2011年2月18日
Offensive? (Feedback)
Thanks for all your comments on this topic, and welcome to the new commenters. Nice to have you with us.
Having heard all the arguments, though, I still don't think there was any need for the BBC to apologize. I guess we will have to agree to disagree on this one!
As I'm sure you know, one of the things that makes Japan unpopular in other countries is the country's refusal to apologize for the terrible things that it did during and before WWII. For example, when the Japanese emperor visited London a few years ago, a large number of British WWII veterans made a line along his route and turned their backs on him as he passed. This was to show their anger that Japan had still not apologized for the treatment of prisoners of war during WWII.
For British people, then, it seems a bit unreasonable that the BBC has to apologize for making a joke to a country that will not apologize for wartime atrocities. I'm not saying that is my view, just that a lot of British people will see it that way. I think Japanese people (quite naturally) see the dropping of the atom bombs as a terrible crime against their country. In other countries, however, the view is that the atom bombs were necessary to stop the terrible crimes that Japan was committing against other countries.
Just to be clear, I am not writing this because it is my view. My view is personal, and I would not write about it in a public forum like this. However, I think it is important for Japanese people to know how many British and American people view this story.
Anyway, here is some feedback on your comments.
Rather than that I can't understand the story of Japanese murder Ichikawa.
(Even more than that, however, I can't understand the story of the Japanese murderer, Ichikawa.)
Funny that you should mention this story, because...
(This is a useful expression to learn if you don't know it.)
I watched some part of the TV show, but I didn’t feel offensive at all.
(I didn't find it at all offensive.)
I don't think that the tragedy of the atomic bombings is something you can make a joke about or use lightly.
(Nice sentence.)
Back in the topic, I heard but didn’t watch the British TV quiz show
(Getting back to the topic, ...) [The next part of that sentence is nice.]
I will feel uncomfortable if other people laugh at my or my family's misfortune
(I would feel uncomfortable if other people laughed at my or my family's misfortune.)
"I think we can't talk about " should be "I don't think we can talk about."
(That's right! Well spotted.)
I just saw the news that some Japanese complained about the BBC program in which Mr. Yamaguchi was made a joke
(I just saw the news that some Japanese complained about the BBC program in which a joke was made about Mr. Yamaguchi.)
Hi it's first time to post a comment here, but I've always enjoyed seeing this blog!
(Hi, it's the first time I have posted a comment here, but I always enjoy reading this blog.)
Hi, David. This is the first time for me to read your blog.
(Hi David. This is the first time I have read your blog.)
It was said that audiences burst into a laugh as they knew Mr. Yamaguchi went back to Nagasaki and got a bomb twice.
(It was said that the audience burst into laughter when they heard that Mr. Yamaguchi went back to Nagasaki and got bombed twice.)
when the Japanese prime minister visits that shrine in Tokyo. (I forget its name.)
(This was my own comment, but I was wondering if you know the expression "I forget its name." You might think this should be "I forgot" or "I have forgotten," but this is a special expression in English meaning "I can't remember it now.")
That's it for this week.
By the way, I have finished my new writing book and my new conversation book. If any of you have time to help with the proof-reading, please let me know, and I will send you the PDF file. You can email me at "info at mark btbpress dot com." If you help with the proof-reading, I will put your name in the book and send you a copy when it is printed.
Have a great weekend.
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Comments
Hi David,
I'm not in a hurry at all, so please take your time and have a relaxing time, please(^^).
Have a nice weekend, everyone! I'll do, too.
- tsuneko
- 2011年2月18日 15:33
Hi Tsuneko,
To be honest, I'm not sure of the answer to your question. I'll do some research. As far I know, though, Japan has never "officially" apologized for its war crimes, whereas Germany has. I think that Japan also failed to observe the Geneva Convention in regard to the treatment of POWs. In other words, it did not follow the rules of war. A site I just looked at said that one in three white POWs in Japanese camps died because of starvation or ill-treatment. Also, there is the problem I mentioned of the Yasukuni Shrine. Can you imagine how people would feel if the German prime minister visited the graves of Nazi soldiers every year? That would be completely unthinkable.
