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kristopher

(29,798 posts)
Sat Jun 21, 2014, 04:03 AM Jun 2014

Testimony of Class-A war criminals shows folly of leaving things solely to politicians

Testimony of Class-A war criminals shows folly of leaving things solely to politicians
June 20, 2014
By ASAKO HANAFUSA/ Staff Writer

A group of people concerned about the Abe administration's rush to radically change the nation's security policy is promoting a DVD that contains the testimonies of four Class-A war criminals to illustrate the dangers of allowing political leaders to ignore public opinion.

Although the four war criminals bear some of the responsibility for leading Japan on a path that led to World War II, in their testimonies some appear to blame the Japanese people for the terrible destruction that rained down on the nation.

The source of the material contained in the DVD is a radio program that was broadcast in April 1956. The program ran for about 30 minutes and contained the testimonies of four Class-A war criminals who were each given life sentences, but were pardoned by the Diet in 1953.

..."The government creates a hypothetical enemy and says, 'We will fight to protect the lives and lifestyles of the people,' " said the 93-year-old Mizuno, who is concerned about Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's plan to change the government interpretation of the Constitution to allow for the exercise of the right to collective self-defense. "We are no longer in the postwar era, but have returned to the prewar era."

Interviewed by Mizuno, the four Class-A war criminals were Kingoro Hashimoto, an Imperial Japanese Army colonel; Okinori Kaya, finance minister under Prime Minister Hideki Tojo when the decision was made to go to war with the United States; Sadao Araki, an Imperial Japanese Army general who also served as war minister; and Teiichi Suzuki, who headed the Cabinet Planning Board that was responsible for mobilizing resources for Japan's war effort, and was in attendance at the meeting with Emperor Hirohito when the decision was made to wage war on the United States.

Tojo was one of seven Class-A war criminals who were hanged...

http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/politics/AJ201406200074
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Testimony of Class-A war criminals shows folly of leaving things solely to politicians (Original Post) kristopher Jun 2014 OP
Wow! Thank you for posting this. cntrygrl Jun 2014 #1
I personally think that Japan's 'Peace Constitution' is one of ... kristopher Jun 2014 #2

kristopher

(29,798 posts)
2. I personally think that Japan's 'Peace Constitution' is one of ...
Sat Jun 21, 2014, 03:29 PM
Jun 2014

... the most wonderful, noble and craziest creations of modern civilization. It breaks my heart to see what is happening there.

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