Rewriting History Again "Japan to Revise Books on WWII Suicides"

KirinMan · 1 Apr 2007

I first heard this on the news this past Friday evening. Once again the Japanese Government is attempting to rewrite it's history, this time in regards to it's own people. There are many here in Okinawa that are more than just a little "upset" at this.

Japan to Revise Books on WWII Suicides

TOKYO — The government ordered changes Friday to seven history textbooks describing how the Japanese army forced civilians to commit mass suicide at the end of World War II, the country's latest effort to soften brutal accounts of its wartime conduct.
The high school textbooks say the army _ faced with an impending U.S. invasion in 1945 _ handed out grenades to residents on the southern island of Okinawa and ordered them to kill themselves rather than surrender to the Americans.

The Education Ministry said there was no definitive evidence that the suicides were ordered by the army. The publishers were asked to modify the relevant passages and submit the changes for approval by a government-appointed panel.

"There are divergent views of whether or not the suicides were ordered by the army, and no proof to say either way. So it would be misleading to say the army was responsible," said Education Ministry official Yumiko Tomimori.
Since taking office in September, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has promoted national pride and sought to distance Japan from its post-World War II guilt. His conservative government has bolstered Japan's international military role and amended the constitution to require schools to teach patriotism.......

This time there is factual evidence that the Japanese Military personnel ordered the civilians to commit suicide. I have heard survivors of the war give lectures to Elementary, Junior High and High School students about this sad part of the Battle of Okinawa.

There have been movies made about this as well. Once again the government is sticking it to the people of Okinawa. Oh and if the Japanese soldiers didn't hand out the hand grenades how in the heck did the people get them in the first place? If a civilian was caught with them they would have been shot for pilfering military war material.

Also it's kind of hard to interview the dead Japanese military personnel who committed suicide themselves rather than be captured.

The battle in Okinawa raged from late March through June 1945, leaving more than 200,000 civilians and soldiers dead and speeding the collapse of Japan's defenses.

Accounts of forced group suicides on Okinawa have been backed up by historical research and testimony from victims' relatives. Historians say government propaganda led civilians to believe U.S. soldiers would commit atrocities, persuading them to kill themselves and their families to avoid capture.

But in recent years, some academics have questioned whether the suicides were forced, part of the wider push by conservatives to soften criticism of Japan's wartime conduct.

There is more in the article as well about other issues related to this recent spate of "work" by the current Japanese administration to soften it's own history.

Elizabeth · 2 Apr 2007

There is more in the article as well about other issues related to this recent spate of "work" by the current Japanese administration to soften it's own history.

Thanks for the post, Obeika ! I too was totally blown away by this fresh campaign of the Abe administration to whitewash inconvenient historical facts after the cost to its reputation Japan has paid for such past efforts.

For crying out loud, the stories of Okinawan forced suicides have been in textbooks since the 1950's. Is there any new evidence that casts doubt on those time honored accounts ? I don't think so. Some survivors have tried to seek compensation from the courts beginning in 2005. That's about the only thing that has changed except for the coming of a new government.

It wasn't even clear from Japanese news accounts that these were suicides, although that would obviously be inferred by anyone with prior awareness of the situation. The term is ﾅｽﾂｩﾅ塚 which I took at first to mean "driven to self-determination." No mention of granades, number of fatalities or other such unpleasant details.

Hopefully unbelievably brazen moves like this this will make us all more vigilant observers of the Abe era and policies.

KirinMan · 2 Apr 2007

Thank you, it has been the topic of discussion the past few days among a number of "elderly" friends that I have, they are rather upset that the current administration is trying to belittle the horrific experiences that they had witnessed during WWII.

Okinawan people were not only induced to commit suicide but were also used as "human" shields by the Japanese military to protect themselves from attacks from the US Military.

Mothers had to smother their own babies to cover their crying, out of fear that the Japanese military shut in caves with them would kill them to keep them quiet out of fear of detection.

The Okinawan people had no other means of information other than what the Japanese military gave them, it is incredulous to think that they would have committed suicide on their own, first off it is not in the Okinawan people's nature. One has to understand the nature of the Okinawan people to understand this, to cut these ties by committing suicide is unthinkable. One must also understand the fear they had of not only the US military but also of the Japanese military as well.

