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第二次世界大戦よ、さようなら
第二次世界大戦よ、さようなら
国旗・国家法案の法政化が進んでいる。
掲揚・斉唱をめぐる学校の混乱などから
長年の課題となっていたが、
戦時中の侵略などに対する感情を考慮しても
法政化すべきだと筆者は考える。
Farewell, World War Ii
By SCOTT T. HARDS
The history of World War II has always interested me, and I read about it
regularly. It is perhaps the largest event in human history. And I believe an
understanding of what happened from 1939 to 1945 is crucial to understanding
the politics of the world today. However, these days there are some people out
there who need to pay less attention to World War II.
Japan's parliament is currently debating whether the nation's flag and
anthem should be legally declared the country's official symbols. Now why
would they need to do that? Isn't it obvious to all Japanese that the Hinomaru
and "Kimigayo" are the de facto symbols of Japan?
Apparently not. Some object to the flag, calling it a symbol of Japanese
wartime oppression. Others reject the anthem because its lyrics (which I,
and most Japanese, cannot even understand) proclaim the glories of the
Emperor, another symbol of World War II aggression to some.
My message to these people is this: Don't blame the flag for what the
people carrying it were doing. Japan's rising sun flag is, I think, one of the
simplest and most elegant designs of any in the world, and it has been around
since long before the war. It is a far cry from the Nazi swastika, a
classic symbol of oppression.
The same goes for Kimigayo, which is the world's oldest anthem. Its slow,
majestic tones contrast sharply with other countries' military-style
marches. The British don't lament their monarchy-praising anthem. What's
the problem here in Japan? If the lyrics are incomprehensible or
inappropriate, why not just change them?
Of course, the reason these questions are being raised is that many feel,
rightly so, that Japan never properly apologized for the horrors that its
armies brought upon Asia during the war. Though some recent-day Japanese
politicians have addressed the issue in trips around Asia, most of the
country's leaders still feel that they cannot look China or Korea in the
eye because of past transgressions.
Witness the utterly impotent response by Japanese Self-Defense Forces to the invasion of Japan's waters by two North Korean spy vessels. Those
ships should have been blown out of the water when they failed to heed
warning shots! But no, rules written by somebody thinking too much about
events from a half-century ago prevented the Maritime Self-Defense Forces from doing what would have deterred future violations. Thank goodness
those rules are being reviewed as a result.
While frank education about Japan's past is crucial, there's a limit to
how long this apology issue should be allowed to play a role in diplomacy or the nation's psyche, and the limit is long past.
have at least one dark spot in their history: The British oppressed millions
around the world with their empire. And Americans trod freely upon the
rights of blacks, Mexicans and native Americans while growing their nation.
But there's no talk of trashing the Stars and Stripes as a result.
So yes, pass that law about the flag and anthem. It's time for Japanese
diplomacy and patriotism to start living in the 21st century instead of
1945. The leaders of Japan today were either children or not even born when
World War II took place. Forcing them to take responsibility for the deeds
of the previous generation will only generate ceremonial lip service, if
anything. And more empty words from politicians are something we can all
do without.
The history of World War II has always interested me, and I read about it
regularly. It is perhaps the largest event in human history. And I believe an
understanding of what happened from 1939 to 1945 is crucial to understanding
the politics of the world today. However, these days there are some people out
there who need to pay less attention to World War II.
Japan's parliament is currently debating whether the nation's flag and
anthem should be legally declared the country's official symbols. Now why
would they need to do that? Isn't it obvious to all Japanese that the Hinomaru
and "Kimigayo" are the de facto symbols of Japan?
Apparently not. Some object to the flag, calling it a symbol of Japanese
wartime oppression. Others reject the anthem because its lyrics (which I,
and most Japanese, cannot even understand) proclaim the glories of the
Emperor, another symbol of World War II aggression to some.
My message to these people is this: Don't blame the flag for what the
people carrying it were doing. Japan's rising sun flag is, I think, one of the
simplest and most elegant designs of any in the world, and it has been around
since long before the war. It is a far cry from the Nazi swastika, a
classic symbol of oppression.
The same goes for Kimigayo, which is the world's oldest anthem. Its slow,
majestic tones contrast sharply with other countries' military-style
marches. The British don't lament their monarchy-praising anthem. What's
the problem here in Japan? If the lyrics are incomprehensible or
inappropriate, why not just change them?
