8
particularly to those of Asian nations. Japan squarely faces these facts of history in a spirit of
humility and with feelings of deep remorse and heartfelt apology always engraved in mind.”
12
In
the past, Japan was much more willing to absorb China’s criticisms but increasingly have begun
to show the signs of what one scholar labeled “guilt fatigue” and may be increasingly less willing
to apologize for the past.
13
Further exacerbating the history controversy are Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s
periodic visits to the Yasukuni shrine that honor’s 2.5 million of Japan’s war dead. The shrine is
not run by the Japanese government and no bodies are entombed at the site. Koizumi maintains
his visits are conducted as a private citizen and intended to honor those who have served the
country. However, the memorial contains the remains of 14 Class A war criminals, including
Hideki Tojo, convicted in the trials that followed World War II. Koizumi’s predecessors,
Yasuhiro Nakasone and Ryutaro Hashimoto, visited the shrine only once during their entire time
in office while he has visited six times during his four years in office, the most recent on August
15, 2006 to commemorate the end of World War II. At a government ceremony that day,
Koizumi tried to temper the effect of the visit by remarking “we should not forget that friendly
ties with other countries and territories have been fundamental to Japan's stability in the postwar
era.”
14
There has been some discussion to remove the names of the 14 war criminals from those
honored at the shrine but so far, this has not occurred. Moreover, it is not clear that if most
Chinese, or others in the region offended by the visits, would feel differently about the visits if
the 14 were removed.
12
“Japan PM Apologizes for the War,” CNN, April 22, 2005
<http://www.cnn.com/2005/WORLD/asiapcf/04/22/china.japan.koizumi/index.html> (accessed July 20, 2006).
13
Roy, p. 96.
14
Kyodo News Agency, “Koizumi Stresses Int’l Friendship on 61
st
Anniversary of WWII End,” as quoted in
Northeast Asia Peace and Security Network Daily Report, August 15, 2006 <www.nautilus.org>.
Convention