Monday, August 15, 2011

"they might receive the Holy Ghost" - (Japan's Anniversary of the End of the Second World War)

Tokyo Governmental District...






Japan's Anniversary of the End of the Second World War 
(Japon anniversaire de la fin de la Seconde Guerre mondiale)

[Updated in March 2012]

A popular Harvard University professor gave a lecture to students in a university in Japan.

"Do you think that the Japanese people should continue to apologize to Asian people for atrocity and destruction their ancestors caused on Asian people during WWII?" asked the professor to the audience in a university hall.

But, it was just several years that the Empire of Japan occupied directly South East Asia. On the other hand, Europeans and European Americans occupied directly South East Asia for 200 years and more through colonization. It was only after WWII that, for example, the U.K. gave up colonial rule in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong, etc. (Most of the Japanese people think that Western powers gave up their colonial rule in Asia eventually due to their virtual military defeat by the Empire of Japan during WWII. Even the U.S., the only winner over the Empire, gave up colonial rule in the Philippines after the Japan-U.S. War. Put simply, patriotic and right-wing Japanese think it was the Empire of Japan that freed Asian peoples from colonial occupation by Western powers.)

The Empire of Japan invested so much money to Korea and Taiwan, building many modern infrastructures. Tax revenue in Korea was less than public investment from Japan proper. All modernization in Taiwan was promoted by applying Japanese technology and funds. Japan gave more than it took from Korea and Taiwan.

As Western powers and Russia invaded Asia, East Asia, and the Far East, Japanese people had to establish their own modern empire to cope with colonizing powers. Indirectly, Western powers are responsible for occupation of Southeast Asia by the Empire of Japan during WWII, since it was not Asian people but British, Dutch, Australian, and American troops that were attacked by the Imperial Military in WWII.

The Harvard professor, who is a European American, is never in a position to ask such a rude question to Japanese students of today in Tokyo.

This is the norm in their thinking among patriotic or right-wing Japanese.

In my thinking, American people should continue to apologize to the Japanese people for atrocity and destruction their ancestors committed against the Japanese during WWII. The American military should not have killed 94,000 citizens in the Battle of Okinawa, and 200,000 in Hiroshima and 140,000 in Nagasaki (including those who died due to radiation doses in five years after the atomic bomb attacks).


Note 1: It is to obtain crude oil in Indonesia that the Imperial Military of Japan advanced to South East Asia during WWII.  It is because the US stopped its export of crude oil to the Empire of Japan in the summer of 1941, so that the Empire had to go and get crude oil in Indonesia which was then ruled by the Netherlands.  To prevent interference by the US Navy, the Empire had to first attack Pearl Harbor since the Netherlands was in a tie up with the US.  So, it is the US that has to apologize to Asian people since the US forced Japan to advance to Indonesia for crude oil.  This is a view of Japanese nationalists.

Note 2: As for China, it must be remembered that Chinese troops had been supported, trained, and instructed by Nazi Germany in 1930's.  

The State of Colonization in Asia before WWII in the early 20th Century; The Empire of Japan, Kingdom of Thailand, and part of China were only independent from Western powers.
 http://seitousikan.blog130.fc2.com/)

The state of colonization of East & South Asia before the end of WWI.
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/crazy_tombo/42014020.html

The state of military/political occupation by the Empire of Japan as of 1942, driving out American, British and Dutch colonizing powers in addition to French remnants and Chinese insurgents while checking Russians.
http://iclc2008.iza.ne.jp/blog/entry/2397109/


SECTION I: August 15

On August 15, 1945, the people of the Empire of Japan experienced an event that had never been heard of.

The Emperor of Japan announced via radio to the people, though through a prerecorded message, that he accepted request from the Allies to surrender. It was the first time that most of the Japanese heard voices of their emperor. Following this imperial announcement, all the imperial soldiers, troops, divisions, and naval fleets terminated their military operation though some units were forced to continue to fight, for example, against unlawfully invading Russian troops in the northern territory.

