In response to the July 4 article "Candidate Tojo seeks resolution against A-bombings": I must say that I am in full agreement with Yuko Tojo -- who seeks election to the Upper House ---- in her bid to bring a resolution against the United States for the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
The bombings were one of the most horrendous acts ever perpetrated by one group of human beings on another. The U.S. should take responsibility for its actions. This point aside, however, I think Tojo is out to lunch!
Tojo, like most of the rightwing zealots in this country, has stated that Japan did not fight a war of aggression, but rather one to liberate colonies in Asia from "whites." She says the only mistake her grandfather, wartime Prime Minister Hideki Tojo, made was losing the war. Killing is aggressive. War is aggressive. Preventative war is the most aggressive of all. Her grandfather's decisions resulted in millions of deaths of the very Asians she says he was trying to liberate and of Japanese citizens. This indeed was a big mistake!
In order to feel good about herself, she feels the need to whitewash the actions of her grandfather. The national government has had the same problem: It continually tries to play down the past in order to feel good about itself.
It seems that the conservative politicians in this country are seeking salvation by lying to themselves. If only the Japanese government could once and for all take full responsibility for the (misdeeds) of World War II, they might be able to persuade other countries, like the U.S., to take responsibility for theirs!
With your current subscription plan you can comment on stories. However, before writing your first comment, please create a display name in the Profile section of your subscriber account page.