TOKYO, Dec. 13 -- It is utterly regrettable that the Japanese society is taking backwardsteps regarding its perception of the wartime history as a number of politicians andordinary people avoid facing up to or even deny the country's past atrocities, a Japaneseveteran historian, Hisashi Inoue, said.
Inoue, a professor in the faculty of law at Surugadai University, made the remarks in anexclusive interview with Xinhua on the eve of China's first National Memorial Day forNanjing Massacre Victims on Dec. 13, which also marks the 77th anniversary of the mass-slaughter.
Japanese troops captured Nanjing, capital of China at the time, on Dec. 13, 1937. Therethen followed more than 40 days when more than 300,000 people were murdered andabout 20,000 women raped.
The professor noted that as far as in Japan's wartime history is concerned, there is anunderlying ethos that an increasing number of people would prefer to live in ignorance ordenial rather than face the fact, particularly the Nanjing Massacre.
"Taking history seriously and making sincere apologies to the victims of the massacre andother acts of wartime brutality is of paramount urgency for Japan to do," said Inoue, alsoknown as an active researcher on the Nanjing Massacre.
In today's Japan, growing nationalism is evidenced by numerous best-selling books andpublications carrying disparaging content about South Korea and China, available in highstreet bookstores. Such xenophobic literature, known here as "kenchu-zokan," meaning"dislike China and hate South Korea," was placed among Japan's top 10 best sellers lastyear.
"Japan is becoming less tolerant of different cultures and divergent viewpoints," said theprofessor.
"National headaches such as the aging society and low birthrate, sluggish economy andFukushima nuclear crisis have catalyzed Japan 's eagerness to regain its self-confidence.Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's slogans like 'toward to a beautiful Japan' and 'making Japan ashining country in the world' have bridged the gap increasingly. "
"However, the Japan that Abe and his right-wing fellows want to bring back is the DaiNippon, or the Empire of Japan, and what they are doing initially is trying to justify thecountry's past actions. It is totally wrong," Inoue pointed out.
He said the prime minister is planning to invalidate the "Kono Statement," which offers anofficial apology to "comfort women" -- a euphemism used in this case for the victims ofJapan's wartime sexual slavery system as it has, according to some ultra nationalistfactions, sullied Japan's reputation.
The professor noted that such backtracking on irrefutable historical facts has affected thedirection of young history researchers' studies in Japan, as they thought subjects like theNanjing Massacre could not provide them with a better opportunity to be promoted interms of their future career and academic achievements.
"Only a small number of researchers are working on the issue," he said.
A recent Xinhua interview outside Shibuya Station, a popular downtown shopping districtin Tokyo, revealed how ordinary Japanese look at the Nanjing Massacre.
When asked whether or not they know anything about the Nanjing Massacre recently,many avoided answering the question and the majority of respondents said they simplyjust didn't know.
"When I looked into references about the Nanjing Massacre, I found that a lot of historicalmaterials say the incident never happened, but we Japanese have been described 'cruel'due to the incident," said a college student in his 20s majoring in history, requesting hisname be withheld.
"There is a predominant viewpoint that leans toward believing the Nanjing massacrepossibly never occurred. So, I think those who claim the incident happened and thereforeinsist Japanese are cruel are ignorant and I think they should research more carefully andexpress their thoughts once they're better informed," he said.
"Schools should have greater responsibility to deliver real, unadulterated historicaleducation," Inoue emphasized.
"The biggest problem is that Japanese younger generation has little access to this period ofhistory, especially to the Nanjing Massacre, and the lack of related common sense makesthe youngsters credulous of the right-wing propaganda as they could find no reason orfacts to refute it."
He said, in Japan, there are two factions that question the Nanjing Massacre, -- one groupthat blatantly denies the existence of the mass-carnage without any study of it and theother questions the official number of victims after insufficient studies.
"It is difficult to verify the exact number of victims, but whatever it is, the incontestablefact is that the Japanese Imperial Army conducted the mass-slaughter in Nanjing, killingcaptured and innocent civilians indiscriminately and raping numerous women," said theprofessor.
"Massacres were not only limited to Nanjing, but also happened in other parts of Chinaoccupied by Japanese troops," he added.
Compared with European countries that legally ban speeches denying or justifying theNazi's wartime wrongdoings, Inoue said that implementing legal measures could be thefirst step for Japan to face up to its past villainy.
In this regard, he said, the more pressing issue is to cultivate a social consciousness thatrespects real, verifiable history and stands against those who refute the country's warcrimes only as a means to revive the Empire of Japan.
"Japan has to admit the historical facts, as other countries like Germany has done. Youlook at the historical facts, the massacre is undeniable, its simply a fact, albeit a trulyregrettable and disturbing one," said the professor.
He stressed that enhancing mutual understanding at both official and civil levels is key toimproving strained relations between Japan and China.
