Tokyo keeps low profile on Clinton's remarks<\/p>\n
By Pierre-Antoine Donnet<\/p>\n
TOKYO (AFP): Despite widespread outrage over remarks by U.S.
\nPresident Bill Clinton justifying the use of the atom bomb on
\nJapan during World War II, the Japanese government has remained
\nsilent on the contentious issue, trying hard not to re-open old
\nwounds.<\/p>\n
Survivors of the U.S. atom bomb attacks on Hiroshima and
\nNagasaki in 1945 sent Clinton a letter condemning his comments,
\nbut with the 50th anniversary of the end of the war approaching,
\nTokyo has kept a low profile.<\/p>\n
Clinton, responding to questions as to whether the bombing of
\nthe two cities was justified, said Tuesday: \"My simple position
\nis ... that painful though it is, even after 50 years, that
\nPresident Truman did the right thing.\"<\/p>\n
Several days earlier, Clinton said he saw no reason to
\napologize for the bombings, which killed 140,000 people in
\nHiroshima and 70,000 in Nagasaki in August 1945, but which the
\nUnited States says brought an end to the war.<\/p>\n
The survivors reacted with the \"deepest anger\" to his
\nstatements, saying that the U.S. president had damaged efforts
\nworldwide to bring about the abolition of nuclear weapons.<\/p>\n
Foreign Minister Yohei Kono said any protests were out of the
\nquestion, but that he hoped Washington would understand Japanese
\n\"feelings\" and that both countries could find common ground to
\nhelp deal with the delicate issue.<\/p>\n
Officially, Japan disagrees with the U.S. position that the
\nbombs hastened the Japanese surrender and the end of the Pacific
\nWar, and there continues to be widespread resentment over this
\ndark period in Japan's history.<\/p>\n
As the mayor of Nagasaki, Hitoshi Motoshima, said last month:
\n\"I think that, like the Holocaust, the atomic bombings were two
\nof the greatest crimes against humanity of the 20th century.\"<\/p>\n
His Hiroshima counterpart, Takashi Hiraoka, was equally
\nvehement against the decision to drop the bombs, which he said
\nwas not targeted at hastening the end of the war but rather meant
\nas a warning to the Soviet Union as it pushed its way into Asia
\nas Japan collapsed.<\/p>\n
Japan's major daily, the Yomiuri Shimbun, said ties between
\nJapan and the United States had been hurt by the affair, adding:
\n\"U.S. President Bill Clinton is to blame for the dispute since he
\nrecently defended the U.S. atomic bombings. \"<\/p>\n
But faced with the upcoming anniversary and already strained
\nbilateral ties over the dollar's plunge against the yen, the
\ngovernment of Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama has been reluctant
\nto let the issue escalate, analysts say.<\/p>\n
The United States has invited Japan to ceremonies marking the
\nvictory of the allies over Japan which are due to take place in
\nHawaii in early September.<\/p>\n
The invitation was sent Thursday by Defense Secretary William
\nPerry to his Japanese counterpart Tokuichiro Tamazawa. Tokyo has
\nyet to respond.<\/p>\n
The White House said a month ago that it would continue to use
\nthe expression \"V-J Day\" -- or Victory over Japan Day -- to mark
\nthe date of Japan's official surrender in September 1945.<\/p>\n
But the Japanese government apparently does not believe that
\nthis will be the case. \"I hear that the ceremonies won't be in
\nthe nature of celebrating victory\", Tamazawa said. \"But they will
\nfocus on mourning the victims of the Pacific War from all
\ncountries and reaffirming the friendship among all countries
\nconcerned.\"<\/p>\n
Washington earlier invited Murayama to attend the ceremonies,
\nbut Tokyo declined the invitation.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/tokyo-keeps-low-profile-on-clintons-remarks-1447893297",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
"sponsor_url": "https:\/\/okusiassociates.com"
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