Wednesday, January 8, 2014

Yasukuni Shrine and the USA Embassy’s statement




Yasukuni Shrine and the 
USA Embassy’s statement

On December 26, 2013 the prime minister of Japan, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe made a visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, a Shinto shrine in Tokyo, Japan. 

This visit by the Prime Minister of Japan to a shrine in Tokyo erupted in complaints from South Korea and China.  It seems like some people in South Korea and China awarded themselves the authority to dictate to the people in Japan what places they are not allowed to visit in Japan.  In other those in South Korea and China who feel they have this authority are absolute idiots.

The Yasukuni Shinto shrine is dedicated to the soldiers and others who died on behalf of Japan, registering near two and a half million names enshrined dating back to 1867.  A visit to this shrine by foreigners and notable Japanese brings with it scathing criticism from some neighboring nations.  Their complaint is out of the two and a half million spirits honored at the Yasukuni Shrine; around one thousand were convicted as war criminals by the International Military Tribunal for the Far East (IMTFE or known as Tokyo Trails or Tokyo War Crimes Tribunal).  Should be noted the legitimacy of tribunal is in question by many.

Here is what is interesting:  During World War Two Japan occupied around twenty-four nations and battled around twelve Allied nations.  Out of the twenty-four occupied and twelve Allied nations, only two nations (China and South Korea) object to any official visitation to the Yasukuni Shrine.

The White House through the USA Embassy in Tokyo decided to participate into this controversy by releasing the following statement:

“Japan is a valued ally and friend. Nevertheless, the United States is disappointed that Japan's leadership has taken an action that will exacerbate tensions with Japan's neighbors.

The United States hopes that both Japan and its neighbors will find constructive ways to deal with sensitive issues from the past, to improve their relations, and to promote cooperation in advancing our shared goals of regional peace and stability.

We take note of the Prime Minister’s expression of remorse for the past and his reaffirmation of Japan's commitment to peace.”

How come the USA Embassy did not state disappointment in South Korea and China for exacerbating tensions with Japan by trying to reduce freedom of movement by the Japanese?

The USA Embassy in Tokyo as in The White House is infested with Democrats.  American Democrats in any country are vacuous and a threat to the friendship between the USA and its allies.  Even with this strong distaste for Democrats the press release from the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo was sort of in the middle of the road and it should be noted they did write:

“Japan is a valued ally and friend,” and wrote at the bottom:  “We take note of the Prime Minister’s expression of remorse for the past and his reaffirmation of Japan’s commitment to peace.” 

All though it can be stated a middle of the road posture by the U.S. Embassy in this controversy, the U.S.A. should have never gotten involved.  By doing so, the USA only validated the nonsense coming from the government of South Korea and China.  The USA should have ignored the bellyaching by those two governments.  

Link to USA Embassy in Tokyo’s statement:

Yasukuni Shrine English website:

Japan-guide information on the Yasukuni Shrine:

Wikipedia entry on the Yasukuni Shrine:

Yasukuni Shrine controversies:

Link to Texas Daddy store:

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