Media warn of Japan's avoidance of war reflection
Several editorials from Japanese media on Sunday (16/8) criticised the government of Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi for avoiding historical reflection and downplaying Japan’s responsibility for the war on the 81st anniversary of the country’s unconditional surrender in World War II, warning against growing signs of a ‘return to the pre-war era’.
On Saturday, Takaichi delivered a speech at the National Memorial Ceremony for War Victims. In her speech, she made no mention of Japan’s past war of aggression against neighbouring Asian countries or the immense suffering it caused, nor did she offer any apology for Japan’s history of aggression, while the word ‘remorse’ was also absent from her address.
In response, an editorial from the Mainichi Shimbun pointed out that Japan’s credibility as a peace-loving nation would be eroded if the lessons of the war were not confronted directly.
On the same Saturday, Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and several other cabinet members visited the controversial Yasukuni Shrine, where 14 convicted Class-A war criminals are enshrined.
In its editorial, the Asahi Shimbun noted that Yasukuni Shrine is closely linked to militarism as a core institution of State Shinto and served as a tool for mobilising society for war. The editorial said that Koizumi’s visit was deeply troubling given his position as the minister leading Japan’s Self-Defence Forces.
The editorial warned that Koizumi’s actions could undermine the principles of pacifism and the constitutional order established in post-war Japan, as well as damage Japan’s relations with China and South Korea.
The Tokyo Shimbun argued in its editorial that greater concern should be directed at a series of policies led by Takaichi that show a clear tendency towards a ‘return to the pre-war era’.
The editorial cited a number of measures, including the lifting of restrictions on lethal weapons exports, increased defence spending, and the strengthening of the national intelligence apparatus, saying that the Takaichi government’s efforts to revive the military industry and expand military capabilities bear a striking resemblance to Japan’s posture before and during the war.
The editorial warned that failure to reflect on the war could lead Japan to repeat the mistakes of history. It urged that the Takaichi government’s push towards a ‘return to the pre-war era’ be corrected immediately, because if post-war democracy is undermined, it will be too late.