Even though the prefecture was a part of Japan at the time there was not the "love" for the emperor in comparison to people that came here from "mainland" Japan. Also the familial connections that are so important here in Okinawa would not have even made them think to commit suicide on their own.

Lastly I find in rather interesting that "members" that post here defending the Japanese military for their actions in regards to "other" issues related to WWII don't find find the "time" to make comments in support of the current government actions regarding this issue.

Their silence is deafening!

pipokun · 2 Apr 2007

産経ニュース
窶ｰﾂｫ窶愿ｪﾂ静ｭﾂ集窶冂ﾅｽﾂｩﾅ塚?「ﾅ坦窶督ｽ窶氾淞」窶堙ｰﾂ修ﾂ青ｳﾂﾂ坂?堋校窶ｹﾂｳ窶ｰﾃ按鞘?佛椎ｸ窶凖ｨ

Do I have to translate this for you?

KirinMan · 2 Apr 2007

pipokun said:
産経ニュース
窶ｰﾂｫ窶愿ｪﾂ静ｭﾂ集窶冂ﾅｽﾂｩﾅ塚?「ﾅ坦窶督ｽ窶氾淞」窶堙ｰﾂ修ﾂ青ｳﾂﾂ坂?堋校窶ｹﾂｳ窶ｰﾃ按鞘?佛椎ｸ窶凖ｨ
Do I have to translate this for you?

Before I answer this question, I am sorry but have a question for you, do you believe that the Okinawan people that committed suicide following the orders of the Japanese military at the time, through the propaganda of the Japanese military?

Or;

Do you think, in your opinion of course, that they did so of their own accord, without being forced?

It is just a link, and it says nothing about how you feel or what your opinion is about the matter.

pipokun · 2 Apr 2007

I don't think the court will judge anything about history, but the case against Oe is ongoing.

Their silence is deafening!

It is interesting that your logic is similar to the young Korean woman.

This is from the Seiron Extra. 02
Easy appology and unreasonable accusation, twisted codes blocking Japan-Korea friendship
Gim Wanseop, Korean writer and critic
O Seonhwa, Korean critic and professer of Takushoku University. (When Gim chatted with a young Korean woman)
She said my book was wrong. She means, if the Korean government teaches distorted anti-Japanese history to South Koreans and if the history we learned is a lie. Why does Japan stay calm?
If my opinion is true, she does not understand the slicence of Japan. She (Japan) is supposed to strong protest to our Korean govenment.
But no protest from Japan, it means that our historical claims are true.

You know much more that the loud anti-US base activists in Okinawa is not necessarily okinawa people, right?

Elizabeth · 3 Apr 2007

pipokun said:
産経ニュース
窶ｰﾂｫ窶愿ｪﾂ静ｭﾂ集窶冂ﾅｽﾂｩﾅ塚?「ﾅ坦窶督ｽ窶氾淞」窶堙ｰﾂ修ﾂ青ｳﾂﾂ坂?堋校窶ｹﾂｳ窶ｰﾃ按鞘?佛椎ｸ窶凖ｨ
Do I have to translate this for you?

Have these revisionist testimonies been picked up by the normal press ? Sorry, but I don't believe anything only found in Sankei Shinbun.

KirinMan · 3 Apr 2007

You know much more that the loud anti-US base activists in Okinawa is not necessarily okinawa people, right?

Oh yes, as you may know as well the people that stir up many of the problems regarding the bases here are not from here either.

Do I have to translate this for you?
Yesterday 21:17

I understood parts and the parts I didnt understand I'll get my wife to help out with, thanks for the offer though.

pipokun · 3 Apr 2007

Elizabeth said:
Have these revisionist testimonies been picked up by the normal press ? Sorry, but I don't believe anything only found in Sankei Shinbun.

What do you mean by the normal press?
For a non-American, I find Fox and NYT still play baseball at a ball park.

caster51 · 22 Apr 2007

Akamatsu, He voluntarily shouldered the cross for them.
He endured well for the disgrace because of their survivor's pension or annuity by war.

If it was an Order , money was paid.

highlight · 3 Jun 2007

My god how is this even justified what possible evidence could deny the accounts of people there at the time at least people are aware of it and don't just let it happen.

