Surrender Day

Today is the 61st anniversary of the end of World War II, which is the Japanese way of expression, that is, the surrender day. That day Japan became a loser against the Allied Power. That 61-year-ago war doesn't seem an old and forgettable but still-alive memory for those who have undergone that disgusting event.

And today it has been paid attention to whether prime minister would visit Yasukuni Shrine, which was once a symbol of imperialism and played a high-profile role in promoting wartime fervor.

After all, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi visited the shrine this morning. That news has disturbed me since I got up in this morning. Why did he visit the shrine? According to the report of the Japan Times, Mr.Koizumi told the reporter that it is "to remember and reflect on past wars and renew our resolve never to go to war again". "Today's peace and prosperity are not just because of those who are alive now, but were built based on those who sacrificed their precious lives." also said Mr.Koizumi.

Mr.Koizumi's statement on his visit to Yasukuni and esteem for war dead is very normal as a prime minister. Although I don't know whether his visit to Yasukuni is right or wrong as a prime minister, his worship and respect for those who died for the country is not wrong, but a very natural as a stateman working for the country as well.

This time it is criticized that Yasukuni Shrine honors 14 Class-A war criminals by parts of Asian countries, especially China and South Korea. During the war, then leaders, who were punished as Class-A war criminals by the Alleid Power, had been highly responsible for that reckless battle against the economically larger countries like the U.S. and Britain, of which the Allied Power consisted, and their crime was very critical. However I think that the worship for war dead is needed even if Yasukuni shrine honored 14 Class-A war criminals as well as 2.5 million war dead. It is because war criminals were also dead from that war and honored.

What does Mr.Koizumi's visit to the shrine harm on the 61st anniversary of the end of World War II? Some commentators say that the visit deteriorates the partnership with the East Asian countries and harms the hearts of the East Asian peoples. They have long criticized the Yasukuni Shrine's secret inclusion of Class-A war criminals. And they say that the visit shows Japan has not repented its past behavior.

Listening to what they say, it seems that such their conjectures have made worse the relationship with Japan rather than the visit. The problem is not the prime minister's visit but China's or South Korea's antipathy toward the visit. I couldn't simpathized with China and South Korea any more. Then Japanese militalism invaded outrageously neighbor countries. Reveiwing our grandfathers' past actions, now Japanese leaders should persuade them that Japan try to keep the world community peaceful and politically free. And we should also tell them the visit to Yasukuni is not to justify the war of invasion but to keep our promise of no war and eternal peace.