If anyone else knows more about this than I do (which would not be difficult!), please feel free to educate me.
- David
- 2011年2月18日 15:47
I found this on Wikipedia:
Demands for an apology and compensation have been a recurring topic in Korean, Taiwanese, and Chinese politics. Many people, including high-ranking officials, continue to assert that Japan has never apologized for its war crimes. In 2010, one comfort woman from Taiwan stated, "It’s unacceptable that the Japanese government still refuses to apologize for what it did.” In response to the issue, President Ma Ying-jeou also declared, "It is the responsibility of the Japanese government to admit its mistakes and apologize … The battle is not over yet and it is regretful that the Japanese government still refuses to face its mistakes."
As of 2010, 24% of South Koreans still feel that Japan has never apologized for its colonial rule, while another 58% believe Japan has not apologized sufficiently.
It also says this:
Toward the end of the Occupation of Japan, Emperor Hirohito let it be known to SCAP that he was prepared to apologize formally to Gen. MacArthur for Japan's actions during World War II—including an apology for the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor.
Patrick Lennox Tierney was an eye-witness on the day the Emperor came to SCAP headquarters to present this apology. When the emperor arrived, MacArthur refused to admit him or acknowledge him. When this happened, Tierney was in his office on the fifth floor of the Dai-Ichi Insurance Building in Tokyo. This was the same floor where MacArthur's suite was situated.
The pivotal moment passed. Many years later, Tierney made an effort to explain his understanding of the significance of what he had personally witnessed: "Apology is a very important thing in Japan." Issues which might have been addressed were allowed to remain open, and unanticipated consequences have unfolded across the decades since then.
- David
- 2011年2月18日 16:03
Actually, that same Wikipedia page contains a long list of apologies from Japanese politicians for what Japan did before and during the war. I don't really understand why people still say that Japan has not apologized.
A statement made by Prime Minister Kan as recently as last December is quoted:
"I express a renewed feeling of deep remorse and state my heartfelt apology for the tremendous damage and suffering caused by colonial rule," Kan said. Kan said Japan colonized Korea "against the will of the Korean people"
I'm not sure what it means to say that "58% of Koreans believe that Japan has not apologized sufficiently." Maybe it means that they want Japan to give more money? I honestly don't know. As I said, I was not expressing my own views in the entry, just pointing out that many people in other countries still feel this way.
- David
- 2011年2月18日 16:09
Hi David and everyone,
David, Thank you for your feedback.
I understand what you wanted to say to us, but I'm trying to think twice, I understand the others too.
I can't say anymore.
Anyway, Thank you for a good opportunity to think about that.
Kazu
- Kazu
- 2011年2月18日 17:19
Thanks Kazu. Glad to be of help :-)
Have any of you heard of the singer Adele? She is huge in Britain at the moment. She sang a fantastic love song at the Brit Awards last week, and you can watch it on YouTube. Search for "Adele Brits." I think you'll like it. She has a really interesting voice.
- David
- 2011年2月18日 22:01
靖国神社には戦犯だけではなく立つに青いの字のごとく若くして戦争の犠牲となった多くの若者が眠っています。そんな彼らの魂を慰めにお参りすることは、そんなに罪なことでしょうか？
赦しの大きな心をもって世界の戦没者・戦争の犠牲となっ人々に祈りをささげられる世の中になると良いと思います。
- prayers
- 2011年2月18日 22:34
Hi David,
Thanks for your feedback.
It was really an interesting topic to talk about. I enjoyed reading all the comments.
>In other countries, however, the view is that the atom bombs were necessary to stop the terrible crimes that Japan was committing against other countries.
I was going to write the same thing.
Hi prayers,
>赦しの大きな心をもって世界の戦没者・戦争の犠牲となっ人々に祈りをささげられる世の中になると良いと思います。
Totally agree with you.
