Japan’s Emperor: Man and Institution
With a long and turbulent history, only since 1948 has the Emperor made public appearances
Japanese Emperor Akihito celebrated his 72nd birthday Dec. 23. The emperor’s birthday is a national holiday in Japan. On this day, the emperor greets assembled visitors in an area of the Hirohito (posthumously named Showa) on his birthday. In 1950, Emperor Hirohito began making public appearances every birthday.
Emperor Akihito, son of the controversial Hirohito, has “ruled” since 1989. Unlike previous emperors, he was sent to school with commoners. He shocked Japan and his mother by marrying a woman who was not an aristocrat, and later in defiance of tradition, chose to raise his children at home rather than send them to be cared for by others.
“Japanese people must strive to properly understand their country’s history when they deal with the rest of the world,” Akihito said in his public address to the gathered assembly. With relationships between Korea and China deteriorating, these words touch on a sore spot of controversy, a controversy in which the institution of “Emperor” was used to spearhead military conquest in the early 20th century.
History, or rather the presentation of history, is a key issue in the relationship between Japan and the rest of Asia. Many feel that Japan has not seriously owned up to its past misdeeds while at the same time adding salt to the wound by putting forth history textbooks that gloss over some of these past horrendous actions. It doesn’t help matters either with politicians such as Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi making official visits to Yasakuni Shrine, the Shinto shrine which contains the spirits of Japanese war dead including noted war criminals.
A Brief History of the Emperors of Japan
The cult of the emperor, which was the fountainhead of Japanese nationalistic fervor during the early half of the 20th century, is actually of recent origin, despite the long history of the Imperial institution.
Prior to the mid-19th century, emperors were secluded from the public to the point of being virtual prisoners. The shogun government restricted their movements and kept them confined in Kyoto, away from the people. The few foreigner visitors to Japan during its isolation period often referred to the shogun as the emperor and they had little reason to think otherwise. When the American statesmen Townsend Harris came to Japan to discuss a treaty, he too thought at first the shogun was the Emperor of Japan.
According to Japanese mythology, the emperor is descended from Jimmu, a semi-divine being whose grandmother was Amaterasu-Omikami, the Sun Goddess. Jimmu reigned in 600 B.C. However, there is little evidence to support this. Most scholars believe the Imperial system developed from the Yamato culture in central Japan around the 3rd century A.D. with heavy Chinese influences.
The emperor was seen as the divine manifested in the flesh; a representative of the gods on earth. To oppose the emperor was to oppose Japan itself. This made it quite risky for any usurpers not of Imperial blood to try and take the throne.
The Soga family in the 7th century were powerful ministers who basically governed the country. However, they pushed too far and it was believed they conspired to take over the Imperial throne itself. This belief gave their enemies just cause in destroying them utterly.
The fate of the Soga made an impression on ambitious men and taught them a valuable lesson — that in order to effectively rule Japan, one must do it from behind the throne in the emperor’s name. In addition, the office of the emperor could be used as a weapon against political enemies. The most dreaded crime a lord could commit was treason against the emperor. Since the emperor was in effect Japan, a clever minister could create enemies of the state by claiming his rivals defied the emperor.
By the 9th century, actual ruling power rested in the hands of the Fujiwara clan while the emperor was regulated to administering to court ceremony. The Fujiwara family rose to power in the aftermath of the destruction of the Soga clan. The Fujiwara ministers often manipulated the succession to the Imperial throne for their own gain, yet always they would claim their actions were in the name of the emperor. One of the most famous and powerful of the Fujiwara clan was Fujiwara-no-Michinaga (966-1027). He married his daughter to the reigning emperor, which produced his own grandson as heir.
Emperors tried to keep some control of state by creating the office of the Cloistered Emperor, in which was an abdicated emperor in the robes of a Buddhist monk. It was often the custom for emperors to abdicate young — sometimes they were pressured to do so. Ironically, though, an ex-emperor often had more freedom and power than a “ruling” emperor.
Although an emperor theoretically did not have power, succession issues were still a great matter of concern. In the mid-1100s the cloistered emperor made his son abdicate the Imperial Throne in favor of his younger half-brother. When the cloistered emperor died, the ex-emperor made advances to regain the throne. He was able to draw on a lot of support from samurai families. This sparked off the Heiji Rebellion which, while only lasting a day, had major ramifications. The ex-emperor’s attempt failed and many of his military supporters were executed. The balance of power shifted amongst the ruling samurai families of the day which eventually led to the Gempei War (1180-1185).
Following the end of Gempei War, the first Shogun government was set up in Kamakura (one hour south of Tokyo). The first shogun, Minamoto-no-Yoritomo, was concerned that his eastern warriors would become weak with the luxury of Kyoto and the Imperial Court so he set his capital far from Kyoto. Though power had long been out of Imperial hands, this move made the illusion all the more apparent. Technically, the shogun did everything in the emperor’s name, but it was definitely not with the emperor’s voluntary say-so.
An attempt was made in 1221 by the reigning Emperor Go-Toba to overthrow the Shogunate government, which itself was now, ironically, controlled by ministers, the Hojo Regents. It failed miserably and the emperor was forced to abdicate and suffer exile.
