gesture such as this has not been done by the Japanese because of culture. The need to save face is an important social concept in Japan.
As you can see from this list, Germany has made significant and purposeful attempts to recognize the wrongs of the past. This is meanwhile, Japan has not lived up to the expectations of her victims. Of course, we cannot exactly juxtapose the war crimes of both countries, however, we can examine the overtures that each have made in light of their war crimes.
A total of 14 Class-A war criminals are enshrined at the memorial. All fourteen have been convicted of war crimes in international tribunals.
A brief description of each individual is listed below:
Words alone cannot describe the crimes that these individuals were charged with, instead, I will take a brief portion of my article to include some graphic imagery from the war. These individuals were charged with allowing or overlooking the fact that these crimes were occurring by soldiers under their command. I do not include photos of Unit 731 or Unit 100 because no individuals listed above were charged with the crimes associated with those units due to American-granted immunity.
*Warning Graphic Images*
There are obviously more photos out there, however, these photos were specifically chosen to allow the readers a way to understand the cruelty and malice of the crimes that these war criminals were charged.
The shrine has now even been used by Japan as a political football to send overt messages that Japan will not cower, despite Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution which states:
- Aspiring sincerely to an international peace based on justice and order, the Japanese people forever renounce war as a sovereign right of the nation and the threat or use of force as means of settling international disputes.
- In order to accomplish the aim of the preceding paragraph, land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained. The right of belligerency of the state will not be recognized.
The use of this issue as a political football is offensive to the millions who died under Japanese aggression and only elongates the controversy. The historical revisionism under the Shinzo Abe administration and the conservative movement in Japan is a move that neglects the facts of the past.
I echo the words of George Santayana, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.”
As Japan is a global player in the international arena, these actions do have global ramifications as it sends a message that historical revisionism is not problematic. As a key player in international politics, Japan must set an example for other countries and recognize its past. As a call to action, the United States must also pressure Japan to end this glorification of its past.
Although the current generation of Japanese were not party to these egregious war crimes, it is now their burden to seek forgiveness from the international community and end the vicious cycle that continues to rot the core of East Asian relations. By not fulfilling this burden, they are not complicit in this controversy, but are party to not seeking unity and a more stable East Asia. It is in their own self-interest to repent for the trespasses of their forefathers and in order to progress diplomatically with their Asian neighbors, it is a prerequisite to peace.
The fundamental nature of the Japanese people in also invalidating any arguments against proved war crimes and idolization of those convicted of such acts is mandatory towards restoring harmony in the region.
It is difficult to provide a definitive answer to how to fully be absolved of the wrongdoings of the past, though one thing is certain, the war criminals of Yasukuni Shrine need to be delegitimized and condemned. Their presence on the shrine grounds cannot be tolerated and their immediate and complete removal is imperative towards creating a lasting peace in East Asia.
The Japanese must curtsy to the pressures from those affected by its wartime crimes.
Japan is a sovereign nation and does not have to perform such acts, however, she does owe her fealty to the victims of war crimes; this will be until those victims are ready to forgive. Any argument of self-determination does not play into the conventional intended definition of the term as defined by the UN Charter (1945). I have not been given reason where countries like China or South Korea would take advantage of the vulnerability that fealty bestows upon a state, however, if that happens then Japan will no longer owe allegiance to those countries. It is not Japan’s place to determine whether forgiveness has been granted upon itself, that is up to the victimized countries. Whether it will take another 80 years or even more, Japan must bow and continue to bow. While those Class-A war criminals remain there, I view it as an indefensible tribute to the worst of humanity.