Accordingly, August 15 is the day for Japan that indicates the end of WWII, the Japan-U.S. War, and the Japanese-Chinese War.
Victory over Japan Day (also known as Victory in the Pacific Day, V-J Day, or V-P Day) is a name chosen for the day on which the Surrender of Japan occurred, effectively ending World War II, and subsequent anniversaries of that event. The term has been applied to both the day on which the initial announcement of Japan's surrender was made in the afternoon of August 15, 1945, in Japan, and because of time zone differences, to August 14, 1945, (when it was announced in the United States, Western Europe, the Americas, the Pacific Islands, and Australia/New Zealand), as well as to September 2, 1945, when the signing of the surrender document occurred.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Victory_over_Japan_Day

Memorial services are held on this day in Tokyo and so on. At the Bodokan, Tokyo, their Majesties the Emperor and Empress attend the service. Total 2.3 million soldiers and 0.8 million citizens of the Empire lost their lives in the war. And, after the war or August 15, 1945, Manchukuo (a controversial, nominally independent nation of Manchus), Korea, Taiwan, South Sakhalin and the Kurile Islands, and some South Pacific islands were severed from Japan.

http://www.themapdatabase.com/category/wars/world-war-ii/

Tokyo Marnouchi (before Imperial Palace Plaza) before WWII:
http://www.geocities.jp/dinetomi76/senzennihon.html

Tokyo Ginza before WWII:
http://www.geocities.jp/dinetomi76/senzennihon.html

The Tokyo Station before WWII:
http://nishinomiya7773.blog46.fc2.com/blog-entry-173.html

The Tokyo City Hall before WWII:
http://www.soumu.metro.tokyo.jp/01soumu/archives/0702enkaku.htm

Tokyo Kiyosu Bridge before WWII:
http://sakurakan.at.webry.info/200808/article_5.html

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Hiroshima before WWII:


Aerial View of Hiroshima City in 1939
http://homepage2.nifty.com/hiroshimaaozora/5skyphoto.htm

Hiroshima before WWII (2):
Main Street with Financial Institutions
http://www.geocities.jp/dinetomi76/senzennihon.html

Hiroshima before WWII (3):
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/br5m_kzi/8472003.html

Hiroshima before WWII (4):
http://ehagakiwotanosimu.blogspot.com/2011/03/blog-post_27.html

Hiroshima before WWII (5):
Hiroshima Commercial Museum
http://www.uraken.net/rail/travel-urabe33.html

Hiroshima before WWII (6):
Hiroshima Tram Cars
http://ehagakiwotanosimu.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post_4798.html

Hiroshima before WWII (7):
Hiroshima Tax Office
http://www.nta.go.jp/ntc/sozei/network/135.htm

Hiroshima before WWII (8):
Hiroshima Waterworks Facility
http://ehagakiwotanosimu.blogspot.com/2011/03/blog-post_307.html

Hiroshima before WWII (9):
Around the Hiroshima Castle before WWII
http://www.shipboard.info/blog/archives/2011/05/post_2379.html

Hiroshima before WWII (10):
Hiroshima Castle (Once Used by Samurai) before WWII
http://www.ujikuse.jp/news/2006/08/07-161208.php

Hiroshima before WWII (11):
http://sakurakan.at.webry.info/200803/article_1.html

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Hiroshima Immediately after WWII:
Primary School under the Blue Sky
http://hashibee.blog39.fc2.com/blog-entry-542.html

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Nagasaki before WWII:

 Nagasaki Railroad Station before WWII
Nagasaki Railroad Station before WWII
http://www5f.biglobe.ne.jp/~travel-100years/travelguide_072.htm

Nagasaki Radio Station before WWII
http://www2.ocn.ne.jp/~joshp/musenshi/cc1.html

http://www.jasnaoe.or.jp/old_sites/west/mm/016/article01.html
Nagasaki Port in the late 19th Century