In the 14th century, Emperor Go-Daigo also attempted to restore Imperial power. After a few initial setbacks, Go-Daigo was eventually able to overthrow the Shogunate government and re-establish the Imperial Court as the governing body of Japan. The Go-Daigo Restoration only lasted a few short years. Samurai, dissatisfied with the rewards for their aid and fed up with haughty tones of court nobles, grumbled incessantly. One powerful ally, Ashikaga Takauji, turned against him and set up his own shogunate dynasty.
Go-Daigo fled to the mountain retreat Yoshino and set up a rival imperial court known as the “Southern Court.” For the next half century, Japan had two Imperial courts: one in Kyoto controlled by the Ashikaga Shogunate and the other in Yoshino which was without much authority. Supporters of the two courts fought off and on continuously until close to the end of the 14th century when the last emperor of the Southern Court abandoned Yoshino and submitted to the Imperial Court in Kyoto.
Though the Ashikaga Shogunate deteriorated towards the end of the following century, little attempt was made to restore the Imperial system. Instead Japan plunged into an age of unremitting warfare known as the Sengoku Period (Warring States), in which various warlords schemed and fought to increase their personal territories. The greatest warlords dreamed of uniting Japan under their banner and working in the emperor’s names as the previous shoguns and Fujiwara ministers had done before.
Oda Nobunaga was able to realize this dream when he marched into Kyoto in the 1560s. He supported both the powerless emperor and the defunct shogun and worked to enhance their prestige with great building projects. The Ashikaga Shogun, however, rankled by being in the power of a warlord schemed against Oda. Oda eventually turned him out and no shogun was appointed until 1603.
Despite removing the shogun, Oda did not restore the Imperial system of governance. Instead, he ruled pretty much as the shogun’s had before him, but he lavished the emperor and his courts with gifts. After his death, one of his generals, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, ruled in the similar manner.
In 1600, two years after Hideyoshi died, a great battle was fought at Sekigahara. Tokugawa Ieyasu defeated his rivals and was named shogun three years later. His shogunate dynasty lasted until the 1867 when the last shogun stepped down from power.
At long last the emperor was free to govern the country without interference, or so it would seem. Very little had changed, really, since the days of the Fujiwara ministry. Still, it was those around him that implemented policy — in the emperor’s name, of course.
The fanatical devotion to the emperor that led to the atrocities of WWII, banzai death charges, and kamikaze attacks developed partially in the wake of Imperial restoration. Under the new constitution, the emperor was placed above and beyond the law. But it wasn’t until Emperor Hirohito took the throne in the 1920s that imperialist propagandists began to make serious efforts to promote the cult of the emperor, particularly in the school system and military training institutions.
One of the myths floated about at the time touted the amazing fact of the long unbroken line of Imperial succession that stretched back to the time of the gods. Nothing could have been further from the truth, however, given the long history of manipulation by ministers and shoguns with the Imperial succession. The exiled court of Yoshino was the senior line of the Imperial office and it was never re-established.
Like the Fujiwara ministers from ages past, the position of the emperor was tightly controlled and utilized by others — in this case the military. The official civil government at that time was little more than a sham. There is still debate today as to whether Hirohito was just a puppet like so many emperors have been in the past in the decision-making process that led to war in Asia and the Pacific, or if he was a key mover in these affairs, or at least an active participant in them.
Hirohito escaped the noose that many felt he deserved after the war and under the terms of the American Occupation he was forced to renounce his divinity. When he publicly announced the surrender of Japan, it was the first time that the public heard him speak.
The “Cult of the Emperor” Today
Today, interest in the emperor has decreased significantly with younger Japanese generations to the point of nearly vague indifference. The majority of those attending the emperor’s birthday these days are mainly older Japanese and a number of curious foreigners. The notorious black van right wingers make an appearance as well, shouting slogans in the parking lot that very few people pay attention to.
While those who still hold a keen interest in the affairs of the Imperial family wrestle with the notion of a female emperor ascending the throne in the future, others wonder if the Imperial system should continue at all.
All text and photos ©2005 D.Weber
Poor Mari….she’s my favorite. If I ever become a j-pop singer and part of the...
Shes definitely at the top of my hot list.
perfeckt 10:10
Funny that most of those who ‘wonder’ about the continuity of the imperial system are foreigners.
December 29th, 2005 at 2:11 amAccording to a bio and a gneral history I read, Meiji did tour the country. Common folk did see him riding in his palanquin. it’s not a handshake meet and greet, but it did move him closer to the people than his predecessors.
December 29th, 2005 at 6:44 amInteresting post. I didn’t know most of this stuff ^_^ The grandfather of Tomo, a guy who works at J-List, was really a worshipper of the Shows Emperor, and if Tomo said Tenno (Emperor) without adding Heika (“His Majesty”) he would get slapped. Silly.
December 29th, 2005 at 1:51 pmHey David.
December 29th, 2005 at 4:47 pmHave you really read the textbook?
And Yasukuni shrine is just as same as Arlington.
You sound like Chinese.:mrgreen:
Can you tell us how the controversial textbook compiled by rightist historians glosses over the atrocities?
