What a load of crock!

article: news.bbc.co.uk...

The writer makes some false statements such as:

The Chinese are not taught about the 17 official apologies that Japan has made to China over the last 30 years.

Actually, yes they are. My girlfriend is from China, she just moved to Canada last year and she's not into politics or history but she knew.

Ask any young Chinese about Mao's disastrous "great leap forward" campaign in which more than 20 million people starved to death, and you will get a blank stare.

Wrong. Most young Chinese know about this.

The most important thing that this writer just does not seem to get is that its not enough to say sorry and then not back it up with action. It's like a man who cheated on his wife and says sorry but keeps talking to the other woman on the phone. Sure he's not sleeping with the other woman anymore but he's not backing up his apology with actions.

so what else should Japan do?

Also, which part of China are you talking about?

[edit on 24-4-2005 by twchang]

Japan should set up a task force to search and identify the war criminals buried at Yasukuni Shrine and remove them even if this is impossible. It's like a boy who broke a lamp and tried to fix it rather than just say sorry and run off to play. Also, since Japan regards itself to hold higher moral ground than China they should make it illegal to deny or whitewash atrocities commited during Japan's imperialistic ventures.

Sorry I forgot to reply to the other question. What part of China am I talking about what?

Originally posted by JTF2
Japan should set up a task force to search and identify the war criminals buried at Yasukuni Shrine and remove them even if this is impossible. It's like a boy who broke a lamp and tried to fix it rather than just say sorry and run off to play. Also, since Japan regards itself to hold higher moral ground than China they should make it illegal to deny or whitewash atrocities commited during Japan's imperialistic ventures.

First of all, I don't think Yasukuni Shrine buries the actual bodies. It is just a shrine that has names carve in something. Also, not that I want to defend Japan but saying they are trying to deny or whitewash atrocities is just too much. The textbook system in Japan is similar to that of Canada which means the textbook they protest about is not used by every student. In fact, the report says only 2% (or 0.2%, I don't remember exactly) use such textbook. Also, have you read the actually textbook?

[edit on 25-4-2005 by twchang]

Originally posted by JTF2
Sorry I forgot to reply to the other question. What part of China am I talking about what?

China is a big place. Too say that every Chinese knows about something is a big statement. Maybe the reporters talked to some people in China who don't know.

Originally posted by JTF2
Japan should set up a task force to search and identify the war criminals buried at Yasukuni Shrine and remove them even if this is impossible.

And how, skippy, can they do something even if it is impossible? They already know who the 'war criminals' are. Their spirits are interred along with the spirits of all the Japanese war casualties. Extraction is impossible.

Also, since Japan regards itself to hold higher moral ground than China

I take it your completely unbiased source told you this as well. Is China playing the victim here for sympathy or money?

they should make it illegal to deny or whitewash atrocities commited during Japan's imperialistic ventures.

They already do neither. While they certainly aren't proud of their past, they are trying to move on, unlike, say China.

The textbook system in Japan is similar to that of Canada which means the textbook they protest about is not used by every student. In fact, the report says only 2% (or 0.2%, I don't remember exactly) use such textbook.

It is around 2% or so. Every school knows the company that sells that book is run by right-wing nut jobs. The vast majority choose NOT to use that book. But that wouldn't help China's agenda now, would it?