Japan TimesWhen he was told of the successful test of the atomic bomb - and
then took the decision to use it with no warning - he wrote in his diary: "We have discovered the most terrible bomb in the history of the world. It may be the fire destruction prophesied in the Euphrates Valley Era, after Noah and his fabulous Ark."
Yutaka Yoshida, a Hitotsubashi University professor, points out that rising
nationalism among younger generations, who feel less guilty about Japan's
wartime acts, has given new momentum to arguments against the Tokyo Tribunal.
I'd say they do feel guilty, which explains their defensive attitude. There is no need for them to feel guilty for something they are not responsible for, but knowledge of their nation's history is paramount.Knowledge is power.
The main point of contention in the debate over the tribunal is
whether the Allied Powers were justified in trying Japan's wartime leaders.
Technically, even scholars who fully accept Japan was to blame for the war
and acknowledge the judgments handed down by the tribunal say the proceedings
may have been flawed in terms of international law at that time.
I don't know if this is Mr Morioka's opinion, but if so, he'd better be careful of what he says, given his government's recent participation in an illegal war.
|