December 29th, 2005 at 5:38 pmDavid,
1. Have you really read the textbook?
2. Can you tell us how the controversial textbook compiled by rightist historians glosses over the atrocities?
You have not answered two questions above.:sad:
December 29th, 2005 at 7:08 pmPlease do not brand 天皇制 a cult, it sounds like slander. It reminds me of a poster on JapanToday who also call it a cult and goes on and on and on about it.
December 29th, 2005 at 7:45 pmI think it is time to examine the textbooks of other ex-empires, as Japan really has had enough of bashing by those who seem to believe in kind of “cult” of ‘Japan must be glossing over its past atrocities’ agenda, and repeat borrowed opinions.
Look,
December 29th, 2005 at 8:23 pmDavid is trying to avoid answering our questions.:lol:
Obviously this guy has never read the textbook.
And he also mentioned “yasakuni is about as Arlington as Graceland is the British Museum.” which means like “America’s wars are wars of justice.” right?
Yeah people in the world know Americans like you very well.
I found you are “Oh My News” member. It’s famous anti-Japanese Korean news site.
December 29th, 2005 at 8:31 pmhttp://english.ohmynews.com/articleview/article_view.asp?article_class=5&no=265695&rel_no=1
David,
You wanted to show off your knowledge of Japan and Asia as if you were a journalist, didn’t you?
David shows no zeal in the pursuit of the truth!
Prove you are not a loser, David Weber.
December 29th, 2005 at 8:35 pmHello Mr.Waber,
You’ve got quite an archive of knowledge here, which is pretty interesting… but i have a bit of confusion here..
“putting forth history textbooks
that gloss over some of these past horrendous actions”
-here, did you mean that the japanese government had issued all the schools the same type of book, by one publisher?
thanks, in advance:smile:
December 29th, 2005 at 9:09 pm>10
OK, I admit I skipped most of your sentenses, but what about you? People have been asking you whether you have actually read all of the Japanese history textbooks, and you still haven’t answered. I haven’t bothered to read all the books myself, but I don’t see any problem when a history textbook paid a little tribute to the soldiers who fought their enemies when they mention a war. In other words, it is an effective way of weakening a nation to teach its children constantly that a solier is a murderer or a criminal.
Anyway, I appreciate your interest in the Emperor, and of other curious foreigners. Although I personally think the system should continue, the Imperial family seems to be well symbolising Japan’s declining population.
December 29th, 2005 at 9:51 pmSo you admit you have never read it.
You recognize that you have been infected by the Korean nationalists in Oh My News.
You are just a propaganda machinese from Korea.
It’s dissapointment.
December 29th, 2005 at 10:20 pmJapundit had been pretty balanced Japan blog comparing to other foreigners’ blogs.
David Weber decayed it.
spell correction
So you admit you have never read it.
You recognize that you have been infected by the Korean nationalists in Oh My News.
You are just a propaganda machine from Korea.
It’s dissapointment.
December 29th, 2005 at 10:22 pmJapundit had been pretty balanced Japan blog comparing to other foreigners’ blogs.
David Weber decayed it.
Labeling people who have different view “nutters” is quite childish.:lol:
And you seem to be preparing to run away by saying “Oh no! That’s just what other people think! Not me!”
“you’re a nutter no need to continue.
”
But at least this is your opinion.
“yasukuni is about as Arlington as Graceland is the British Museum.”(America’s wars are wars of justice.)
So what is your opinion about the textbook?
December 29th, 2005 at 10:43 pmTwo simple questions to David Weber
1. Have you really read the textbook?
2. Can you tell us how the controversial textbook compiled by rightist historians glosses over the atrocities?
Prove you can distinguish between opinion and propaganda.
December 29th, 2005 at 10:47 pm“This article is about the Emperor’s birthday and a brief history of the Imperial system – NOT about glossed over history books, my obsessed friend…And until you figure this simple point out, there is no reason for me to beleive that you are not an obsessed nutter.”
So it’s your belief that people should only comment on nothing but the main topic of your article and that you reserve the privilage to call nutters those who do otherwise?
December 29th, 2005 at 11:10 pmyou are a nutter because you refuse to listen and keeping harping
Well that’s you.
You are insulting the blog readers instead of answering their questions.
Why you are propaganda machine is you sound exactly like the Korean nationalists I see on Oh My News.:lol::lol:
You do not mention what really describes on the textbook.
(Kokuryu has written excellent article on the textbook earlier)
You are helping to spread one side (Korean)view, therefore you are propaganda machine.
December 29th, 2005 at 11:13 pmA simple question to David Weber
1. Have you really read the textbook?
YES or NO?
December 29th, 2005 at 11:15 pm“How does my having read or not read those text books have any bearing on this article or on my sentence which is reporting the widely-held opinion about these textbooks in question?”
Because you wrote that part “to give more of background to the current controversy that surrounds the Emperor.” Don’t you think that it is legitimate for people to ask whether that part is also your belief, since you clearly stated that the part is a background for the rest of your own writing?
December 29th, 2005 at 11:17 pmJapan through the looking glass
By Alexander Bukh
TOKYO – The recent wave of anti-Japanese protests in China and Korea has drawn the attention of the English-language media, with its extensive coverage of what is presumed to be Japan’s failure to deal with its past and the effect this has had on relations with its neighbors.
