No.32 People who died in the war

August 28, 2001
By Yasuji Sada

The affair of the official visit to Yasukuni Shrine- dedicated to the divine spirits of war dead- by the Japanese Prime Minister on the Aug.15 anniversary of Japan's World War II surrender raised unusual controversy this year. Owing to the great concern, the number of people who visited the shrine is more than twice what it was in the average year. Does the credit for this achievement belong to Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi? Although he compromised to pay homage at the shrine on Aug.13, two days before the Anniversary, he actually dispel the gloomy sentiment of Japanese people as a statesman.

The main reason of objection by neighboring countries is said to be the enshrinement of executed Class A war criminals in World War II. What do they think against the Emperor who was not executed and other criminals, then? The Emperor is still in the position as a symbol of Japan. We Japanese can not understand the sentiment of foreigners toward the situation.

As to the issue of enshrinement of the war dead, interesting newspaper articles were found this year. Families of war dead Taiwanese newly enshrined were deeply moved. On the other hand, a group of the Korean Diet Members came to Japan and requested to let out war dead Koreans enshrined. What is the difference between them? It is indeed inadequate to judge the biased sentiment of both countries only based on such articles.

By the way, Taiwan is included in the area where the arrangements of Gods and those of Cosmoses had been set up and where the central portion is Japan as an epitome of the world, but Korea is not included there (though Sakhalin is included). One of the reason for the difference between their sentiment may be arisen from this. However, Japan Empire under the leadership of the Imperial House after Meiji Restoration took action so as to ruin the arrangements above ignoring the ordinary people who were given the role to tackle the arrangements.

Japan has not atoned for the Greater East Asia War involving neighboring countries and ordinary people yet. Japanese people who had died involved in the war and the spirits of war dead enshrined have not been consoled sufficiently yet. Because they went to war for the arrangements and died to have baffled the arrangements.

There are still many fallen soldiers who have not consoled yet not only in Yasukuni Shrine but also in many shrines for the war dead in all parts of Japan. And feelings of regret of war dead still remains at the front of foreign countries. But the situation is not limited only for Japanese. Feelings of regret of fallen soldiers strongly remains in every period or in every war. Especially in the war with the arrangements of Gods involved.