Mitsubishi Shipyard, Nagasaki, around 1910
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E4%B8%89%E8%8F%B1%E9%87%8D%E5%B7%A5%E6%A5%AD%E9%95%B7%E5%B4%8E%E9%80%A0%E8%88%B9%E6%89%80

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Osaka before WWII (1):
http://www.city.osaka.lg.jp/somu/page/0000062075.html

Osaka before WWII (2):
http://www.city.osaka.lg.jp/somu/page/0000062075.html

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Tokyo Citizens before WWII:
http://www.geocities.jp/dinetomi76/senzennihon.html

*** ***

Taiwan under Japanese Governance before WWII:

Taiwan Governmental Building under the Empire of Japan
http://www.katakura.net/xoops/html/modules/wordpress2/index.php?cat=3

Taipei City before WWII
http://www.katakura.net/xoops/html/modules/wordpress2/index.php?cat=3


SECTION II: Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo

Nowadays, even U.S. sailors visit notable Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo.
Your probably wondering if I went up there and prayed…. I usually don't pray at Japanese shrines because I am a Catholic but also because it would feel a bit awkward at this particular shrine. My grandpa fought in this war so it would be like….hugging the enemy. ^^;
http://punynari.wordpress.com/2010/04/30/yasukuni-shrine/
However, I will present here my taking pictures of the shrine, instead:

(Statue of Samurai Omura Masujiro [1824-1869],  the master of the art of war and the founder of the Imperial Army)


Yet, once major political and social figures of the Empire of Japan attended ceremonies held in Yashukuni Shrine as observed in the following picture taken in 1939:
(http://www.dia.janis.or.jp/~soga/yasukuni.html)

The last time Showa Emperor visited Yasukuni Shrine was November 1975. The current Emperor, the eldest son of Showa Emperor, has never visited Yasukuni Shrine since his accession to the imperial throne in 1989. The reason why the Imperial Family was reluctant to visit the shrine is believed to be that some generals and politicians who had led the Empire to the war with the U.S. in 1941 were enshrined there together with spirits of other fallen soldiers. The fact of honoring those generals and politicians collectively in Yasukuni was made public around 1978.

Many conservative lawmakers of Japan visit the shrine on August 15, but it is very rare that the prime minister of Japan visits the shrine on the day due to strong political and diplomatic protest from South Korea and China.

Showa Emperor in Yasukuni Shrine on an Autumn Shinto Service in 1969:
(http://pub.ne.jp/bbgmgt/?entry_id=2030484)

Showa Emperor in Yasukuni Shrine on an Autumn Shinto Service in 1975:
(http://news.searchina.ne.jp/disp.cgi?y=2010&d=1121&f=national_1121_029.shtml)

http://a-tempo.seesaa.net/article/16374262.html

*** *** *** ***

APPENDIX. Imperial Military (1871/1872 - 1945)

The Imperial Navy of Japan before WWII was ranked as the third largest next to the US and the UK, the second strongest following the US, and the best equipped for aerial war on the ocean in the world.

During WWII, the Imperial Navy used ships, airplanes, and other equipment all made in Japan except some old ships such as Kongo which had been imported in early 1910s from the UK.


Yamato, the world largest battle ship
 http://japan2671.seesaa.net/upload/detail/image/048_E688A6E889A6E5A4A7E5928C-thumbnail2.jpg.html

Musashi, a twin ship of Yamato
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/ryotoanariza/14713688.html

Battle Ship Ise
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/wagasato/e/fcd1958623c3293bd9f57188f79ef5e7

Battle Ship Mutsu
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%99%B8%E5%A5%A5_(%E6%88%A6%E8%89%A6)

Battle Ship Nagato
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_battleship_Nagato

Battle Ship Kongo (the last one among war ships purchased from the UK; introduced in 1913, so that this war ship was one of the oldest naval ships used by the Imperial Navy during WWII.)
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%87%91%E5%89%9B%E5%9E%8B%E6%88%A6%E8%89%A6

