Haunted by the past

A poet once described the past as being "the only dead thing that smells sweet". But for Japan the past is apparently something dark and dismal that keeps coming back to haunt the country's present.

Last weeks's announcement that Japan is to set up a US$1- billion fund to finance cultural and vocational projects across Asia over the next decade as a token of apology to victims of Japan's aggression during World War II is proof of how difficult it is for Japan to distant itself from its past.

Of course, one may look upon the plan, which is called the "Peace, Friendship and Exchange Initiative" program as a positive effort by Japan to make peace with the past and simultaneously also with its Asian neighbors, particularly those who have suffered from Japan's wartime aggression and atrocities.

But will Prime Minister Murayama's plan work, and will the scheme be able to bury the issue of Japan's wartime role for good?

There are enough reasons to doubt this. For one thing, despite continuing efforts by Japanese leaders to convince their Asian neighbors of Japan's goodwill, many Asian countries remain doubtful. And they have every reason to be so. On a number of occasions in the last several years a number of Japanese politicians have outright denied any of Japan's reported wrongdoings during World War II.

Just last month, for example, Environment Agency Director General Shin Sakurai declared that Japan did not intend to fight a war of aggression in the early 1940s. He went on to say that because of the war most countries in Asia gained independence from European colonial rule and as a result were able to promote education and boost literacy, thereby attaining momentum for economic reconstruction.

Sakurai was forced to resign from his post for his remarks. About three months ago Justice Minister Shigeto Nagano made similar remarks about Japan's wartime behavior, but later withdrew them in the wake of severe criticism, before resigning from his post.

Such remarks surely help maintain the doubts of Asian countries regarding Japan's goodwill, not to mention the prolonged hesitance on the part of Japanese educators to mention Japan's wartime atrocities in the country's history books.

We are of the opinion that unless Japan comes up with a more open and concerted plan, both for domestic and foreign consumption, its wartime past, which still clings so tightly to its back, will continue to haunt it for many more years to come and will remain a psychological barrier in that country's relations with its Asian neighbors.

Another point to consider is that many Asian countries which currently harbor resentment over Japan's wartime atrocities are rapidly growing nations, both politically and economically, and thus cannot be so easily disregarded as in the past. Hence, these grudges must be addressed quickly before it is too late.

One may recognize that every country has its pride. But keeping one's pride has nothing to do with disowning past mistakes. On the contrary, it is the wise person indeed, who can, in all fairness, acknowledge his mistakes in order to be at peace with his past. Otherwise, the past can never be "the only dead thing that smells sweet".