Speaking from the perspective of somebody who is based in Japan, most of the coverage seems to be focused on exploring some imaginary “Japan” that has very little in common with the Japan that I live in and interact with on a daily basis. For me, the numerous articles that discuss Japan’s “whitewashing” of history and its relations with its Asian neighbors, while having some perceptive conclusions, tend to reflect the strong anti-Japanese bias that dominates Western perceptions of Japan and goes back to at least the Japanese defeat of Russia in the 1904-1905 war
The history textbook in question was approved for the first time in 2002, but only two schools in all of Japan decided to adopt it. Furthermore, a brief comparison between the history textbooks used in the 1980s, when the issue of Japan censoring its history first emerged, and in 2002, would show that contemporary textbooks provide a much more in-depth description of the suppression of the Korean and Chinese independence movements and the oppressive policies of the colonial government, the killings of Korean and Chinese residents by armed mobs in the aftermath of the Kanto earthquake in 1923, the atrocities of the Japanese army in Nanking and the deeds of the notorious 731 biological warfare unit.
The “German analogy” which is often invoked in the debate is also a simplistic attempt to project the horrors of European history on a totally different region. No doubt that Japan’s imperial and colonial policies, just like their European equivalents, were brutal, discriminating and left a deep scar in the hearts of the people of Korea, China and other Asian nations. However, Japan never had the well-designed and premeditated policy of genocide that is the main characteristic of the European trauma. Also, while Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s persistent visits to the Yasukuni Shrine cannot be described either as a sensitive or a smart political move, it is also important to know that the shrine is not Japan’s equivalent of Obersalzberg, which has become an area of Neo-Nazi pilgrimage. It is not dedicated to war criminals, but a memorial of all Japanese soldiers who have fallen in the domestic and international wars of Japan, and was built in the 1860s to commemorate the victims of civil war.
While it is possible to interpret not only history, but also social and political trends in various ways, I would like to present some statistical data which supports a different view of Japan. In a poll conducted in 2000, when posed with the question of whether or not the Pacific War was a war of aggression, 51% of respondents replied affirmatively, with only 15% denying it. Fifty percent of the respondents expressed belief that the post-war generation bears responsibility for the imperial past. In another survey of university students, conducted by Dr Sven Saaler of Tokyo University, over 70% responded affirmatively to the same question.
December 29th, 2005 at 11:18 pmYou’ve proven that you are a loser who cannot find employment in your own country and earns a living by doing an extremely easy job for a native English speaker in Japan.
You must stop spinnig your hamster wheel and answer to Question1.
A simple question to David Weber
1. Have you really read the textbook?
YES or NO?
December 29th, 2005 at 11:29 pmmy simple question
What is your opinion about the textbook?
December 29th, 2005 at 11:35 pmHow come you can’t answer such simple question?
You are also like Chinese in Canada who have been watched by 6-10 office.:roll::lol:
What are you scared?
Just look all these comments.
Who use insulting words like nutter, looney?
Only David Weber.:shock:
December 29th, 2005 at 11:43 pmAmen
“Funny, graceland, on Ohmynews I’m accused of being a Japanese sympathizer by the nutters over there!”
Then come back to our Volunteer land where we can bitch-slap Japs. We treat you good here
December 29th, 2005 at 11:45 pmIf your answer to the question #1 is no, you will entirely lose credibility of your comments.
A simple question to David Weber
1. Have you really read the textbook?
YES or NO?
December 29th, 2005 at 11:45 pmDid you read the textbook?
Yes or NO?
My question was
December 29th, 2005 at 11:46 pmWhat is your opinion about the textbook?
“a widely held opinion”
Also your opinion? Or you refuse to answer
December 29th, 2005 at 11:46 pmAdvice to David.
December 29th, 2005 at 11:50 pmAnswering question with another question make you look %:cry:#!@:oops:
Hello. I am new here.
In my opinion, this blogger is just taking revenge on this society unkind to him, in line with Korea and China. As is often the case with many white foreigners who cannot speak Japanese well and adapt themselves to this society.
December 29th, 2005 at 11:52 pmDavid,
How hard and fast you try to spin your hamster wheel, you can go nowhere.
A simple question to David Weber
1. Have you really read the textbook?
YES or NO?
December 29th, 2005 at 11:59 pmMr. Weber, do you teach a lot of those derogatory words to your students? I hope not.
Again, I appreciate foreign people taking interest in Japan and read books so they deepen their understanding of the country. Please enjoy Japan life!
December 29th, 2005 at 11:59 pmDavid,
What is your opinion about the textbook?
December 30th, 2005 at 12:06 amDavid,
What is your opinion about the textbook?
December 30th, 2005 at 12:20 amso, um you are stating that “oh looks like everyone thinks the textbook is glossing over what the japanese soldiers did”…
isnt that called “stating the obvious”?
why bother writing stuff many people think about… try looking more deeply into the problem.
The japanese textbook thing, btw just in case you didint know, is just this one publisher making a slightly different textbook, and its not widely used at all, by junior high schools ( the japanese schools have the choice of textbooks)
this system where schools could choose their textbook(s) is pretty unique compared to the countries around us, like China and Korea which has “government-supervised (and controlled i guess?) books to be used compulsury in schools…
December 30th, 2005 at 12:22 amWe will probably come to the conclusion that David has never read the history textbook.