Ewok85 · 4 Jun 2007

Obeika said:
Once again the government is sticking it to the people of Okinawa.

And also to every soldier and civilian who killed themselves who will now be recognized as having committed suicide dishonourably, instead of dying in the line of duty.

KirinMan · 4 Jun 2007

Ewok85 said:
And also to every soldier and civilian who killed themselves who will now be recognized as having committed suicide dishonourably, instead of dying in the line of duty.

I am willing to bet that the govenment will find some way to gloss over this as well.

caster51 · 4 Jun 2007

It happened in Tokashiki island,Okinawa in 1945
many civilian were educated americans were Devil.
because native american and Hawaian were conqured like Devill in the history.
it was natural for soldiers becuase of Bshido.
However ,civilians were not educated like that
some witness were appered last year. His name was Teruya-san.
the story is oppsitely . teruya-san said " soldiers told us to run away here ,then we are shield for you. however all soldiers was killed.
and we decided to suicide ......
after war, teruya-san visited Akamatsu-san(captain).
they committed suicide themselves. however , the suicide of civilian was not paid pension to family . than akamatu captain understood I forced them to kill themselves.
so pensions are paid to their family because they were killed in the WAR.
they said "Akamatsu is devil" in Japan
Devil of Akamatsu's stories were written in many books and School Text book that is an evidence of forced sucide...
However, recentry He was not able to endure it for Akamatsu's honor.
Akamatsu, He voluntarily shouldered the cross for them.
He endured well for the disgrace because of their survivor's pension or annuity by war.
He said "I decided to tell a truth. I demand him It is what he did a order for pension."
it is the other sad story
http://hnn.us/roundup/comments/22336.html
the young women comitted sucide.
However, this history was erased because they were not forced

their good-by was aired in japan
they never give up their job until last

Ewok85 · 4 Jun 2007

Obeika said:
I am willing to bet that the govenment will find some way to gloss over this as well.

You can bet the families and relatives won't.

(At least in Australia and America where the memory and 'rights' of veterans is held very highly, such a thing as this would be political suicide)

KirinMan · 4 Jun 2007

Ewok85 said:
You can bet the families and relatives won't.
(At least in Australia and America where the memory and 'rights' of veterans is held very highly, such a thing as this would be political suicide)

No the memories of all the dead, from all sides, are remembered here.Okinawa Prefectural Peace Memorial Museum

However and it is unfortunate that large numbers of Okinawan civilians were killed as a result of this war.

Included among over 100,000 cilvilians killed were countless numbers that committed suicide, mostly because they were educated to believe that suicide was the honorable way out and to die for the Emperor and country was preferable to being captured by the American's. Who were thought to be barbarians.

All of the dead have their names engraved into the black granite and are memorialized here. There are over 200,000 names remembered here.

caster51 · 4 Jun 2007

Included among over 100,000 cilvilians killed were countless numbers that committed suicide, mostly because they were educated to believe that suicide was the honorable way out and to die for the Emperor and country was preferable to being captured by the American's. Who were thought to be barbarians.

bombing to civilian discriminately, shoting and ..in front of them.
and in Saipan many cvilian were killed.
and you are fogetting" WHY?"
who know it as result.
they thought it was better than raping by american that was educated like Russain did at that time.

it is the other sad story
http://hnn.us/roundup/comments/22336.html
the young women comitted sucide.
However, this history was erased because they were not forced
This image has been resized. Click this bar to view the full image. The original image is sized 576x432 and weighs 43KB.
their good-by was aired in japan
they never give up their job until last

they were erased....
most japanese does not know it .why?
and american was educated like that

EVEN at that time , no Japanese soldier wanted civilians to comitted sucide
who hope that?

KirinMan · 4 Jun 2007

and you are fogetting" WHY?"

Caster no I am not forgetting why and dont you forget it.

caster51 · 4 Jun 2007

Caster no I am not forgetting why and dont you forget it.

