The first of these seems extreme. In many countries, such blatantly racist literature would be unacceptable. So is it an expression of free speech that such things are published in Japan? No, that is definitely not the case. Japanese are minutely sensitive to racism or even suggested racism aimed at themselves -- actually, quite rightly -- but equally, as the author points out, the superiority complex that Japanese have over other Asians is deeply rooted in history and widely institutionalised. The students I teach would simply be unable to comprehend what is wrong with such books. This in itself demonstrates the depth of the problem.
Yet, one could wonder why in the recently released 'Memoirs of a Geisha' film, most of the leading roles were given not to Japanese, but to Chinese. I've no real idea why this was, but with Sony in charge, could it have been to avoid insulting Japanese sensitivity? The willingness of Japanese companies to rip off almost any idea they can find overseas is well known and continues to this day (Toshiba's answer to the Dyson Cyclone Vacuum Cleaner is, naturally, one based on 'typhoon' technology: Typhoon Robo). But even the suggestion of a slur the other way round is seen by politicians and public alike as an attack. Japan has absolutely no sense of humour when it comes to their own image or what is 'real Japan'. Pearl Harbor went to extremes to protect Japanese sensitivity, and in Rising Sun, never the best rendition of a reasonable Michael Crichton book, the whole ending was changed in order to portray the nice Japanese in the 'correct' light.
The second article is clearly based on speculation and re-introduces the often heard conspiracy theory. Who knows how much truth there is in it. The writer is eminently plausible, however, and his argument as to why visits to Yasukuni remain such an important, and rather childish political gambit seem totally intuitive. Yasukuni includes many of Japan's war criminals on roll of 2,466,000 people; it even begins its English home pages with the message "The truth about Japanese history is restored". The idea that such people are included simply for completeness is dismissed by Yasukuni's own Q&A section:
There were also 1,068 "Martyrs of Showa" who were cruelly and unjustly tried as war criminals by a sham-like tribunal of the Allied forces (United States, England, the Netherlands, China and others). These martyrs are also the Kami of Yasukuni Jinja.(Incidentally, what is 'sham-like'?) It is a magnet to politicians. Such lame excuses as 'when I visit a shrine, it's personal and I'm not going as the Prime Minister' are easier to understand from a political strategy point of view. I, at least, can well believe it.
But is there really a secret Japanese elite dedicated to the dominance of the mythical Japanese "race" over less desirable Asians? This is perhaps going a bit too far down the Illuminati road. What is certainly true, however, is that senior Japanese leaders are appalled at the prospect of Japan bowing to another Asian power. Problem is, it's too late. Japan needs China. Worryingly for Japan, China has absolutely no need, and very little incentive, to reciprocate.
Tags: Japan; Japanese politics; nationalism; racism
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