The Asian Wall Street Journal
Letters to the Editor
November 26-27, 1999
James Irwin in his book review of “John Rabe, The Good Man of Nanking” (Personal Journal, Nov. 12) writes, “…the Japanese government will not admit to the atrocities of the Nanking Massacre.” This is pure hogwash. If Mr. Irwin takes the time to read in Japanese a Ministry of Education approved high school history textbook used in schools in Japan, he will find that the Nanking Massacre is clearly mentioned.
If this isn’t enough of an admission, Mr. Irwin should also note that recently a statement was issued by a Japanese district court admitting that there was a massacre in Nanking. The average educated Japanese is aware of this historical fact and is also cognizant of the burdens of history which the people will have to bear.
I for one await with much anticipation the day when the U.S. government admits that the indiscriminate firebombings of Tokyo and the nuclear attacks on civilians during WWII were clear violations of international law and atrocities. I lived in the U.S. for a long period but at that time I never encountered an educated American who would admit to the fact that what the U.S. did in the name of justice was simply an atrocity that surpasses the scale and level of Nanking.
Ko Unoki
Senior Fellow
The 21st Century Public Policy Institute
Tokyo
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