Have a nice weekend everyone,
amo
- amo
- 2011年2月18日 23:22
Hi David,
"Agree to disagree" is one of my favorite phrases. Having said that, the BBC should have been more careful about making a joke about a touchy subject like atomic bomb.
It's a great shame that Japan did many rotten, murderous things during the World War II, however, compared to what Britain did to the
Commonwealth, what Japan did was not unusual. Those days have long gone, I'm pleased to say.
Japanese government did apologise to Asian countries, but the US never apologised for dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. There is no excuse using nuclear weapons even if they needed to hasten the end of the war.
>> 赦しの大きな心をもって世界の戦没者・戦争の犠牲となっ人々に祈りをささげられる世の中になると良いと思います。
Ditto!
Oh, and did you see my comments, which I believe, you might find interesting, David?
I shall leave it there before someone call me a troll.
Ash
- 匿名
- 2011年2月19日 09:16
Hi David,
"Agree to disagree" is one of my favorite phrases. Having said that, the BBC should have been more careful about making a joke about a touchy subject like atomic bomb.
It's a great shame that Japan did many rotten, murderous things during the World War II, however, compared to what Britain did to the Commonwealth, what Japan did was not unusual. Those days have long gone, I'm pleased to say.
Japanese government did apologise to Asian countries, but the US never apologised for dropping atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. There is no excuse using nuclear weapons even if they needed to hasten the end of the war.
>> 赦しの大きな心をもって世界の戦没者・戦争の犠牲となっ人々に祈りをささげられる世の中になると良いと思います。
Ditto!
Oh, and did you see my comments, which I believe, you might find interesting, David?
I shall leave it there before someone call me a troll.
Ash
- 匿名
- 2011年2月19日 09:18
Sorry for the double posts.
- 匿名
- 2011年2月19日 09:19
Sorry to jump in, but how many apologies has the UK made to their former colonies or native people? I mean, that’s the very reason the world speaks English. This is not to counterattack by any means. I’m genuinely curious because I haven’t heard that kind of discussions.
I didn’t know the news about Tatsuya Ishihashi. I totally agree. Treating a murderer like a celebrity is just so wrong.
- Lily
- 2011年2月19日 12:01
My country has a terrible history of stealing land and resources all over the world. I'm not sure whether official apologies have been made or not, but most British people feel very embarrassed about it.
- David
- 2011年2月19日 14:15
edit:
> Oh, and did you see my comments, which I believe, you might find interesting, David?
"my comments" should have read "my recent comments".
> someone call me a troll
"call" should have read "calls".
Ash
- 匿名
- 2011年2月20日 09:38
japan just teach the truth of what you did then leave it.
- samuel welsh
- 2011年2月23日 21:01
An attention-grabbing discussion is value comment. I think that it is best to write extra on this matter, it might not be a taboo topic however usually individuals are not enough to speak on such topics. To the next. Cheers
- Erlene Pettus
- 2011年10月13日 02:31
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- bilete avion
- 2011年10月30日 06:52
I bet all the countries involved in WWII (also any wars) did lots of the terrible things as well as they suffered from the terrible things. If you apologize for all of them or each of them, how many years would it take you? You wouldn’t be able to enjoy your own life. A large number of Japanese WWII veterans also feel the same as those British WWII veterans. I guess, joining in wars, it means like that. That’s why we must avoid any wars.
I don’t think Japan all the time refuses to apologize because both the previous and the current emperor and some prime ministers officially apologized. When will other countries be satisfied with their apologies? I feel sorry to ask the old emperor to apologize many times till now.
Maybe, the way of apologizing was not enough for other countries. 逆に、聞かせて欲しいのですが、I’d like to ask you (not necessary personal but generally) as follows.
1) What kind of apologies does the UK (as well as other countries) want Japan to make? When will you be able to say OK?
3) What’s the difference of the way of apologizing between Germany and Japan? If you let me know as far as you know, I’d appreciate it.
p.s. Thanks for your feedback. That’s helpful especially for the expressions of ‘Getting back to the topic’ and ‘I forget ~.’
Gk2bs, not at all! You know David said before that he doesn’t usually read old entries.