Japan’s Historical Idiocy and Moral Depravity

I refer to the utterly controversial and extremely immoral remarks reportedly made by Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto with regard to the comfort women.

I overwhelmingly concur with the statement of Attorney Harry L. Roque, Jr. that:

“The Philippine government should formally lodge a diplomatic protest with the Japanese government against the statement by Osaka Mayor Toru Hashimoto that the so-called “comfort women” of WWII served a “necessary” role by keeping troops in check. According to this obviously insane Mayor, “soldiers living with the daily threat of death needed some way to let off steam which was provided by the comfort women system”. There are at least 200,000 women who were made to serve in these comfort stations in Korea, China and the Philippines.”

I condemn to the highest degree possible the utterly barbaric and extreme inhumanity of that Osaka Mayor.

I do not know whether that bastard Mayor is a maniac or a pervert or a psychopath, but one thing is for sure, that creature has a tremendous mental disorder; albeit a mental disorder of the of the worst kind.

Since it when that sexual assault and battery has been a “necessary role” for women? Is he himself a sexual predator?

I’m inclined to ask: is that the same thing he is doing to his wife? Does his mother were also violated sexually and brutally by his father? Will he allow his son-in-law to degrade his own daughter?

Indeed, the “obviously insane” Mayor’s bastardized claim that the comfort women system which was institutionalized by the invading Japanese military is a necessary part of maintaining the well-being of Japanese soldiers is not only preposterous but undeniably the heights of both arrogance and inhumanity.

For the record, said brutal practice was also sanctioned by the leadership of the Japanese Imperial Army.

As one campaigner directly retorted: “How can you justify rape, molestation and sexual abuse as a necessary act? Rape and sexual slavery are heinous crimes.” Undoubtedly, what Japan did during World War II is a crime against humanity!

SHAME ON THEM!!!

It is on this great sense that I also agree with the Department of Foreign Affair’s (DFA) reminder to the Japanese officials “to be careful in commenting about comfort women as the issue of wartime sexual abuse continues to rankle in the Philippines.”

If I may just add, not only here that this sensitive, utterly hurtful and incontestably painful issue continues to rankle but also to China and South Korea. To cite just one specific example of Japan’s barbarity and monstrosity: Who would ever forget the 1937 Rape of Nanking?

DFA spokesperson Assistant Secretary Raul Hernandez said that:

“The Philippine government has always urged Japanese authorities to be more circumspect in their public statements relating to this issue as they strike at the core of the feelings and sensitivities of those who experienced great suffering during World War 2…”

I also agree with the said spokesperson in reminding Japan to adhere to the “language and tone of apologies from Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yohei Kono in 1993 and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi” in 2002.

Hence, base on these precedents, the statement of that sexist and barbaric Mayor is “a grave affront to the honor and dignity” of all those women in Asia that their military had abused physically and violated sexually.

Indeed, “the statement is crass, obscene, and is an attempt to justify a criminal act under international law. Specifically, rape and all forms of degrading and humiliating treatment committed in the context of an armed conflict -have always been illegal under oath customary international law and under the Geneva Conventions. Moreover, since it was publicly made by an elected agent of the Japanese state, the statement is an official pronouncement of the state Japan nonetheless, pursuant to the Articles of State responsibility. These articles codified in the form of a United Nation General Assembly resolutions; provides that all acts and /or statements by state organs may give rise to attribution to the state.”

I call upon Prime Minister Abe to castigate that stupid and criminal Mayor and denounce him in public.

I also call upon the Japanese people to publicly condemn that bastard Mayor and pressure their government (in order for their PM to act accordingly) to punish him!

If not, then the categorical denunciation of Professor Walden Bello against these two idiots and so as the Japanese people would be absolutely true.

Here’s what the good professor have stated:

Mayor Hashimoto of Osaka says it was necessary and fine for Japanese troops to have comfort women during the Second World War. This is what happens when you coddle fascists, do not internalize and institutionalize war guilt, and abort genuine democratic reform. Hashimoto and his fellow traveler Prime Minister Abe are a menace to the Asia Pacific region and should be denounced for what they are: people who believe Japan’s cause and atrocities during the Second World War were right and just. That the Japanese people elected these guys to power speaks volumes about where they are headed today.