NO,EVEN at that time , no Japanese soldier wanted civilians to comitted sucide
so was not Jpanese gerverment

KirinMan · 4 Jun 2007

caster51 said:
NO,EVEN at that time , no Japanese soldier wanted civilians to comitted sucide
so was not Jpanese gerverment

Caster I think that before this gets out of hand with you trying to tell everyone that the Japanese military wasnt responsible for the suicides here in Okinawa I think you need to come here to Okinawa and do two things, go through the Memorial Museum and talk to the survivors.

You just might be surprised at what you learn about what happened here.

Arch · 4 Jun 2007

Thats pretty sickening even for outsiders let alone the residents of Okinawa. Ignorance is truly bliss, but how can someone really put themselves up to deny the facts in Okinawa.

I' heard countless accounts from people of Okinawa where they was ordered to kill family members with stones as surrendering is the most shamefull thing to do.

caster51 · 4 Jun 2007

I think you need to come here to Okinawa and do two things, go through the Memorial Museum and talk to the survivors.

it is as same as Hiroshima case..
and saipan, Sakhalin..Mansuria
it is not only okinawan,
however
"That is how the citizens of Okinawa fought," wrote Rear Adm. Minoru Ota of the Imperial Japanese Navy in his final telegram to Tokyo before his suicide. "(I hope they) are granted special consideration in the future."

At the closing stages of World War II, Okinawa become Japan's only battlefield and tragically lost almost one out of three of the 600,000 inhabitants it had at the time. During the final stage of the Okinawa battle, Vice-Admiral Minoru Ota, naval field commander, sent a telegram expressing his admiration for the valor of the Okinawans' resistance and "sincerely petitioning that special consideration be given to the Okinawans in the future." The fine words are very famous in conveying the miserable state of Okinawa at that time and Okinawans' loyalty to Japan.
Whether Japan later showed the "special consideration" recommended by this thoughtful officer is highly dubious. In fact, it is rather easier to argue that the opposite was the case.
After the war, Okinawa was placed under US control and compelled to surrender its prime areas to US military bases. Even after Okinawa was returned to Japan in 1972 there was no change in the reality that Okinawa has to bear the main burden of the US military bases in Japan. Today, compared to the Japanese mainland, US military bases are concentrated 200 times more heavily in terms of land area in Okinawa and 300 times more heavily in terms of population. Far from receiving "special consideration," under the US-Japan security system Okinawa has had to bear a "special burden."
But conversely, it cannot be said that the Japanese government has done nothing for Okinawa. Since its return to Japan in 1972 the government has invested a large amount in the rehabilitation of Okinawa. Over the 24 years since the return, this has exceeded \5 trillion. However, Okinawa has still not found the key to independent development, and the income of its citizens remains the lowest in Japan.
However, the greatest cause of Okinawan distrust of the mainland is not money but the mainland's attitude toward it. In other words, the Okinawans doubt the commitment of the mainlanders to understanding the realities they live under, including their special historical burden and their special responsibility in Japan's security policy.
How do the mainlanders understand the contortions of history and the present state of Okinawa? How can we build common trust with Okinawans as fellow Japanese citizens? These questions are not only important background to our tasks, but form part of the tasks themselves.

MInoru ota
there is his final telegram
大田実 - Wikipedia

I think Japanese Gerverment should do that okinawan want to do
so, in this case , I dont care this issue(rewriting...) because Okinawan is also Japanese.
I want them a honor
that is ,they were not forced.
they fought bravery
I dont want them to be like korean's mind.
USA should leave there

caster51 · 4 Jun 2007

Thats pretty sickening even for outsiders let alone the residents of Okinawa. Ignorance is truly bliss, but how can someone really put themselves up to deny the facts in Okinawa.

what is the Fact?....

I' heard countless accounts from people of Okinawa where they was ordered to kill family members with stones as surrendering is the most shamefull thing to do.

?? is it a propaganda of chinese
if so ,they would not want to return to Japan again in 1972

KirinMan · 5 Jun 2007

I think Japanese Gerverment should do that okinawan want to do
so, in this case , I dont care this issue(rewriting...) because Okinawan is also Japanese.

That's very noble of you because on one hand you say that it should be left of to the Okinawan's and yet on the other hand you write.....

that is ,they were not forced.

Which btw is a crock of guano, tell that to my 80 yr old father in law who as a young teenager was forced to go to Manchuria and ended up in a Russian POW camp. Tell that to the countless numbers of people that were shot because they were talking in the local dialect, and the Japanese soldiers thought they were spies.

