Yasukuni Mondai

Yasukuni Shrine is a shinto shrine in the heart of tokyo and also in the heart of a ton of Controversy.

I have never felt so pessimistic about something as I do about the yasukuni mondai (problem in japanese). The problem with all the controversy is how multilayered it is. It's got several aspects; religous, political (both domestic and international), and constitutional.

I'll break it down for you but first a brief history:
Yasukuni was established in 1879 after being moved from it's previous location in kyoto. All of the enshrined spirits of those who had died in the fighting before the meiji restoration were also transferred to the new location. From then on all the spirits of those who died in in Japanese war would be enshrined in Yasukuni. Now, the problem comes after World War II, when a little over 1000 dead, all convicted of war crimes of some level, were also enshrined. the most problematic thing is that along with these spirits, those of 14 Class A war crime accused individuals were also enshrined as "Martyrs of Showa."
Since these enshrined were deiscovered Yasukuni has been the center of much international and domestic politcial discussion, which may or may not seem obvious to some.

Okay...now let me break down the different levels of this problem, beginning with Relgion (and this is brief and based on the knowledge I have only recently gained so I may be wrong on some counts):
As I stated, Yasukuni is a Shinto shrine and it was established specfically for the purpose for enshrining the spirits of those who had died in Japanese wars (this even included all Japanese from BOTH sides of a civil war, and children and civilians who died defending or while working during wartime as well-I'm trying to illustrate that there was no prejudice about who and who couldn't be enshrined...as long as you fought for Japan you count...). In shinto religion there is this concept about "bad death" which is basically someone comeing to an untimely death, espexially yound and unmarried individuals. If the spirits of these bad deaths are left to their own devices they become Onryo-Gami, or bitterly hating vengeful gos (kami). SO the shrine is there to enshrine the spirits and honor them, basically pleasing them so they don't reak havoc. It is important to note that spirits are enshrined regardless of previous life and individual circumstance of death. I even found an interview of a priest at Yasukuni stating that the families who come there to grieve for former members of their family are mistaken, because the Kami now enshrined do not relate at all to the spirits of the former lives, anymore. If you understand this than it's easy to see how it wouldn't matter that War Criminals are enshrined their since their former lives arent a part of their enshrined spirits/kami.
It is also important to know that in Japan taking care of your ancestors is very important. And since Japan is such a family type nation (particularly during the meiji period when they were striving to increase a since of national identitiy) taking care of the spirits of those who fought for your country is an obvious connection. So this is why the shrine is important, or at least somewhat so, to a lot of people.

That sort of leads me into politcal discussion. I'l start with domestic since I know less about it. basically a lot of Right wing, conservatives, etc want the prime minister to continue visiting the shrine and are calling for the emperor to visit. the emperor hasn't visited since the Class A war criminals were enshrined. The last prime minister, Koizumi visited every year, while he was in office, on the anniversary of the war. The current prime minister, Abe had been going back and forth about wether he was going to visit or not. I found out that he decided not to visit and instead donated a large sum of money for a special kind of tree for the shrine's spring festival this year. Civilians want these politicans to go and honor the dead. When they do go, the politcians are said to always be going in private so it shouldnt be a problem, and when they sign their name they supposedly sign only their name and not their position. But that's not always the case and Abe's donated tree has his name and position on it though the money came out of his own pocket.
Of course, as much as visits and donations might please the conservative, right winged public and politics at home, it fires up the liberal politics and international relations, particularly with neighboring Asian countries. Many see the open support of the shrine as a glorfication of the aggression, nationalism, and colonialism that was a part of Japan during World War II. To make matters worse their is a problem of Japan's revisionist history, most easily recognized in the Yasukuni Museum located right next to the shrine. The Museum is a detailed history of world war II and the wars leading up to it, according to the Japanese. Not to say that some of it can't be true but it basically argues and supports the idea that Japan was only in the war because they HAD to be, because of European aggresion or either Asia's call for a unfied front and/or leader (which of course was Japan). It doesn't really talk about the colonization of countries like korea and mentions nothing about the comfort women (which I have a feeling is an underlying problem connected to all this). Not only that but it talks about a lot of the lives and deeds of many of those enshrined, much in a glorifying way. Not to mention other small things like the kids' guide to Yasukuni saying that "there are also 1068 who had their lives cruelly taken after the war when they were falsely and one-sidedly branded as 'war criminal' by the kangaroo court of the Allies who had fought Japan." This also points to some Japanese still not accepting the decisions made after the war since they had never signed on.
Basically to many countries, it symbolizes Japan's inability to take complete responsibilty for it's history (a problem also exemplified by the textbook revisionist issues). This ambiguous behavior is only intensified by politicians who visit and then make vague remarks expressing, "regret and profound remorse for the enormous suffering and damage." Many liberal Japanese also feel visiting the shrine goes against "no more war" commitments and that it goes against peaceful coexisitance with neighboring countries.
I can state that according to some articles I read, Abe's recent donation seems to have upset more Japanese rather than chinese.

Okay, final object: Constitution.
The consitution of Japan currently states that there is separation between church and state. When this happend Yasukuni became it's own relgious location, no longer supported by the government (during meiji it was as a part of the concept of State Shinto-which you can look up on your own). Now, as a private relgious identity Yasukuni has to be supported byu visitors and subscribers to the relgion. The problem is that the one interested in Yasukuni are dieing out. as generations grow, they become more distant from world war II and the problems and people associated with it. For that reasons many conservative, right wings are calling for Yasukuni to be adopted as a government institution. There's even an argument that other countries have national cemtaries for their war dead (like america) so whay can't they? Of course the problem is that Yasukuni is a one religion location whereas in most other national cemetaries a person can be buried however they wish (plus they arent being enshrined). Some people are suggesting they move the war criminals spirits but priest give an absolute no to that saying that once the kami's are enshrined they can't just be moved. The other alternative is to create a new non relgious location which lists all the same war dead and lists new ones as they come (lets hope not too many) which the prime minsiter and emperor can visit if they please, since it would be non relgious. Of course, that option isn't being discussed so much either. And again, there is the problem of why can't the prime minister, in his off time visit a shrine of his choice? (after all, every president we've had has been christian and when we go to court we have to swear on the bible so technically Japan is a LOT more strict about seperation of church and state).

So those are the issues...
to me it just sounds plain impossible. It makes me really sad too...really disapointed in the world. But maybe one day it will be okay.

On a side note, beause of this problem when Japan sent some soldiers to Iraq to help support the US they were gaurded like 2-1 because the Japanese were so worried about what would happen if any of them died...I mean, with so much controversy over Yasukuni could they be enshrined?

Also, on a negative note...there are a lot of cases of Taiwanese and Koreans and even some christians trying to get family memebers names of the lists so they can have thier dignity/family/etc back but the priests won't let them, saying that if they died and fought for Japan then they stay there. Sad.

Pictures of the shrine (outdoors) here.

ED:
I tried to keep my personal opinion out of this post. Most of this is the info I could find, most of which seems biased one way or the other. My own personal opinion on the matter is way too conflicted to really share.

In any case,
Much Love