December 30th, 2005 at 12:26 am>46
Ah,ha, now I understand your usage of the word cult. I might join you there some time, since I have been to none of the public appearances.
My opinion is that most people, however uninterested they are, would probably feel in awe of the Emperor and his family if ever they come near you. Like the majority of British people appear to admire the Queen on her walkabouts, despite the fact the media tease the Royal family all the time.
I am a fan of noblesse, perhaps because I think I could never emulate the way they live.
December 30th, 2005 at 12:35 amDavid,
What is your opinion about the textbook?
December 30th, 2005 at 12:42 amDavid need to learn this word 文責 :lol::lol::lol:
December 30th, 2005 at 12:44 amThe volunteer land misses you
December 30th, 2005 at 12:59 amI do understand that you have never read not only a Japanese edition but also an English one of the history textbook, and you wanted to make a parade of your knowledge about Japan and Asia.
You entirely lost credibility of your articles and comments, didn’t you?
Write them on flyers as if you are a journalist.
December 30th, 2005 at 1:04 amI’ll answer the question for Mr. Weber. I have read the Japanese version of the Fushosha textbook (both the 2001 and new version) and while it is not factually inaccurate, it is full of slippery history and laughably dubious causal claims such as this one:
日本の南方進出は、もともと資源の獲得を目的としたものだったが、アジア諸国で始まっていた独立の動きを早める一つのきっかけともなった。
Factually correct, however about as compelling and apologetic an argument as saying that the Nazi’s original intent was to exterminate the Jews but it also became a catalyst for the furthering of the Zionist movement.
Fusosha is however, no less irresponsible in its telling of history than is the group of Japanese, Korean, and Chinese scholars who began working in 2002 to create a joint history textbook that is anti-Japan, anti-American, glosses over China and Korea’s historical problems, and strongly reeks of the left.
Now, I ask you what is your opinion of the textbook?
December 30th, 2005 at 1:09 amenjoy Japan life!
I suggest him to get a job in the Dollywood.:mrgreen:
December 30th, 2005 at 1:19 amSaru,
つくる会の藤岡氏は外国人記者クラブの会見で次の質問にこう答えています。
「私の質問は非常に単純なものですが、客観的な歴史というものが存在するのでしょか？」
「歴史哲学的な質問ですが、客観的な事実と言うものはあると思う。だからそれが重要であって、それを歪めて書くのは許されないことだ。だが、歴史とは HISTORYにSTORYという言葉が含まれているように、書く側が主体的に構成する傾向がある。語る主体が歴史には出てくる。客観的な歴史はあるのか？ という質問に対しては、事実については客観的な事実があると思う」
December 30th, 2005 at 1:22 amOsaru-san
December 30th, 2005 at 1:23 amYou don’t have 文責 for the entry.
David is the one who must respond.
Tennessee redneck,
Thank you for that interesting contribution. I am inclined to agree with Mr. Fujioka that an objective view of history does not exist. I think the point was subtly alluded to in my previous post. What I left unsaid was that neither of these textbooks fit my subjective view of things. If objectiveness is too elusive, perhaps what should be strived for in the study of history is the inclusion of numerous subjectives and not, as in the case of Fusosha or the joint textbook, merely a one-sided view of past events. Any thougts?
Just out of curiosity, two questions for you: 1) Are you Japanese 2) Are you actually in TN? If it suits you, feel free to respond to the email address in my signature.
December 30th, 2005 at 1:51 amTR, For that email addrees, go to the website linked to my signature and you will find it there.
December 30th, 2005 at 1:52 am“I am inclined to agree with Mr. Fujioka that an objective view of history does not exist.”
He says it does
December 30th, 2005 at 1:58 am“objective facts”, that is.
December 30th, 2005 at 2:00 amOops, seems I read that rather hastily. He does admit the existence of objective facts, although he never addresses the objectiveness of history (he does admit the penchant for authors to construct these facts subjectively, which I think is a strikingly open and honest description of the textbook in question.) Still, I agree with him. The only difficulty I see with this view is when facts themselves become disputed, as is pointed out in the textbook with regards to Nanking.
December 30th, 2005 at 2:14 am“when facts themselves become disputed, as is pointed out in the textbook with regards to Nanking.”
Would you kindly show me where I can find information (please no propaganda) reliable enough to make hitorians like Fujioka re-think that the Nanking matter is disputable and make people like you convinced that it really is disputed? By “disputed”, I mean conflicting historical facts, not the kind of arguments people do in internet forums.
He addressed his personal opinion as a historian about this matter in the press conference.
Look for 【藤岡：２５分１１秒から３１分１２秒まで】
December 30th, 2005 at 3:14 amhttp://kukkuri.jpn.org/kakoboyaki/050513tukurukai.html
TR, It’s well beyond my ability to produce such evidence. I am not a historian, and as I do not wish to speak from a position of ignorance on this matter, I am not attempting to dispute anything related to Nanking. I am merely pointing out that, whether information (“reliable enough to make historians like Fujioka re-think that the Nanking matter is disputable…”) exists or not, there does exist a disagreement over the “facts” of Nanking. I was referring specifically to the sidebar on page 199 of the text that reads:
このとき、日本軍によって、中国の軍民に多数の死傷者が出た（南京事件）。なお、この犠牲者数などの実態については資料の上で疑問点も出され、さまざまな見解があり、今日でも議論が続いている。
Because a disagreement does exist, I can understand the desire of the Fusosha authors to wish to raise its existence, even if I may not entirely agree with what I perceive to be their motives. I see no benefit in hiding such things from students and feel like the argument over history in Japan is portrayed as much too black and white. From my admittedly limited experience, it appears to be all about what the students should or should not be taught, not about teaching them to look at history and flesh things out themselves.
