I also find it ironic that men like Tamogami and Astroboy(If you are a man) try to justify Japan's actions and are free to state their opinions but that if they lived under the rule of Imperial Japan they would not have been guaranteed freedom of speech.
there is no freedom of speech in North korea
I think freedom of speech is needed even in SDF
However, at least ,tamogami said " Japan was a great country positively" .
who could criticize him at that time..
I bet those Neo Nazis are waiting for the day when something new comes up so that we can reinterpret the Holocaust
Tamogami's assertions were not true history.
Sure what about America in Iraq or China whenever? Wrong is wrong regardless when, where or who does it. Also because someone else does something wrong is no justification for you to do. Or is it?
You know what is really interesting? When I look at my passport it says I am a Japanese national.
What has Korean dreaming have to do with this since I am not Korean.
Wait you said historic fact didn't you? I guess we have to wait for the day when new evidence comes up so we can reinterpret history. Right?
I bet those Neo Nazis are waiting for the day when something new comes up so that we can reinterpret the Holocaust. Or when something new comes up so we can take a positive view of America's slavery. Yes!
there is no freedom of speech in North korea
I think freedom of speech is needed even in SDF
However, at least ,tamogami said " Japan was a great country positively" .
who could criticize him at that time..
what does it have to do with Neo nazi?
My point is that freedom of speech as guaranteed under the constitution did not exist under Imperial Japan. Tamogami wants to talk about freedom of speech, he defends a regime that would not have allowed him freedom of speech. That is ironic.
It seems that Tamogami does not know that factions within the military between 1930 and 1936 assasinated 4 former and serving Japanese Prime Ministers. Ending party politics. Yet he insinuates that Japan was dragged into war, that they were a victim.
I think Japan is a great country. Tamogami thinks that to be a great country, your country could never have done something wrong. I think a great country would be able to acknowledge what they did wrong.
I think your English sounds strange concerning "you, your, you" if you are Japanese.
Either way, histroy interpretation change as the time pass. Plus people's thought also change. Nothing permanent.
"Your" not referring to you(astroboy) or me. "Your" meaning Tamogami's views of Japan. How do I explain this?
Nothing permanent seems like you just want to avoid having to face histroy unless it suits you.
Reinterpreting history is no reason to dispute the facts of how the war came about and what happened. Tamogami and men like him give misinformation or totally false information to back up their interpretation not of history but to justify that history. It is backwards. You take all available research and then come to a conclusion whether you like it or not. That is the scientific method. If you still want to say it was justified after that, that is just a personal preference, but has no basis in fact. Do you see this?
Anyway you do not have to answer that. I think you have it in your mind to think what you think no matter what.
The "your" otoko used is another way of saying "one's own"
Great points by the way otoko. I never thought about the "irony" part, but it really is quite funny.
I have a question for you otoko. Do you think men like Tamogami, make the assertions they do in order to save face? Or because their high level of national pride, and defensive personality does not allow them to deal with criticism of Japan well, so they have to reinterpret facts for people (rather than let facts speak for themselves) and deny things, and use tactics to divert attention away from themselves?
Or could it be in order to feel a sense of national pride they have to give themselves reasons to feel they are more virtuous than other countries, rather than be just being able to simply take pride in the many good things their country has accomplished?
Japan's attempt at colonizing the rest of asia was no different, and even less bloody than the fighting and killing that occured when the europeon settlers were colonizing and slaughtering the Native Americans to take their land and resources.
They killed their food supply (buffalo) and finally starved them into submission.
Now they get a government check and food stamps in exchange for their obediance and land.
Japan had good euro peon and american teachers.
Too bad their teachers turned on them and even hung some of them, when they tried to imitate them.
The US spared the very worst ones though. The ones who conducted horrible human experiments, in exchange for their findings, research, and silence.
The Japanese who committed the worst crimes against humanity are now some of the most powerful people in Japan. Green Cross Pharmaceuticals etc.
Tojo got screwed, he took the bullet for the Emperor. He never disobeyed the Emperor. He followed and obeyed his every order and wish.
But he lied, and said he did not, assuming responsibility for what the Emperor ordered and wanted him to do.
Regardless, the US and europe has no business judging Japan for what it did in WWII.
Hey there, I just had a quick look on your posts regarding the case of Tomogami - interesting reading. I actually agree with Otoko that Tomogami's essay was definitely not a display of 'academically grounded' knowledge about the Asia-Pacific War. I do not know whether any of you will be interested but there are some interesting writings on this issue + English and Japanese versions of Tomogami's essay (if you want to read it in full) on The Asia Pacific Journal: Japan Focus website.
And a question specifically for Astro Boy: as far as I understood in one of your previous posts you mention that Tomogami's views are just a sign of 'normalisation' of Japan. Just out of curiosity - what exactly do you mean by that? What kind of normalisation is that?