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.
http://seitousikan.blog130.fc2.com/)
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/crazy_tombo/42014020.html
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.
Tokyo Marnouchi (before Imperial Palace Plaza) before WWII:
Tokyo Ginza before WWII:
The Tokyo Station before WWII:
The Tokyo City Hall before WWII:
Tokyo Kiyosu Bridge before WWII:
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Hiroshima before WWII:
http://homepage2.nifty.com/hiroshimaaozora/5skyphoto.htm
Hiroshima before WWII (2):
http://www.geocities.jp/dinetomi76/senzennihon.html
Hiroshima before WWII (3):
Hiroshima before WWII (4):
Hiroshima before WWII (5):
http://www.uraken.net/rail/travel-urabe33.html
Hiroshima before WWII (6):
http://ehagakiwotanosimu.blogspot.com/2011/04/blog-post_4798.html
Hiroshima before WWII (7):
http://www.nta.go.jp/ntc/sozei/network/135.htm
Hiroshima before WWII (8):
http://ehagakiwotanosimu.blogspot.com/2011/03/blog-post_307.html
Hiroshima before WWII (9):
http://www.shipboard.info/blog/archives/2011/05/post_2379.html
Hiroshima before WWII (10):
http://www.ujikuse.jp/news/2006/08/07-161208.php
Hiroshima before WWII (11):
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Hiroshima Immediately after WWII:
http://hashibee.blog39.fc2.com/blog-entry-542.html
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Nagasaki before WWII:
http://www5f.biglobe.ne.jp/~travel-100years/travelguide_072.htm
http://www2.ocn.ne.jp/~joshp/musenshi/cc1.html
Nagasaki Port in the late 19th Century
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):
Osaka before WWII (2):
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Tokyo Citizens before WWII:
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Taiwan under Japanese Governance before WWII:
http://www.katakura.net/xoops/html/modules/wordpress2/index.php?cat=3
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. ^^;However, I will present here my taking pictures of the shrine, instead:
http://punynari.wordpress.com/2010/04/30/yasukuni-shrine/
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:
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:
Showa Emperor in Yasukuni Shrine on an Autumn Shinto Service in 1975:
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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.
http://japan2671.seesaa.net/upload/detail/image/048_E688A6E889A6E5A4A7E5928C-thumbnail2.jpg.html
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/ryotoanariza/14713688.html
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/wagasato/e/fcd1958623c3293bd9f57188f79ef5e7
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%99%B8%E5%A5%A5_(%E6%88%A6%E8%89%A6)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_battleship_Nagato
http://ja.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E9%87%91%E5%89%9B%E5%9E%8B%E6%88%A6%E8%89%A6
http://www.isoroku.info/
http://minkara.carview.co.jp/userid/207157/blog/19090482/
http://blog.livedoor.jp/irootoko_jr/archives/874982.html
http://blog.livedoor.jp/irootoko_jr/archives/874982.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fubuki_class_destroyer
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/aquarius1969newage/archive/2010/08/29
http://blog.goo.ne.jp/matukaze_2006/e/2fa9fac3b11d99b6ae0c65d92219f658
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_aircraft_carrier_Akagi
http://m3i.nobody.jp/military/IJN_Soryumenu.html
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/daitouayokoyama/folder/193775.html?m=lc&p=9
http://xinter01.exblog.jp/i9/
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/hosoyataichan/folder/752191.html?m=lc&p=8
http://sakurasakujapan.web.fc2.com/main03/weaponjpnackaga/kaga.html
http://userdisk.webry.biglobe.ne.jp/004/721/81/1/200510_img_3.jpg
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_Ki-49
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/daitouayokoyama/4655251.html
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/houzankai2006/47553574.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitsubishi_J2M
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kawanishi_N1K
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 
http://sakurasakujapan.web.fc2.com/main03/weaponjpagun94type37mmantitankgun/94type37mmantitankgun.html
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/gurasugo11/folder/571317.html
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/icarus777z/64052230.html
http://www.xn--u9j370humdba539qcybpym.jp/thesis/081118/081118_gakushi360.htm
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Type_90_75_mm_Field_Gun
http://blogs.yahoo.co.jp/daitouayokoyama/2434266.html
(http://gakuen.gifu-net.ed.jp/~contents/kou_chirekikouminn/sekaishichizu/sww/sww_7.html)
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http://minkara.carview.co.jp/userid/189245/blog/19750835/
http://heirinzi.blogspot.com/2011/05/blog-post_28.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.