Abe: War criminals are not war criminals

We are beginning to see how Abe et. al. plan to instill pride in Japan's past (WW2) and get a hint of what the future holds.

Yesterday, Abe said that the 14 class A war criminals enshrined in Yasukuni shrine are not war criminals under Japanese law. (The total number of war criminals is 1068) See the Japan Times. The Tokyo War Crimes tribunal certainly had some serious problems, but Abe seems to be saying that the folks directly guilty for such things as Nanjing and other atrocities are not really criminals as far as he and Japan is concerned.

He is being honest. Unlike its World War Two ally, Germany, Japan has NEVER pursued nor prosecuted a Japanese for war crimes which occurred in WW2. The trial is often viewed like Abe views it, victor's justice forced upon Japan. Additionally, there is a feeling---or even outright belief---that Japan was a victim of the war.

All this is to make Japan a "normal" country again. A normal country with a uniquely unique culture that non-Japanese can never understand---and certainly can not be a part of. A normal country even though it is the only country in the world with four seasons. ( One of the bizarre and arrogant nihonjinron beliefs in Japan.) A normal country where everything that happens has a cultural explanation. There are no economic reasons nor other reasons for anything in Japan.

Think about what Abe's statement means. It's long been taught---and accepted---that the Emperor Hirohito and his subjects were tricked and misled into WWII by the military and its leaders, as well as selfish politicians. Like Hirohito, the people were naive and innocent. They done had no idear! Now Abe is saying that the war criminals were not really criminals, so basically no Japanese did anything wrong in the war. At least no Japanese was responsible for any war crimes. Nanjing? Bygones. Forget it. Couldn't be helped. Exaggerated Chinese lies anyway.

This is the renewed pride we can look forward to. As far as the other part of cultural pride, why would the Japanese need more? All one hears about is the wonderful, uniquely unique Japanese culture, seasons, language, food, Unit 731---oops! Scratch the last. Nobody was responsible for it---at least no Japanese. Perhaps it was an evil foreigner.