Posted on 05/14/2006 5:34:24 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
U.S. Lawmaker Blasts Yasukuni Visits
MAY 15, 2006 03:10
by Young-A Soh (sya@donga.com)
U.S. political leaders voiced strong concerns over the Japanese prime ministerfs paying respects at the Yasukuni Shrine. Thus, it is expected that the controversies over the Yasukuni Shrine will heat up in Japan with its election of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) president slated for this September.
Stop Paying Visits to the Shrine If to Give an Address at the U.S. Congress –
The Asahi Shimbun reported on May 13 that the U.S. House International Relations Committee Chairman Henry Hyde (Republican, picture) demanded that Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi be allowed to give an address at the U.S. Congress during his visit to the U.S. on condition that he voluntarily declare that he would not pay tribute at the Yasukuni Shrine. In a letter that he sent to the U.S. House Speaker Dennis Hastert in April, Hyde expressed his concerns over possibility that Prime Minister Koizumi would pay his respects at the Yasukuni Shrine on August 15, a few weeks after he delivers an address at the U.S. Congress.
In the letter, Hyde, a veteran who fought during the World War ‡U, said, if Prime Minister Koizumi pays his respects at the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors convicted Class A war criminals, after he addresses the U.S. Congress, it would be a disgrace to the U.S. Congress, a place in which U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt gave an address right after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor.
Reports have it that House Speaker Hastert is yet to reply to the letter.
Conflicts with Korea and China Would Impact the U.S.-Japan Alliance in the Future –
Meanwhile, the Yomiuri Shimbun reported that Michael Green, former senior director for Asian Affairs at the White House National Security Council, warned, gConflicts involving Japan versus Korea and China over perceptions of history are likely to negatively impact the U.S.-Japan alliance in the future,h addressing the New York Japan Club on May 12.
He said, gIn the United States, the public opinion is divided over the issues of Japan-Korea relations and Japan-China relations.h He went on to say, gJapan has to solve this problem to some degree until the U.S. presidential election in 2008.h
Class A war criminals Separation from the Yasukuni Shrine Suggested–
Meanwhile, reports have it that head of Nippon Izokukai (an association for bereaved family members of Japanfs war dead) Makoto Koga, who is former Liberal Democratic Party secretary general, is considering including a proposal for a review on separation of Class A war criminals from the Yasukuni Shrine in a policy proposal that he is preparing.
Nippon Izokukai, which has one million families as members around the country, is a powerful support group of the Liberal Democratic Party, and one of its declared major goals of operations has been the Japanesefs prime ministerfs paying respects at the Yasukuni Shrine.
The Asahi Shimbun reported that this move on the part of Makoto Koga is intended to make gAsian diplomacyh a key issue in the upcoming election for LDP president
Meanwhile, regarding the letter of Chairman Hyde, the Japanese government assumed a wait-and-see attitude, saying gItfs just an individual opinion.h
However, the observation that the Yasukuni Shrine and Japanfs Asian diplomacy will be key issues in the upcoming election for LDP president is already prevailing. With regard to this, Kogafs proposal is likely to serve as a critical factor.
The old warrior is not dead yet, and he remembers.
Ping!
Mr. Hyde may be sincere in his feelings, but he is misfiring in a way that will only give propaganda ammunition to the Chicoms and North Koreans while disrespecting modern-day Japan. Koizumi is a strong ally of the United States. To put that in perspective, contrast that with the fact that there are certified Democrat traitors who speak every day on the House floor. That is a disgrace to the US Congress that overshadows any possible offense that might be given by Koizumi's Yasukuni appearances. Mr. Hyde would do better to focus on condemning America's real enemies...
Japan's a country where you pay a lot of respect to the dead and Yasukuni shrine is Japan's version of Arlington cemetery. It honors their veterans and war dead and while it's true that some of them were grade 'A' SOB's, it's not particularly reasonable to expect them to stop going there.
He's done some good over time. This is stupidity.
ping
Urusai, Hyde-san! (Shut up, Mr. Hyde!)
Japan * ping * (kono risuto ni hairitai ka detai wo shirasete kudasai : let me know if you want on or off this list)
U.S. House International Relations Committee Chairman Henry Hyde (Republican, picture) demanded that Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi be allowed to give an address at the U.S. Congress during his visit to the U.S. on condition that he voluntarily declare that he would not pay tribute at the Yasukuni Shrine.
Henry is wrong on this, to make demands for "voluntary"
declarations is coercion.
The best solution is the one mentioned, remove the war criminals from the shrine.
I have paid my respects to Lord Asano and the 47 braves
, I did not to the criminals.
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