Sad but true!

Below is an article that I’ve written with regard to the same subject, dated October 21st of last year:

“Japan’s Moral Responsibility with regard to their Extreme Heinous Historical crimes”

I refer to the international news which pertains to South Korea’s sharp demand to Japan to compensate their ‘comfort women’. This concerns the unceasing plight and continuing fight of those sexually enslaved and sadistically abused women with regard to their persistent struggle for justice, acknowledgement and due compensation!

This piece is in solidarity to their worthy cause and legitimate demand for apology!

I implore and beseech them to keep the flames of the crusade alive!

The struggle of these women does not simply entail financial or monetary compensation. That is just a tiny link in this whole series of chain of events.

To put this matter in its proper historical perspective, this continuing battle primordially centers on a demand for justice and due recognition.

Japan cannot evade historical responsibility neither can it deny complicity to all these horrible and supra horrendous dehumanization and blatant exploitation in such an organized, large-scale and systematic manner.

It is but just and moral for the Japanese government to accept the truth, admit the massive havoc that they wreaked and their incomparable barbarism, bear the responsibility, sincerely apologize to all those ‘comfort women’ and finally to pay for damages and/or allocate a corresponding compensation.

The Japanese people and its government cannot forever live in lies, denial, evasion and worst; historical falsification!

This is in-line with the precise analysis of the director of Asian studies at Temple University of Tokyo, Jeff Kingston:

“Historical grievances in Korea do not depend on who is in charge in Japan. They simmer on and on until every once in a while they boil over.

Tokyo is living in a dream world if it believes that these matters are resolved and not worth addressing.”

They must do the right thing and that is to sincerely apologize, openly confess and unequivocally admit all responsibility for their war time animality, barbarity, inhumanity and atrocity!

As lucidly reported by the Guardian, “Anger of wartime sex slaves haunts Japan and South Korea”, October 18th, by Justin McCurry:

Earlier this week, South Korea repeated its demand that Japan acknowledge its use of former sex slaves and compensate them.

“Japan’s legal responsibility has not been settled,” the country’s deputy chief envoy to the UN, Shin Dong-ik, told a UN committee. “Those acts were a crime against humanity.”

Until such time that the Japanese government and so as its people is not doing the right thing, the just decision and the honorable thing to do — them they will never ever wash their historical crimes and they will forever be haunted and hounded by the dark ghosts of the bloody past!

Their future will never be glorious or triumphant!

To all ‘comfort women’ from Korea, China, the Philippines and other countries; I admonish you all to keep up the faith, continue the struggle and never ever give up for your heavenly cause to exact justice and demand due recognition!

I applaud you all for your unwavering resolve!

Now, whether Japan admit its sins or not, issue the sincere and true apology or not is already beyond the domain of this historical case of exceptional importance.

For all intents and purposes, this quest has already assumed its central aim; because this struggle is a struggle for humanity and dignity. This is a noble crusade in reclaiming their honor.

May I remind the Japanese authorities that there is no Statute of Limitations for Crimes Against Humanity and that Command Responsibility is an accepted principle by international and local jurisprudence.

The Japanese government with a quiet acquiescence and partial conspiracy with its people may deny, even lie; but fear not, because history is neither blind nor myopic. There is no iota of doubt that the international community of nations, reason and history herself is on your side.

I am so certain about this and there is no doubt whatsoever in my mind.

We will win in the end, because the truth can never ever be defeated — even by a thousand lies…

In the immortal words of Emile Zola:

If you deny the truth and bury it underground; it will but grow and gather to itself such explosive power that the day it burst through, it will destroy everything on its way!

Japan and its people must do the right thing and that is admitting their grave sins and horrible crimes against Humanity, specifically the women of Asia, instead of justifying these war crimes, the Japanese government publicly apologize for this systematic criminal act and pay reparations to their victims.”

Jose Mario Dolor De Vega

Philosophy lecturer
Polytechnic University of the Philippines
Far Eastern University