Korean Job Discussion Forums

Ya-ta Boy · Joined: 16 Jan 2003 Location: Established in 1994

From what I understand, the war criminals were originally 'buried' elsewhere. It seems to me they were moved (their name tag) in the 70's.

It has been suggested to move their names out of Yasukuni and no one says it can't be done. There is nothing but sentiment to prevent it.

Koizumi is not the first prime minister to go to the shrine since the war criminals were enshrined there. He is the only one to do so yearly. The others responded to the public outcry and diplomatic protests.

Whoever said the Japanese didn't try to wipe out Korean identity, language and culture is simply not up on his history. True, the Japanese were not building gas chambers for the Koreans, but the Japanese were trying to obliterate the Koreans as a distinct people. Obviously, death is the ultimate bad, but trying to erase your people is also an evil.

Both Koreas and China protest when Koizumi goes to the shrine, but the protests are also partly just political posturing. For example, each time K does it, Roh says he won't meet with him again. That is over-reacting for political points. Korea cannot break off diplomatic relations over something like this, at least at this point in time they cannot. To pretend otherwise is foolish.

There is (some) reason for concern as the Japanese right wing gains strength. They deny that their attacks on Korea and China were aggressive. They say that World War II was an Asian uprising against White domination. They were liberating Asia from colonialism. It's a distortion and white-washing of history. It was an attempt to replace European dominance with Japanese dominance.