Here's a question for you: what would it take you for you to agree that Japan has come to terms with its history? Most Chinese people I've spoken to say that they want a sincere apology, because Japan has never given one... and then they're shocked when I give them this link:Wind In My Hair wrote:america has looked its history of slavery in the face. the catholic church has spoken out against the inquisitions and crusades. germany has made atonement for the holocaust. but japan and china are still in denial.
Wind In My Hair wrote:jpatokal, that was a good link. and by the way i always liked koizumi. i think it's his hair, almost as tame as quasi's.
i admit, maybe denial is too strong a word. and i don't doubt that koizumi and gang mean what they say. it's just that broadly speaking i would still feel uncomfortable talking about WWII with a japanese, whereas i could talk openly about slavery with an american, the inquisition with a catholic, or the holocaust with a german. it's just the feeling that the average japanese person would rather not talk about it. maybe cultural reticence more than anything else. or a complete misperception on my part. but until the average citizen is willing to discuss the issue openly, i would not say that a country has fully come to terms with its past.
as for china, though i am chinese by descent all i will say is that i am glad i am not chinese by nationality.
One bully gets to be overshadowed by another, so whats new?Quasimodo wrote:Wind In My Hair wrote:jpatokal, that was a good link. and by the way i always liked koizumi. i think it's his hair, almost as tame as quasi's.
i admit, maybe denial is too strong a word. and i don't doubt that koizumi and gang mean what they say. it's just that broadly speaking i would still feel uncomfortable talking about WWII with a japanese, whereas i could talk openly about slavery with an american, the inquisition with a catholic, or the holocaust with a german. it's just the feeling that the average japanese person would rather not talk about it. maybe cultural reticence more than anything else. or a complete misperception on my part. but until the average citizen is willing to discuss the issue openly, i would not say that a country has fully come to terms with its past.
as for china, though i am chinese by descent all i will say is that i am glad i am not chinese by nationality.
Amen to that, a feeling shared by most I would presume.
I have found that Japanese are not too bashful talking about the war, they do however feel a sense of guilt. I have been to Japan around 50-odd times and have several friends and one very good friend, whose son I am a godfather to. They can and will talk about the war, but are possibly a bit too shy at times to offer their opinion.
Speaking with a German about the same subject can get you either result; educated conversation (years of learning about it at school) or discomfort due to the guilt trip thing.
It is just a worry that if China and Korea continue to bash Japan over the head with their pathetic war-guilt cries that more Japanese will feel the sense of nationalism rising.
In terms of their armed forces, SMS, I do believe that Japan is far too underoutfitted when confronted with the behemoth across the water. China is beholden to no-one and shows that quite clearly all the time.
I'd ratehr have a strong Japan in our area as a counterbalance than a overwehelmingly powerful China pushing eevryone around.
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