Of course, the reason these questions are being raised is that many feel,
rightly so, that Japan never properly apologized for the horrors that its
armies brought upon Asia during the war. Though some recent-day Japanese
politicians have addressed the issue in trips around Asia, most of the
country's leaders still feel that they cannot look China or Korea in the
eye because of past transgressions.
Witness the utterly impotent response by Japanese Self-Defense Forces to the invasion of Japan's waters by two North Korean spy vessels. Those
ships should have been blown out of the water when they failed to heed
warning shots! But no, rules written by somebody thinking too much about
events from a half-century ago prevented the Maritime Self-Defense Forces from doing what would have deterred future violations. Thank goodness
those rules are being reviewed as a result.
While frank education about Japan's past is crucial, there's a limit to
how long this apology issue should be allowed to play a role in diplomacy or the nation's psyche, and the limit is long past.
Most nations
have at least one dark spot in their history: The British oppressed millions
around the world with their empire. And Americans trod freely upon the
rights of blacks, Mexicans and native Americans while growing their nation.
But there's no talk of trashing the Stars and Stripes as a result.
So yes, pass that law about the flag and anthem. It's time for Japanese
diplomacy and patriotism to start living in the 21st century instead of
1945. The leaders of Japan today were either children or not even born when
World War II took place. Forcing them to take responsibility for the deeds
of the previous generation will only generate ceremonial lip service, if
anything. And more empty words from politicians are something we can all
do without.
Shukan ST: June 25, 1999
(C) All rights reserved
- crucial
- 重要な
- parliament
- 国会
- anthem
- 国歌
- de facto
- 事実上の
- object to 〜
- 〜 に異議を唱える
- wartime oppression
- 戦時中の圧制
- lyrics
- 歌詞
- proclaim
- 宣言する
- glories
- 栄誉
- aggression
- 侵略
- blame 〜 for 〜
- 〜 について 〜 を責める
- it has been around
- 存在していた
- far cry from 〜
- 〜 とはほど遠い
- Nazi swastika
- ナチスドイツの国章のかぎ十字
- majestic tones
- 荘厳な音調
- contrast sharply with 〜
- 〜 とはまったく対照的である
- lament
- 嘆く
- monarchy-praising 〜
- 君主制をたたえる 〜
- incomprehensible
- 理解できない
- inappropriate
- 不穏当な
- rightly so
- 当然のことだが
- 〜 brought upon 〜
- 〜 が 〜 にもたらした
- recent-day
- 最近の
- have addressed the issue
- その問題を取り上げてきた
- cannot look 〜 in the eye
- (うしろめたさなどを示さず) 〜 をまともに見ることができない
- transgressions
- 罪
- Witness 〜
- 〜 をご覧なさい
- utterly impotent
- 全く無力な
- Self-Defense Forces
- 自衛隊
- invasion
- 侵入
- Japan's waters
- 日本の領海
- vessels
- 船
- should have been blown out of the water
- 撃沈されるべきだった
- failed to heed warning shots
- 警告射撃に応じなかった
- events from a half-century ago
- 50年前の出来事(第二次世界大戦)
- Maritime Self-Defense Forces
- 海上自衛隊
- what would have deterred 〜
- 〜 を抑止させたかもしれないこと(発砲すること)
- Thank goodness 〜
- 〜 でよかった
- are being reviewed
- 見直されている
- frank
- 包み隠しのない
- apology issue
- 謝罪問題
- play a role in 〜
- 〜 で役割を演じる、 〜 に影響する
- diplomacy
- 外交
- psyche
- 意識、精神
- is long past
- とっくに過ぎている
- trod freely upon 〜
- 〜 をめちゃくちゃに踏みにじった
- there's no talk of trashing 〜
- 〜 を処分しようという話は持ち上がっていない
- Stars and Stripes
- 星条旗(アメリカの国旗)
- pass
- 成立させる
- patriotism
- 愛国心
- deeds
- 行為
- generate
- 生む
- ceremonial
- 形式的な
- lip service
- 口先だけの敬意
- if anything
- 何かあるとしても
- empty words
- 誠意のない言葉
- something we can all do without
- 私たちには必要のないもの