Heavy Cruiser Mogami
http://www.isoroku.info/

Heavy Cruiser Chokai
 http://minkara.carview.co.jp/userid/207157/blog/19090482/

Heavy Cruiser Takao
http://blog.livedoor.jp/irootoko_jr/archives/874982.html

Heavy Cruiser Atago
http://blog.livedoor.jp/irootoko_jr/archives/874982.html


Destroyer Fubuki
 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fubuki_class_destroyer

Imperial Navy I-Type Subnarine
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/aquarius1969newage/archive/2010/08/29

Imperial Navy Aircraft-Carrier Task Force Heading for Pearl Harbor
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/matukaze_2006/e/2fa9fac3b11d99b6ae0c65d92219f658

Imperial Aircraft Carrier Akagi
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_aircraft_carrier_Akagi

Imperial Aircraft Carrier Soryu
http://m3i.nobody.jp/military/IJN_Soryumenu.html

Imperial Aircraft Carrier Ryujo
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/daitouayokoyama/folder/193775.html?m=lc&p=9

Imperial Aircraft Carrier Katsuragi
http://xinter01.exblog.jp/i9/

Imperial Aircraft Carrier Shokaku
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/hosoyataichan/folder/752191.html?m=lc&p=8

Imperial Aircraft Carrier Kaga
http://sakurasakujapan.web.fc2.com/main03/weaponjpnackaga/kaga.html




http://userdisk.webry.biglobe.ne.jp/004/721/81/1/200510_img_3.jpg


The Zero, http://www.biwa.ne.jp/~yamato/zeke.html


The Type 100 Heavy Bomber
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-49


The Type 99 Light Bomber 
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/daitouayokoyama/4655251.html


The Type 96 Heavy Bomber
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/houzankai2006/47553574.html


The Raiden
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_J2M

The Shiden
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kawanishi_N1K

The Type 97 Torpedo Bomber
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/daitouayokoyama/folder/193775.html?m=lc&p=9

The Carrier-Borne Bomber Suisei
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/daitouayokoyama/folder/193775.html?m=lc&p=11

The Type 94 Cannon
http://sakurasakujapan.web.fc2.com/main03/weaponjpagun94type37mmantitankgun/94type37mmantitankgun.html
The Type 95 Light Tank
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/gurasugo11/folder/571317.html

The Type 99 Light Machine Gun
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/icarus777z/64052230.html

The Type 03 Heavy Machine Gun and the Type 99
http://www.xn--u9j370humdba539qcybpym.jp/thesis/081118/081118_gakushi360.htm

http://teitoku.sakura.ne.jp/blog/archives/2005/07/2005722.html

The Type 90 70 mm Field Gun,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_90_75_mm_Field_Gun

The Type 5 15 cm Antiaircraft Artillery
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/daitouayokoyama/2434266.html



http://www.geocities.co.jp/SilkRoad-Desert/1340/wa-mary.htm

http://www.geocities.jp/torikai007/war/yasukuni.html

State of World War II between 1942 and 1943; the battle in Stalingrad with the USSR counter offensive and the naval battle around the Midway Islands with the US counter offensive.
(http://gakuen.gifu-net.ed.jp/~contents/kou_chirekikouminn/sekaishichizu/sww/sww_7.html)

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The 9th Company, the 25th Regiment of the Imperial Army
http://minkara.carview.co.jp/userid/189245/blog/19750835/

Imperial Army Memorial Day Ceremony
http://heirinzi.blogspot.com/2011/05/blog-post_28.html

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http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/sopwithf1camel/folder/478230.html

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(This sound reminds me strangely of the fate of the Empire of Japan...
http://www.fukuchan.ac/music/gs/yuhiganaiteiru.html)



Act 8:14 Now when the apostles which were at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had received the word of God, they sent unto them Peter and John:
Act 8:15 Who, when they were come down, prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Ghost:
Act 8:16 (For as yet he was fallen upon none of them: only they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.)
Act 8:17 Then laid they their hands on them, and they received the Holy Ghost.