Want more.......take the scales from your eyes Caster.

I want them a honor

Then quit working so hard at spoiling their memories and put the blame where it belongs in this case, on the Japanese Imperial Army and Government of the time.

Give the honor back to the people who committed suicide on their orders, let them rest in peace, and let their families have peace in knowing that at the time, however wrong the information was, they felt they were making the best choice for themselves and their families.

Let history stand as it is, A reminder to all of the things governments and people will do to control the destiny of those around them. Let it be a strong reminder that peace is desired and war serves no purpose.

The Japan of today is NOTHING compared to the Japan of WWII, there should be no stigma directed towards the country for what its predecessors are guilty of. However if the government keeps on insisting on it's perceived need to rewrite it's wrongs it is easy to understand why neighboring countries and it's own people distrust it. Which is sad and dishonors all Japanese people that died fighting in the war. They died feeling that their cause was just and right. This dishonors them too.

Question for you Caster, try to image the situation, 1945 you an Okinawan, the US Military is overtaking you and your family...what are you going to do, kill them and then kill yourself?

Somehow I cant see you doing it, then again neither could I. But remember people dont take their own lives so easily, it takes thought and there must be no small amount of fear involved.
Killing your family to protect them? Unthinkable to me. If it wasnt for the propaganda of the Japanese Government and Japanese Military at the time it wouldn't have happened and that Caster is a FACT.

caster51 said:
?? is it a propaganda of chinese
if so ,they would not want to return to Japan again in 1972

Caster you are walking a very fine line here, this is just too incredulous to comment on.
This is a joke, but I'm not laughing and do you know why? .....Please try and figure it out.

caster51 · 5 Jun 2007

here is a testimony...
so, is this what japanese solidiers order and force to sucide?
If it means it is an Order and forced, it would be so.....
I can say it is a japanese tradition of war from ancient?
there is also sad story of Himeyuri girls...
they also were ordered by tradition? or Who?

Since the enemy attack began, our Army and Navy has been fighting defensive battles and have not been able to tend to the people of the Prefecture. Consequently, due to our negligence, these innocent people have lost their homes and property to enemy assault. Every man has been conscribed to partake in the defense, while women, children and elders are forced into hiding in the small underground shelters which are not tactically important or are exposed to shelling, air raids or the harsh elements of nature. Moreover, girls have devoted themselves to running and cooking for the soldiers and have gone as far as to volunteer in carrying ammunition, or joining in attacking the enemy......[51]

The fact that a Japanese officer would admit negligence makes this passage especially important. Also significant is his comment that the men had been conscripted. This is not to say, as Ota points out, that some Okinawans were willing participants. Like all civilians who had been fed wartime propaganda, the Okinawans had unwarranted fears that accounted for their initial resistance and the large number of suicides. Many Okinawans made it clear that they felt they were fighting for their lives against the barbarous Americans, who would rape the women and eat the children. Once the civilians discovered the Allied troops did not intend to harm them, they surrendered and again became extremely docile. The Naval military detachment established to support the local population commented on their passivity, attributing it to 'great shock and fright,' but added that from that point on they were docile and cooperative.[52] Rear Admiral Ota also described the particularly horrific move south for the Okinawans: This leaves the village people vulnerable to enemy attacks where they will surely be killed in desperation. Some parents have asked the military to protect their daughters against rape by the enemy, prepared that they may never see them again. Nurses, with wounded soldiers, wander the battlefield aimlessly because the medical team had moved and left them behind. The military has changed its operation, ordering people to move to far residential areas, however, those without means of transportation trudge along on foot in the dark and rain, all the while looking for food to stay alive.[53]

MilitaryHistoryOnline.com

I think most case was like her testimony and case of Sakhalin
.

This time there is factual evidence that the Japanese Military personnel ordered the civilians to commit suicide

this one was an evidence of akamatsu case that was propagated as an order
then this propaganda had gone because of Teruya testimony
How were 80,000 civilians killed?
most of them were killed by bombing.
anyway civilians were not soldiers

Rewriting History Again "Japan to Revise Books on WWII Suicides"

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