December 30th, 2005 at 3:35 amChanging course from the recent comments on this post, I have a suggestion: You guys need to BAN flamers.
Japundit seems to have reached a level of popularity where it seems warranted. So don’t be afraid! In the end it will actually benefit the site.
People like Dai and Graceland have no place to call you names (I should know
)
Anyway, it’s very convenient for someone to say that the only people who are against the emperor system are foreigners. As can be seen from the OhMyNews piece, the public debate on the emperor system in Japan is more than a little bit limited, leaving foreign observers of Japan perhaps the only people around who can speak openly about it. Even the Japan Communist Party limits its banter to whether the emperor should be considered “head of state.” I’m sure that the average Japanese wouldn’t think to controvert popular opinion for fear of personal attacks such as those coming from commenter Mr. Dai.
Also, about David’s assessment of the recent “cult of the emperor.” From my perspective, the cynical reactions David describes don’t tell the whole story (not that I could). Japan after WW2 certainly secularized to a large degree. But why haven’t there been more people calling for an end to the system altogether? Because a furious propaganda campaign was waged and public opinion has remained in favor of the emperor ever since.
Most Japanese people believe that they are a unique race and culture. The idea that their race/culture is centered around the emperor, if not 100% believed, still serves as a powerful superstition to support the belief in racial harmony.
It’s the same sort of mental contortionism that allows people in America to consider themselves non-religious but still believe in Jesus’ teachings. Or that they’re not racist but despise “hip hop” culture or like gays but not flaming homos.
So, for instance, when Princess Sayako got married, the media used it as an opportunity to let young women know that one day they too need to get married. Why should anyone care what she’s doing? Because she represents all Japanese women, or some such thing.
So in short, despite the typical apathy seen in a powerless youth that will almost certainly turn more conservative as they get older, Japan is nowhere near getting rid of the emperor. But I am sure that many Japanese people would certainly favor the idea if only they were given the chance to discuss it.
December 30th, 2005 at 4:43 amhmm, speaking as a japanese, i think (generally speaking) the Japanese people sees the emperor as just a symbol of the country, nothing less, or more…
More like a “something which is at the corner of the brain” than a “cult”, we dont really have anything like a belief, but we get considerably pissed, if our emperor is humiliated or so. (because if the image of a country is damaged, we dont like it.)
Im trying to find a good example to illustrate this but hmm…
maybe we sees the emperor like our… old reletives that lives in a faraway place or something? We know them, but we dont really live near them so its not really anything that has direct effect on our lives.
December 30th, 2005 at 4:56 amI think the “flamers” are angry to the fact that many people seems to know only the surface of the problem, for example;
(Japanese soldiers have done a huge loads of warcrime)
(We are not admitting it, so China & Korea are angry)
(We even re-wrote the public textbook to hide the crime)
(the PM is humiliating the “VICTIM” countries by visiting the shrine)
etc etc
However these views are pretty unfair if seen by the Japaneses’ point of view, and we feel that other people should know more deeply, into these facts before critisising it. (which is pretty hard coz japanese ppl dosent really do things like propaganda or demondtrations etc)…
but personally speaking, journalists nowadays never really “investigate” stuff, they just re-gurgitate what they have heard from the public and maybe other journalists…
December 30th, 2005 at 5:06 amAnd i think the power of the journalists, or the words on internet and magazines etc, is so powerful, so we felt the need to protect ourselves from misunderstanding.
Whats up with people asking the same dumb question over and over? Did a mental hospital get unleashed on this site or what? Ask a question once and leave it at that. If your gonna spam and flame don’t expect an answer.
Dai your not going to convince anyone of your opinion when you keep making bigoted statements(ex: english teachers) and personal attacks. I wouldn’t respond to you either.
Graceland, do you normally have such long drawn out conversations with yourself?
Anyways I agree that a lot of people who complain about this problem aren’t really educated about the all the facts but that doesn’t excuse the same 5 people spamming this blog.
December 30th, 2005 at 6:44 amWhat’s with all the sudden indignation? The textbook thing and the Japanese WWII conduct issue have been discussed on this site since it got started, why get so wound up over an article that’s not even really related to that?
Hey David, how come you keep attracting all the wackos?
Vive l’Empereur!
December 30th, 2005 at 6:55 amSo are you guys saying that they dont have any right to ask such a question? I dont see any problem to answer it since he was basicaly saying that doesnt affect the validity of his argument. However he has never admitted that he hasnt read the textbook and answered with another question…
Saying so I just realized that his replies are deleted… Is it because of that you guys are appalled? Or…
December 30th, 2005 at 7:30 am“So are you guys saying that they dont have any right to ask such a question?”
