From: TOGE@SLACVM.SLAC.STANFORD.EDU (Nobukazu Toge)
Newsgroups: soc.culture.japan
Subject: Re: On Japanese apologies
Date: 20 Aug 92 02:33:50 GMT
Organization: Stanford Linear Accelerator Center

Smittie -

If my understanding is correct, the diplomatic agreement that the Japanese
government established with ROK, ROC, PRC (and probably Malaysia)
governments is that those victim countries basically give up rights to
request compensations for the war-time damage; but instead the Japanese
offer certain economical assistance.

One reason for this was it was way too difficult to evaluate the extent
of damages done,whether economically or physically, to achieve  reasonable
1-to-1 compensations.  Another reason was when those Peace Treaties were
negotiated in '50-'60s Japan did not have enough economical strength to
pay in the full amount anyway. [Not the case, probably, with PRC when
the negotiations were made in early '70s.  However, then there were reasons
on the part of PRC to expedite the agreement, for their domestic and foreign
political maneuvering, I suspect.

In short the Japanese government got a bargain.  Hereafter, I understand
that the stance by the Japanese government is the case is basically
closed.  Done. Period.  Its standpoint is that it does not have to
open it anymore, 'cause it's been closed.  Hence, no "apologies", but
only "regrets".  A clever tactic, but it won't make one feel much
human warmth.... but that's their operational principle.

Another thing to point out  is  in '50-'60-'70s the politically dominant
in Japan was LDP which are basically conservative capitalists that fit
well within the framework of the U.S. side of the cold war.  They were
supported by the majority Japanese, because they are instrumental in
promoting economic recoverys after the war. They had (still have) a strong
support base in the rural agricutural areas (rice farmers), too, by
protecting the rice price and by continuing to build infrastructures there
(bridges, roads, railways, city-halls, et cetra).

One side effect is that many of the senior generation  LDPs  are decendants
from the pre-WWII (liberal-)conservatives that may not like ultra-rightist
militarism, but that do not like to seriously review the war-time actions
and how they were supported by their own elder-brother (or father) generation
politicians and bureaucrats.  If they do, that may risk their own founding
base, I suspect they feel.   What's bothersome, particularly to many in
other countries I believe, is that this mentality seems to be re-generated
within some younger LDP politicians.

Now why the Japanese voters won't dump LDP?  I guess the biggest reason
is a lack of alternatives.  Do we Japanese think that it's OK?  I don't
know about everyone but I think that many feel no it's not OK at all.
I should also say that it's not only the ruling party but also the huge
bureaucracy that the Japanese has managed to build up. Sometimes they are
so effective and efficient (e.g. MITI in some areas), but manytimes they
are so damn hard-nosed and plaguing.

So, IMHO the lack of sincerity by the Japanese government as observed
by other Asian nations are because of those domestic structures (or
mechanism or situation, what-ever), rather than the sheer lack of
sincerity per se [ok, it's a big contribution, too].  And I want to repeat
that many Japanese (all right, I don't have statistics) feel this is bad,
but are not quite sure how to nationally mature out of this.

* Nobu Toge (Using my account on my ex-employer Stanford Linear Accelerator
* Center.  My former (SLAC) and present (Nat'l Lab for High Energy Physics)
* employers are not responsible for this posting.  My opinion is only mine
* unless shared by someone else.