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Commentary: Japanese PM Should Think Thrice Before Acting
August each year is the month of concentration of World War II-related commemorative activities held in various parts of Japan, as well as the period of time gutted with discussion on war and peace in Japan.
In the first August of the new century, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's insistence on paying homage to Yasukuni Shrine has become a hot topic of discussion. Junichiro recently indicated that he would make further judgment after careful consideration.
The Prime Minister, as the representative of the political will of a country, should act with prudence in regard to this sensitive problem that concerns Japan's international image and international relations.
Prime Minister Junichiro has repeatedly expressed that his planned visit to the Shrine is to extend respects to and condolences on those killed in action and to offer sacrifices to the spirit of the brave departed.
It is well known that shortly after its establishment, Yasukuni Shrine was not special, later, however, due to Japan's aggression and expansion abroad, particularly during the 1930s, the Shrine began to be used by a handful of militarists and thus became a tool for deceiving the people and winning their hearts, and stirring up militarist sentiments.
Yasukuni Shrine thus became a symbol of Japan's outward aggression and expansion in modern history, even now tablets of arch criminals of World War II are still installed there. Arch war criminals were those who had committed heinous crimes and judgments were passed on them by the Far East International Military Tribunal, they were sentenced to gallows or committed suicide, so they must not be equated to ordinary servicemen fallen in battles.
Heroic spirit usually refers to the soul of a respected person departed, the death of those plotters and commanders of aggressive wars and those butchers whose hands were stained with the blood of the people of war victimized countries was even lighter than feather, how can they be worthy of being the hero's spirit?
Prime Minister Junichiro also claimed that his planned visit to the Shrine was an expression of the "feelings of the Japanese". It is common knowledge that a grand "national memorial meeting for those killed in action" has been held in Tokyo on August 15 each year since 1963, attendants include Mikado-the emperor of Japan, prime minister, speakers of house of representatives and senate, government officials, families of the dead and representatives of various social circles.
This memorial meeting was held to mourn the war dead and to express the "feelings of the Japanese" in various strata and different fields. In the words of Makiko Tanaka, foreign minister of Japan: "This is necessary, but enough". Japanese Prime Minister's tribute to the Shrine will inevitably hurt the feelings of the peoples of the war victimized countries, including China.
Junichiro spoke in defense of himself for insisting on visiting the Shrine under the pretext of an expression of the "feelings of the Japanese" and the "ways of consoling the souls of the dead are different in various countries".
Humans have feelings, but one must not hurt others' feelings in order to satisfy one's own feeling. Professing an expression of the "feelings of the Japanese" and insisting on paying homage to the Shrine to offer sacrifices to the "heroic spirit" of the arch war criminals obviously are a contempt for and provocation against the people of the war victimized countries.
Junichiro recently also said, "After visiting the Shrine I will reconsider improving relations with China and the Republic of Korea". Regarding this, even Japanese public opinion thinks this to be "playing petty tricks", and a line of action that turns things upside down.
On August 15, 1985, the first visit paid by Nakasome Yasuhiro in the capacity of the Japanese Prime Minister to the Yasukuni Shrine aroused the vehement indignation and condemnation of the people of Asian countries.
On August 14, 1986, in his talks on the tribute paid by Japanese Prime Minister and his cabinet members to the Shrine, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Masazumi Gotoda said, "It is necessary to pay attention to international relations and earnestly consider the national feelings of the neighboring countries".
Thereafter, Japanese Prime minister did not pay homage to Yasukuni Shrine on August 15.
After the establishment of his cabinet, Junichiro also stressed the need to strengthen international coordination, and develop relations with various neighboring countries.
People do not know what changes have taken place in Asia and the world at large that have compelled Junichiro to go back on his international promise this year that the Japanese government would "pay attention to international relations and earnestly consider the national feelings of the neighboring countries", and run counter to the stand he had clearly made known to others.
Prime Minister Junichiro's Shrine visit, if carried out, will imply that the Japanese government once again breaks faith with the Chinese people on the question of history and will definitely fundamentally shake the political base for China-Japan relations, thereby bringing about negative influence on the future development of China-Japanese relations.
At the eight-nation summit meeting held recently in Genoa, Italy, French President Jacques Chirac said to Prime Minister Junichiro that he was concerned about Japan's increasing isolation in Asia, here I would like to cite the French leader's words to advice Junichiro that if he insists on paying visit to the Shrine, Japan will become utterly isolated in Asia!
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