curious of the world's persepective

[dick benbow]

on Japan's Prime minister Koizumi. The press seems to be playing up the fact he has visted numerous times a shrine in tokyo for war dead. The insinuation is that he is pro militarism. China and south korea have expressed their concern....The prime minister says it's a personal visit yet the press lets everyone know that he has used offical vehicles in his visit to get there.

how do you see it? Is there a right and wrong in this situation?

[bekko]

There is a nice koi pond at that shrine. What's a fellow to do?

Sorry, I couldn't resist, but do not wish to be insensitive to the feelings of our Chinese and Korean members.

-steve hop kins

[KoiCop]

the world doesn't have a perspective -- but history, in time, just might.

Until then we're left with a collection of opinions. And for the life of me I can't see how expressing them could possibly benefit the members of this forum. Don

[dick benbow]

because it was important to me, it's why I asked!

[aquitori]

Too me it is hard to walk away from history...The funny thing about it, especially in the Hiroshima Dreaming DVD is how they start off the movie by saying the Americans dropped the bomb on Hiroshima....Now Hiroshima is the home of the greatest Koi Breeder in the world....

Do I find it weird that Koizumi is visiting shrines in remembrance of the war heros? No. I wish the Japanese would apologize for the war crimes they committed on the Filipinos during World War II...I haven't seen that yet...I am more bothered by that fact than him visiting shrines...

[dick benbow]

Was interesting to me as a student of world affairs, to see how long it took

the american government to apologise to it's own citizens ( of japanese ancestry ) for the travisty of locking them up for the war's duration.



In way of explaination about why i would ask this board about soemthing seemingly un related to koi, is because I know many of the participants from around this world after years of chatting here and trust their judgement. Where as if I went off somewhere else where I didn't have "family" I wouldn't know how to weigh their remarks.

[weldec]

Hi Aquatori,

I could not agree more. My Father was a Japanese prisoner of war for three years. He sadly passed away in 1975 at the age of 58, but his body was scared with the torment of those years in captivity, my Mother who is still alive also carries with her the memories of the day he arrived home. The Japanese have still not given an appology to the British veterans of that war. My father he never ever spoke a word to me of what happened in those camps, my Uncle who was captured at the same time was shot whilst working on the railways being exhausted and not getting up to carry on working. The predicament for me is when my Mother visits our house all my koi turn into Israeli or Malyasian I dare not mention the fact that they come from Japan. I to would love to go to Japan and see the harvests and buy Koi but whilst my good Mother is still alive I could not bring myself to go. My generation I know we have to forgive and forget and get on with our lives I can live with that but the memories of what happened still cut deep.

Hi Dick,
This post just keeps that bit of history alive.

[dick benbow]

thank-you for sharing a bit of yourself and family with us. I think it fosters understanding...as the world continues to shrink...it becomes more important.

[weldec]

Hi Dick,

That was very well put a good interpretation of how we should see the world.

Thank you for that.

[MikeM]

An interesting topic, Dick. At first it may seem to some that the Chinese, Koreans, Malaysians, Filopinos, etc. are too focused on the past. The comparison to Germany and Israel is worth noting. German mourning and regret for the losses of its people 60 years ago occurs with no overtone of honoring the militarism of those who led the Holocaust. Peoples of Asia who suffered when Japan was a militaristic state appear to think that history can repeat in Japan. This is a time when the rise of China makes it necessary for Japan to focus on defending itself. The U.S. cannot be counted on indefinitely. So, it becomes necessary to rebuild Japanese patriotism, and all the fears and old wounds come out of Pandora's box.

A world of koikeepers and bonsai gardens would be far more pleasant.