Iran's leader laying wreath at Hezbollah memorial = Japan's PM laying wreath at "Tojo" Shrine?

1/15/2014 | Laissez-Faire Capitalist

[Laissez-faire capitalist]

Why does the U.S. media not see an equivalence?

Some Japanese PM's, unlike Abe, wouldn't go near that Yasakuni "Tojo" shrine.

Which of the two "shrines" is more reprehensible?

Didn't the Hezbollah leader kill American's? Didn't Tojo, a war criminal, also kill Americans?

Boycott both "shrines" IMHO...

[Laissez-faire capitalist]

Other war criminals at the Japanese shrine besides Tojo? Check and see...

[cartan]

The Chinese were testing Abe's resolve, provoking incidents at the Senkaku islands. He had to show that he would not be intimidated and was not afraid of the Chinese, and that Japan is willing to defend its interests. Visiting the Yasukuni shrine does that very easily. Other prime ministers have done it before, including Koizumi.

I have visited it, too, but it did not make any headlines, unfortunately ;-)

[Laissez-faire capitalist]

Abe’s laying of the wreayh now does not excuse every past act of other Japanese PM’s laying wreaths at this shrine, nor make it right for Abe doing so now at this war criminal shrine. Other Japanese leaders have found other ways to defy China and good for them.

Do you think that apart from China’s actions, this shrine is worthy of being dismantled? I imagine many Americans would think so.

No anti-American shrines.

[cartan]

I wouldn't call it an “anti-American shrine”—it was created in 1869 to commemorate people who have died serving the Japanese empire during a recent civil war. It is true that some war criminals have been enshrined there later, but that is not its main purpose.

[Laissez-faire capitalist]

Then how about removing Tojo and tossing his remains elsewhere?

[Laissez-faire capitalist]

How about PM Abe issuing a caveat, after laying the wreath, that in no way should Tojo ever be honored by the Japanese people or anyone else?

[cartan]

Yeah, maybe they should consider that. I don't know if it is even possible, technically…and if pissing off China is its current main purpose, then maybe it works best to leave him where he is now ;-)

I dunno. I don't care much about symbolic actions like that.

[onedoug]

The Japanese enshrining their war criminals is even more ridiculous as at least they have moved into the 21st century while islamic barbarians remain islamic barbarians.

[cartan]

How about PM Abe issuing a caveat, after laying the wreath, that in no way should Tojo ever be honored by the Japanese people or anyone else?

Nobody in Japan honors Tojo, anyway. Issuing caveats would somewhat defeat the purpose of the visit: It would make him look sheepish and fearful.

[Conscience of a Conservative]

I think it’s a “dog bites man” vs. “man bites dog” thing. We expect the Iranians to honor terrorists and war criminals, so it’s not really newsworthy when they do so. On the other hand, we expect (or, more accurately, hope) the Japanese to have moved on from their imperial past, and so it is newsworthy when they do things that can be perceived as honoring war criminals from their past.

[Laissez-faire capitalist]

You do have a point....

China doesn’t like this at all:)

[Laissez-faire capitalist]

While I do agree that Islamic barbarians remain barbaric, a tu quo que argument doesn’t bolster the “Tojo” shrine.

[Laissez-faire capitalist]

I like neither side in this honoring with wreaths.

If Iran is expected to do as you suggest, then why is the American MSM’s reporting opposite of what it should be?

Agreed...we expect more from Japan.

[Cindy]

Thread bump.