→ Japanese look for new meaning from kamikaze sacrifice (2007-7-8)
This is an article on Japanese way of life which describes how the nationalists (in their definition) praise kamikaze or suicide attacks back in 60 years ago. The article says something of the tragedy and how the left wing (as we call them) are critical of the move to make the incident as sacred. This article is, in the Japanese media terminology, "based on interviews and should be based on facts" and I would not have anything to gainsay to the author.
If anything could be said about the kamikaze spirit article, any reference to its effects on our everyday life in Japan would be benenficial for modern day readers. Because I believe the real problem is not the sentiment they carry on the policy that government-then took in all-for-the-war atmosphere but the way they execute their policy today on those who should be aware of the spirit of the elite fighters who paid the ultimate sacrifice for the sheer honor of it, the honor their families would have carried on.
It should be noted that the article describes the typical of the current day opinions such as "the way of thinking no longer has meaning" "it is much better to live" and war is not exactly a real thing. The reason why they are typical is that, firstly, it is based on the strong faith on the eternal development of human kind and the society. Though I can not say this out loud, there are times when one has to fight against the logic again and again that just because some years had passed, if the situation has not changed, the same logic will be valid. If the Kim Jeong Il regime is still there, any aids will be spent on weapons.
Secondly, the definition of what one calls a life differs, and that the social factors play a huge role on that. If to be humble is the ever closest way to get normal social being, one has to talk soft to fe/male and keep a low profile to customers. The humbled one may not receive social appraisals but will be a safe being that will not be picked up and debased. In this case, should such a person be regarded as alive and fully exercising his or her own rights fully? The soldiers sought the honor in the belief that his ultimate sacrifice would benefit the society and was exercising his right to live. The blames should be upon the officers who decided such a strategy which as the article states was not effective.
Lastly, as the only terrorist activities carried on in Japan has been the North Korean abduction cases and the North Korean ships, one of which exploded itself, the reference of "dirty" terrorists to Japanese soldiers may cause angers. The "same-logic" is again typical of the talks around here, though, and its use is abused too often -- one should not call a person "the same" as his or her neighbors, or not so easily. Let alone calling a Japanese "the same" as Kim Jeong Il -- that certainly will be humiliating, even if the intention may have been not so, just because the person is in favor of taking a softer stance against the regime.
The article depicts an accurate picture of the sentiment on the historical incidents but did not divulge into the real meaning of them to our daily life. We are not and will not be free from the weight of the incident. The course of events perhaps should not be only a symbol of fruitless arguments, but a key to solve today's problems.
