Japan needs to deeply reflect on its history of war instead of glorifying militarism, a Japanese expert said.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi recently sent ritual and monetary offerings to the war-linked Yasukuni Shrine, which is located in central Tokyo's Chiyoda Ward and honors 14 convicted Japanese Class-A war criminals from World War II (WWII). It has long been a source of diplomatic friction between Japan and its neighbors.
For a long time, visits and ritual offerings by Japanese officials to the shrine have consistently sparked criticism and opposition both at home and abroad, hurting the feelings of the people of China, South Korea, and other countries and regions victimized by Japan's wartime aggression.
In an interview with China Central Television (CCTV), Masahiko Shimizu, professor of constitutional law with Nippon Sport Science University, criticized Takaichi's action, saying such move is unacceptable.
"A Japanese prime minister visiting Yasukuni Shrine is no different from a German President or Chancellor paying respects at Hitler’s grave. It’s something a German leader would never do, but Japan does. From a historic point of view, I think this is totally unacceptable. Therefore, even though Takaichi chose to send ritual offerings to Yasukuni Shrine rather than personally visited it, I still believe such action is against the country's constitution, which is also unacceptable from the historic perspective," said Shimizu.
He also made a comparison between Japan and Germany on their approaches in dealing with the history of war. He pointed out that Japan ought to thoroughly reflect on its history of aggression while staying vigilant against attempts to glorify militarism.
"After the WWII, Germany has been thoroughly reflecting on the war and constantly excluding Nazi-related personnel out of political and other fields while holding the war criminals accountable. In contrast, Japan even had Nobusuke Kishi, a suspected war criminal, as its prime minister. I think Japanese society is still keeping the tradition that glorifies the country's prewar militarism. In that sense, Japan hasn't fully reflected on its history of war compared with Germany," said Masahiko.
Japan should thoroughly reflect on history of aggression rather than glorify it: expert
Japan should thoroughly reflect on history of aggression rather than glorify it: expert
