While no one would or should belittle the effects of the two atomic bombs on the populace of Hiroshima and Nagasaki, neither should anyone deny or belittle proven claims of Japanese atrocities during the war.
And so, we come to the topic of Comfort Women.
You should also read THIS article I did on January 13, 2013, as well as the May 25, 2012 article HERE for further enlightenment on the subject of Comfort Women.
It's all about a statue. One recalling to mind the horrors Comfort Women - forced prostitution of women - by the Japanese military. This particular bronze statue (image above), is located in Seoul, South Korea - Koreans made up a large number of the women subjugated to Japanese abuse.
Now... while one could argue about the proper placement of this statue — in front of the Japanese embassy — it's not really on Japanese property (embassy property), it's on South Korean land, and are thus free to do as they wish.
And so,on April 16, 2013, Japan's ambassador to South Korea Bessho Koro surname first) has complained to South Korea, indicating the statue certainly is "not helping to solve problems in Japanese-South Korean relations."
Geez... when did the statue go up?
Survey says - December 2011.
Boo-hoo.
Get over the effing statue. Get over the fact that poor Japan is hard done by all of the negative press.
If ya don't want none, don't start none.
Perhaps Japan needs to take a page out of the Anne Frank diary that is Germany's past.
Rather than run and hide from the nightmares of once being Nazi Germany, Germany has at the very least acknowledged its role in the extermination of Jews, Gypsies, homosexuals, intellectuals - basically anyone who wasn't German.... but Germany has contributed to memorials for the victims, helped establish exhibitions at the former death camps... and while some people still hold great hatred towards the Germans for their part in this morality play, the Germans do not shy away from the criticism and work with others to foster a better understanding of their heinous role.
Japan? While the rest of Asia hates Japan, Japan itself has found its WWII actions 'regrettable'. But that doesn't really mean sorry, and it doesn't really mean it has come clean about some of the things it has done, which I will not deign to mention here.
Fortunately, while Japan's elected officials continue to insert geta (wooden clog sandal) into mouth, activists in Tokyo believe that the Japanese government needs to take responsibility for the 1000s of women forced to work as sexual slaves to the horny Japanese military.
"We have been pushing forward on efforts to get the government to take responsibility, and apologize for this sort of thing and are going to continue until we, as a Japanese society, make others know how sorry we are," says university student Yomomi Eko (surname first) to www.Bikyanews.com.
So... would you like to know what caused Japan's ambassador to South Korea to crack?
"Every day I go to work at the embassy and I see that statue," he says. "I don't think it was the right decision to put it there."
And so... if Japanese and South Korean relations are 'iffy', why open your damn mouth and whine about a statue commemorating a dire situation - ruining the lives of these women and their families - because you find it bothersome.
Japanese government officials.... since you have failed, and will continue to fail in your attempts to restore what you believe to be Japanese pride by tearing down statues that point at Japan's rapture... sorry, I meant rape of citizens, everyone should step down from their political office in protest.
Or, if we point the finger squarely on the crybaby ambassador - Dude, shut the eff up. Be a man. If not, seppuku is an option. A manly, Japanese option. You have dishonored yourself and your family and your country. It is the last you could do, since you obviously have no empathy for the country you are living in.
And Japan - if you want people or countries to start forgiving and forgetting, perhaps you need to start with a proper apology... like what Japan's ambassador to the Philippines Urabe Toshinao (surname first) said on April 10, 2013 (less than a week earlier than Japan's ambassador to South Korea):
“OUR heartfelt apologies,” says Urabe as he apologized to Filipinos for the crap it caused them during WW II.
And check THIS out - during his speech, the Japanese ambassador actually spoke in Tagalog (Filipino is the formal name for Tagalog):
"I hereby express our heartfelt apologies and deep sense of remorse for such inexplicable suffering,”
The Japanese envoy also quoted Filipino Dr. Jose Rizal’s famous line: "Ang hindi marunong lumingon sa pinanggalingan, hindi makakarating sa kanyang paroroonan."
Because Google Translate is rusty, I'm saying it means: "If you don't recognize where you are coming from, you'll never reach your destination."
Urabe adds that he hopes the current good relationship between the Philippines and Japan will continue to flourish.
"The Philippines, the US and Japan are strengthening our alliance and deepening our collaboration in order to create a free and democratic environment in the Asia Pacific Region. It is the responsibility of our generation and those who will follow us to continue on this path by sharing fundamental values such as democracy, freedom, respect for human rights and rule of law. We work together to find common ground. Peace and prosperity for all is what we seek.”
"Plano pa nating pagyamanin ang ating matapat at kahanga-hangang pagkakaibigan," he says in Filipino, which translates to: "We plan to further enrich our loyal and wonderful friendship."
Now... which Japan brings you comfort?
Banzai,
Andrew Joseph
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