No they have the right to ask the question but just not over and over again. And for the record I don’t totally disagree with everything they said regarding the text books. Its the way they are posting and how they are prejudging everyone who disagrees with them, then going on to make bigoted and insulting statements. All that stuff about prading your knowledge about Asia and Japanese was not necessary or relevant.
December 30th, 2005 at 8:08 am“Changing course from the recent comments on this post, I have a suggestion: You guys need to BAN flamers…People like Dai and Graceland have no place to call you names (I should know
)”
David’s comments are deleted leaving other people the ones who started all this name calling, but he is the one who repeatedly used words like “nutter” and “looney”. I should know that Japundit has contributors like David
December 30th, 2005 at 8:59 amNone of the comments posted to this article have been deleted by us.
David has written to me to say that he is having trouble posting, and we are trying to correct the problem.
December 30th, 2005 at 11:13 amHi guys.
Yeah David has deleted his own comments with insult words.:mrgreen:
December 30th, 2005 at 11:42 amI just woke up.
And it seems Es is David himself.
“None of the comments posted to this article have been deleted by us.”
Who do you think they are responding to?
December 30th, 2005 at 12:07 pmWho do you think they are responding to?
Translation, please. . .
December 30th, 2005 at 12:36 pmIf no comments are deleted, who do you think those questions about textbooks are addressed to?
December 30th, 2005 at 12:47 pmHi JP.
It seems David deleted his vulgar comments between AM5:00 to AM7:40.
Plaese take a look at my posts 4 and 8.
December 30th, 2005 at 12:55 pmDavid posted “yasakuni is about as Arlington as Graceland is the British Museum.” between 4 and 8.
JP,
Ask David if he deleted his comments…Wait, he might refuse to answer
December 30th, 2005 at 12:59 pmI am saying that we, the people who run JAPUNDIT, did not delete any of the comments that have been made to this post. Late last night, David wrote me an e-mail saying that he was having trouble posting his comments here.
This morning I looked, and saw that David’s comments have been deleted.
We don’t know how this happened, and it may be due to some automated operation by our anti-spam software. We are currently looking into it to see what happened and why it happened.
December 30th, 2005 at 1:00 pmWow, who gives a crap about his comments? Lay off already! See what I mean about flamers?
December 30th, 2005 at 1:01 pm“it may be due to some automated operation by our anti-spam software.”
Translation, please …
December 30th, 2005 at 1:02 pm“Wow, who gives a crap about his comments?”
Why not? You are the one who said:
“”People like Dai and Graceland have no place to call you names (I should know
)”
It’s crucial to see David’s comments to see if he flamed. If he did, there is no place for him here either
December 30th, 2005 at 1:05 pmAnd with that, further commenting on this post is disabled.
If you have any further comments or questions about our contributors or other adminstrative matters, please send them to contact@japundit.com.
December 30th, 2005 at 1:21 pm
and some of you need to understand this word: RELEVANCE
December 30th, 2005 at 12:42 amgraceland, yasukuni is about as Arlington as Graceland is the British Museum.
December 29th, 2005 at 4:47 pmthats because those questions have very little if nothing to do with my story about the emperor and the history of the imperial institution.
If you had bother to note, I wrote: “many feel….” I was reporting on an opinion expressed by many critics on Japan’s presentation of its past. I was not giving my own opinion nor stating a fact so again there’s no reason to answer questions that have nothing to do me or my opinion.
You’d best ask half of mainland Asia whose opinion I relayed here.
December 29th, 2005 at 8:25 pmoh, dear!:roll: I called it a “cult” in quotations to denote that it is hardly that anymore.
I wish people would read more thoroughly before they respond with unnecessary superflous comments.
My last two paragraphs shows that the “cult” consists of older Japanese, curious foreigners, and ignored rightwingers. I was making a bit of fun not labeling hence the quotation marks.
December 29th, 2005 at 7:46 pmas I thought, give the nutters enough rope and they’ll hang themselves! Brilliant show, graceland and dai! You guys are a class act:roll:
Pleas re-read this sentence:
Many feel that Japan has not seriously owned up to its past misdeeds while at the same time adding salt to the wound by putting forth history textbooks that gloss over some of these past horrendous actions.
Now why is this so difficult for some of you to grasp that I am reporting on the opinion many have about Japan’s past and school text books – and NOT putting forth my own opinion or putting the history books as glossed over as fact? What I am presenting is the strongly and widely-held OPINION that the textbooks gloss over past atrocities.
What seems to escape some people here is that my having read or not read those text books has very little to do with that statement.
December 29th, 2005 at 8:35 pmgraceland, you’ve already proven you’re a nutter no need to continue.
I have neither admitted or denied anything. Its obvious my question is beyond your capabilities.
Discussion is absolutely pointless here with this looney lynch mob.
You are just a propaganda machine from Korea.
After all I have posted here on Japan, you come up with this brilliant assessment? What an absolute nutter you are.
But I must admit I do love nutters:lol:
They’re always so full of themselves with self-righteous fury that they are impervious to logic and common sentence and thus so much fun to watch as they explode:lol:
December 29th, 2005 at 10:23 pmyou are a nutter because you refuse to listen and keeping harping about one small part that I have now twice effectively answered as to its non-relevance.
