The China Thread

[Neil]

How is that a minor issue? It's one of the two biggest issues that keeps Korea and Japan from having good relations.

When you're conquering countires, plundering cities and murdering millions, the complicated issue of whether a few thousand women were prostitutes or rape victims isn't particularly necessary. Especially since we're talking about  teaching to 14 year olds here.

When every 14 year old in Korea knows about it and resents Japan for brushing aside the issue it is a problem.

Same in China.  The problem as I see it as Japan's refusal to come clean.  Their grandfathers did it.  All they need to do is to say sorry, won't happen again.  But no, I regularly see Japanese politicians say "it never happened."

Yeah, but that's a different kettle of fish.  Given China's perfidy and evil, it would be unwise for Japan to back down even a little to them.  They'd probably try and take Kyushu as compensation.  That's why Japan needs their own nuclear deterrant ASAP.

[Josquius]

Same in China.  The problem as I see it as Japan's refusal to come clean.  Their grandfathers did it.  All they need to do is to say sorry, won't happen again.  But no, I regularly see Japanese politicians say "it never happened."

That's because the Chinese and Korean nationalists have already made up their mind about the Japanese. Another Japanese right wing idiot saying something horrible sells more papers/riles up the masses and that is what they want.
The version of events where everyone in Japan agrees with those select morons and the many Japanese apologies never happened, is far more fitting to the world view certain parties in China and Korea want to project. And sadly "EVIL JAPAN!!!" has more appeal than "Japan? Meh, they're OK".

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_war_apology_statements_issued_by_Japan

Here is a big one with Japan coming clean:

June 9, 1995: House of Representatives, National Diet of Japan passed a resolution stating: "On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the end of World War II, this House offers its sincere condolences to those who fell in action and victims of wars and similar actions all over the world. Solemnly reflecting upon many instances of colonial rule and acts of aggression in the modern history of the world, and recognizing that Japan carried out those acts in the past, inflicting pain and suffering upon the peoples of other countries, especially in Asia, the Members of this House express a sense of deep remorse"

[Admiral Yi]

   "Solemnly reflecting on all the horrible wars that you others have fought, though we did too I suppose."

[Josquius]

"There has been a lot of war and horrible stuff in the past. Particularly relevant to us, Japan did a lot of bad shit. We're now totally opposed to war and all related actions. Sorry we weren't always this way."

I don't see the problem with tying in general commentary about being opposed to all war, imperialism, etc... along with marking out Japan in particular.

[The Brain]

My kindergarten teacher wouldn't have accepted that lame ass statement as an apology after I had been bad. Little kids can do better than Japan.

[Admiral Yi]

Would you be happy with a similar apology from Germany?

"Wars of conquest are terrible things.  Ours was too.

Many times in history people have been singled out for prosecution.  That's awful, and we feel bad about being one of the many countries that did this."

Or persecution even.

[Capetan Mihali]

ESL teacher fight!

[Ed Anger]

ESL teacher fight!

I like how they are defending the country they are in. Brown nosers.

[The Minsky Moment]

Yi's right of course.
Germany did it the right way and now they are at the heart of Europe and make nice bank from all the Jewish dentists that buy Beemers.
Japan has been insincere and half-assed it and that just made the resentment fester worse.

[Admiral Yi]

There are Jewish dentists? 

[The Brain]

How ironic.

[DGuller]

How ironic.

[Neil]

Yi's right of course.
Germany did it the right way and now they are at the heart of Europe and make nice bank from all the Jewish dentists that buy Beemers.
Japan has been insincere and half-assed it and that just made the resentment fester worse.

By the metric of car sales, Japan's half-assed apologies have been far more successful than Germany's descent into pathetic, submisive loserdom.

[Capetan Mihali]

There are Jewish dentists? 

  Yes?  I've only gone to Jewish or Italian dentists in my life, I think...

[Neil]

There are Jewish dentists? 

  Yes?  I've only gone to Jewish or Italian dentists in my life, I think...

Sooo...  you're some kind of racist?