I posted an article about a recent documentary on Yasukuni that has been cancelled in Japan after theatre managers and the film's producers received numerous death threats. Yasukuni is a highly controversial shrine in Tokyo that honors the war dead. There is a museum that is highly revisionist, and portrays Japan as the victim of the war, rather than the aggressor. The shrine also honors 1000 Japanese soldiers who were convicted of war crimes, that's why Asian politicians are very critical of the shrine. Furthermore, Chinese, Taiwanese, and Koreans were forced to serve in the Japanese army, the women as sex slaves. One of the huge controversies of the war, is a famous competition between 2 Japanese soldiers, to see who could be the first to behead 100 people(soldier or civilian).
I’m so disappointed that the recent Yasukuni documentary was cancelled from being shown in Japan. The director, Li Ying, is a Chinese award winning film-maker who has lived in Tokyo for the past eighteen years. He was inspired to start this 10 year long project after witnessing a crowd of Japanese actually cheering during a movie where Japanese soldiers invaded Nanking, one of the most brutal and controversial battles in history. He wanted to explore the nature of bushido that still exists in Japan today. He had financial support from Japanese art societies as well as Korean groups and worked with Japanese people on the film. The filming in Yasukuni went well until they found out he was Chinese, then all hell broke loose. I think it’s a disgrace that the movie is cancelled after theatre managers and Li Ying himself received death threats. The film involves interviewing a swordmaker who actually made swords for Japanese soldiers of WWII, asking if he feels any guilt or responsibility for so many deaths. It also includes much footage of controversial topics, including Japanese people celebrating controversial issues. The daughter of a convicted Japanese war criminal even demand to have her father’s name cleared.
It should be noted that the people who so fervently opposed this film typically are die-hard right wing nationalists. And these people should be ashamed of themselves. Most Japanese, I think, have to take a lot of crap for something that isn't their fault. Many Japanese have been supportive of the film, and have called it's cancellation an attack on freedom of expression.
Posts
4 comments:
I love what you're doing in your blog! Finally I have a constant source of Michael Zhuang commentary and opinions! Keep them coming! =)
the silencing of history and the voices of the people is a tragedy in whatever country it occurs. however i understand why some of the families of the japanese soldiers would want to move on from their family's past doings. you can't really help being born to a war criminal, and regardless they are still your family.
in relation this post, and the link on your right
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/23936549
Well, the suppression of freedom of expression is unjust -- I don't doubt that for a second; however, yasukuni is still a very touchy subject. If it were up to me, I would have probably let the documentary be released in theaters. As a Korean American who has learned the Japanese language for the past three years and immersed himself in the Japanese culture, however, I respect some things about their culture, but their actions against neighboring Asian countries are inexcusable.
Do I hate Japanese people as a whole? No, not at all. I've got to say though that there are some dumbass politicians in Japan who do not get it -- Koreans, along with many Chinese people, do not need financial compensation, nor do we need some lame verbal apology.
Speak with ACTIONS. Don't distort textbooks and completely leave out the parts about committing some heinous acts, some of which include stripping whole groups of people of their language, names, culture, dignity, and lives. Sex slavery and merely killing people is only such a miniscule part of it. Don't visit the yasukuni shrine right after you "apologized". Don't feed your people bullcrap propaganda and build museums that glorify the deeds of wartime Japanese because it's anything but honorable -- it's cowardly.
A whole country should never be judged by the history of their ancestors and that's not what I'm doing. What I am doing, however, is pointing out the ill actions of some members of the Japanese government and asking, "Is it REALLY worth it?"
Post a Comment