Plus your ridiculously outrageous accusation that I’m somehow a propaganda machine for Korea is a classic example of paranoid nuttery!:lol: No sane person would have wrote that – and in bold no less:lol:
This article is about the Emperor’s birthday and a brief history of the Imperial system – NOT about glossed over history books, my obsessed friend.
I was stating the opinion that is held by many in order to give more of background to the current controversy that surrounds the Emperor.
And until you figure this simple point out, there is no reason for me to beleive that you are not an obsessed nutter.
December 29th, 2005 at 10:44 pmDai, one question (that I’ve already asked twice already)
How does my having read or not read those text books have any bearing on this article or on my sentence which is reporting the widely-held opinion about these textbooks in question?
Once you have answered that you will realize there is no point to your questions because:
1. I am neither stating these text books are glossed over or not glossed over
2. I am only stating the opinion that many people held
December 29th, 2005 at 10:48 pmAw, you’re breaking my hearts, guys! Look: Reading Comp 101 will clear up these problems plus a few visits to the local shrink.
Funny, graceland, on Ohmynews I’m accused of being a Japanese sympathizer by the nutters over there!
Tennessee Redneck when little anon twerps write comments like yourself without bothering to read, I think I have ever right to blast them while having a laugh or two.
Answer my question to Dai and then you’ll see how pointless this tirade has been.
December 29th, 2005 at 11:14 pmDai:
Answer my simple question: what does it matter? Then you will have the answer that you so desperately seek.
December 29th, 2005 at 11:16 pmYou’ve proven that you are a loser who cannot find employment in your own country and earns a living by doing an extremely easy job for a native English speaker in Japan.
:lol::lol:
only an anonymous nutter and loser would be so pathetic to make such a ridiculous personal attack.
By your own words are you lot of nutters hung and damned.
Very amusing show though:lol::lol::lol:
December 29th, 2005 at 11:30 pmgraceland:
whatever does it matter? It has nothing to do with this article.
Why are you lot so obsessed about my reporting the fact that there is a widely held opinion about Japanese textbooks?
December 29th, 2005 at 11:36 pmmy, my, my! I have reaped a bumper crop of nutters here today!:lol::lol::lol:
It is sad when you lot can not realize how utterly ridiculous you look but I shall endevour to try to at least provide amusement for onlookers at your expense.
My dear JL – and how is that, exactly? You lot sure come up with the strangest opinions out of the thinnest of airs.
So I hate Japan?:roll: Brilliant deduction, sherlock.
December 29th, 2005 at 11:53 pmPlease enjoy Japan life!
Of course I do! I’ve written quite a bit on Japan and its culture in my short time here so these assumptions about my dislike on Japan are ridiculous.
And hey, I’ve been to the Emperor’s birthday 3 years in row – thats probably more than a lot of Japanese people living in Tokyo except for the older generations and the rightwingers of course.
Personally I like the man and think he has done some good in his capacity.
As my article points out the Emperors were often controlled by ministers, Shoguns, and military leaders of the early 20th century.
Being the Emperor of Japan was not a cakewalk by a long shot. Their regents, shoguns, and the like often enjoyed a better life than did the Emperor who was often no more than a prisoner.
December 30th, 2005 at 12:43 amAdvice to David.
#!@ 
Answering question with another question make you look %
really? There goes philosohy and zen out the window then! And my question answers dai’s obsessed embolden question if he and you would bother to think about it.
December 30th, 2005 at 12:24 amwell I certainly have come to the conclusion that Dai will never understand how his question has no relevance to the article or sentence whatsoever despite the many times I have tried to tell him so.
so, um you are stating that “oh looks like everyone thinks the textbook is glossing over what the japanese soldiers did”…
did I say everyone? I don’t beleive I did. Use that gray button to the right of the screen to scroll back to the top and you will find the word:
“many” which is quite different than saying everyone.
why bother writing stuff many people think about… try looking more deeply into the problem.
What are you on about? I wrote one sentence on it. The rest of the article is about the Emperor and the Imperial institution. Did you even read the article before posted that?
Did Reading Comp skills fall sharply over the holidays?
Bloody hell but I am astounded by these nitpicking nitwits who couldn’t buy a clue if you loaned them money for it.
One sentence and a Mt. Fuji has been needlessly made out of a molehill. Too funny!:lol::lol::lol:
December 30th, 2005 at 12:27 am>51 don’t go with too much expectations. Unfortunately we don’t see too much – you can see most of it in the photos here.
However if you want to go for the experience seeing the Emperor with his family then by all means go. As I said I’ve done it 3 times.
He also makes a public appearance on Jan 2 so if you’re in town this year you can see him. A friend of mine goes every year as part of his tradition whereas I’ve just attended the birthdays – no cake and ice cream unfortunately:sad:
December 30th, 2005 at 12:36 amThe final word.
We have discovered the cause of the missing notes. The anti-spam software we use has a snowball function, that back deletes messages from an offending IP when one is discovered. When David logged on through an Internet cafe, he was mistakenly tagged as a spammer and his comments were deleted.
We were able to recover them and reinsert them into the discussion.
Nevertheless, further commenting on this post will continue to be disabled.
December 31st, 2005 at 4:29 pm