Japan Right mobilizes for Yasukuni

Brad Mayer bradley.mayer at ebay.sun.com
Mon Aug 6 12:20:40 PDT 2001


It's encouraging that a news agency poll shows only 1/3 support for Koizumi's planned visit Aug. 15th, especially in the face of his proported popularity. (Similar poll numbers hold for Article 9 revision).

Koizumi's present "popular mandate" rests on the notion that he will reform politics and "fix" the economy; however, his first utterance upon attaining office was to propose weakening Article 9. Koizumi fits the pattern of "populist" politicians who deliberately risk or "spend down" their political capital in order to shove reactionary "reforms" down the throats of the populace.

One of the key "foundation myths" of the postwar regime is repeated here: that the pre-surrender "sacrifices" laid the foundation for the post-war prosperity. (The other is Hirohito's "pacifist innocence").

Will Koizumi clap hands once, or twice? (Yasuhiro Nakasone, in a ridiculous avoidance / denial maneuver, claimed that he had not violated the constitutional separation of religion and state in his visit, because he had only clapped and bowed "once"). -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Friday, August 3 3:57 PM SGT

Conservative Japan supports Koizumi's war shrine pilgrimage

TOKYO, Aug 3 (AFP) -

A planned pilgrimage by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to a Tokyo

war shrine received a boost Friday from a galaxy of people

representing conservative Japan, despite being widely condemned by

Asian neighbours.

"The people are truly delighted with Prime Minister Koizumi's visit to

the Yasukuni Shrine," read the banner headline in a two-page opinion

advertisement published in the conservative Sankei Shimbun

newspaper.

It carried the names of more than 4,000 advocates of the premier's

plan, ranging from academics to business leaders to families of the war dead.

Among them was Kanji Nishio, a university professor and co-author

of a school history textbook accused by many Asian nations of

glossing over Japan's wartime atrocities.

"Let us offer prayers of gratitude to the war dead who have laid the

cornerstone of peace," the advert said.

Koizumi has vowed to visit the Shinto shrine, dedicated to those who

died in World War II including General Hideki and other convicted

war criminals, on August 15 -- the 56th anniversary of Japan's

surrender to the US-led allied forces.

China as well as North and South Korea have strongly denounced the

idea which they argue would justify Japan's military past along with a

controversial school history textbook approved for usage by Tokyo.

At home, the Buddhist-backed Komeito party, a junior partner of the

prime minister's ruling coalition, and Japan's foreign minister, have

asked Koizumi to reconsider his plan, which they say could breach

constitutional rules on the separation of state and religion.

An opinion poll of 2,115 voters, published last week by the Kyodo

news agency ahead of key parliamentary upper-house elections,

showed only one-third supported the planned visit.

Thanks largely to the popularity of its leader, Koizumi's conservative

Liberal-Democratic Party (LDP) reinforced its strength in the national

elections, largely seen as a referendum for a drastic economic and

fiscal reform plan pledged by the premier.

In a meeting with coalition party leaders Friday, Koizumi said he

would make a final decision on the visit "after careful consideration,"

according to party officials.

But the newspaper advert touted the "voice of the people" supporting

his Yasukuni pilgrimage.

Many conservative politicians pay homage to the shrine. In 1985

Yasuhiro Nakasone became the first and only post-World War II

Japanese premier to do so in an official capacity.

"My mother says that Japanese children can live affluently today

because people in old days did not dwell on their own interests but

worked hard for children, grandchildren and the future of Japan,

sometimes at the cost of their lives," said an entry signed by a

10-year-old Kaoru Mizukawa.

"I will be glad if Prime Minister Koizumi expresses in his prayer such a

feeling of gratitude," it added.

Hatsuko Kamei, a 93 year-old woman, wrote: "I believe that Prime

Minister Koizumi is what gods and Buddha have sent to save the

country of Japan."

The campaign was organised by a group of 18 celebrities and backed

by 90 influential individuals from different walks of life.

They included novelist Hiroyuki Agawa, whose stories reflect his

experience as a naval officer, former ambassador to Thailand Hisahiko

Okazaki and Yoshinori Kobayashi, a controversial cartoonist reputed

for his nationalistic zeal.

Also among them was Hiroo Onoda, a former Japanese soldier who

waged lone "intelligence" warfare in the jungles of the Philippines'

Lubang Islands for 30 years after the war ended.



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