Comments on Observing Japan: Japan's constitution turns sixty

tornados28 should understand that the world and th...

2007-05-29T15:03:00.000+09:00

tornados28 should understand that the world and the people of Japan have a right to demand justification for dropping the Pacifist Constitution due to the death and destruction of the militarists. (60 years is a short time in Japanese history)
Why isn't Mr. 28 protesting how that biggest "any other" country, the USA has been pushing Japan into rebuilding its armed forces so it can carry on armed invasions in other parts of the world?
The Japanese military never apologised for its massive scam-kickback program (Secret Instruction 363) at the end of the war that transferred vitually all food stocks, supplies, treasure, and savings to an elite group of war contractors and military and public officials. This pushed the Japanese people into near starvation levels for the following five years and the black market wealth went on to found the LDP.
Why create a new army when the last one ran away to save their own necks and left tens of thousands of Japanese civilians stranded in Manchuria to face disaster at the hands of the Red Army?
The Emperor never apologized for pushing the Japanese people into the war and for causing an ocean of pain, death, and poverty for Japan and the world.
The Japanese have a choice of following the militarists into imperialism, war, and eventual disaster and poverty or to continue to the a example to the world on how peace means prosperity.

I agree with tornados to some degree. I don't see ...

2007-05-04T20:49:39.550+09:00

I agree with tornados to some degree. I don't see any reason why Japan should feel as though it needs to win the confidence of the rest of the world before embarking on constitutional reform. It spent the past 60 years being a responsible world citizen (and doling out hefty sums of cash in the form of FDI), and I think has earned some trust.

that said, Japan did not atone for the past as well as it could have. It's job would be easier if it could swallow some pride.

The fact is that the war ended over 60 years ago. ...

2007-05-04T05:15:43.759+09:00

The fact is that the war ended over 60 years ago. It amazes me that any country, including Japan, would have to explain any constitutional revisions to any other country.

Yes, some will debate that Japan has never fully atoned for the past. However, I do not think some countries (China) will ever be satisfied with watever atonement is given for WWII. The fact is, most countries, including America, Russia and especially China, have some pretty big issues to attone for in their own history.