jpatokal, thanks for your reply. However, Japan has never officially apologized, acknowledged, nor compensated for its war crimes. Private expression of sorrow from government officials doesn't count. Offering money to Comfort Women surivors through a private foundation in exchange for their silence doesn't count. Admitting the existance and compensating for chemical weapons left behind only because construction workers found something recently and got hurt doesn't count. Allowing war criminals whose crimes were as vile as Hitler's inside a place or worship doesn't cut it either. The fact that the young Japanese I've met don't seem to know much about this dirty chapter of their history is the proof that not enough was mentioned in their schools.

As I've said, if there had been official acknowledgement and redeeming actions, then it's easier to the rest of us to be more forgiving. Japan needs to take the first step. If you read the news, you would know that time and again the Tokyo courts have struck down suits filed by atrocity survivors for technicality reasons. It's going to take private citizens such as ourselves to continue to spread the word, because the Japanese government is obviously determined to hide its ugly history for pride, shame, or whatever reason.

Why do I want to visit Japan? As I've stated already, Japan is a country of natural beauty, and it's also a place where a lot of cultural achievements and artifacts are preserved well. You might thank the American occupation forces under General McArthur who had an appreciation for the Oriental culture to have helped preserve the Japanese monarchy and cultural heritage, whereas Japan's legacy in the Asian countries it invaded is that of murder, looting, raping, and pillage.

I am glad we agree on the Hiroshima memorial. Again, it's quite a hypocrisy to make the atomic bombs the criminal and not Japan itself.




[This message has been edited by ChaseTheMiles (edited Mar 19, 2004).]