Maybe Article 9 wasn't the only mistake

[wombat_socho]

Apparently the Showa Emperor wasn't too keen on having Class A war criminals memorialized at Yasukuni Shrine, according to a 1988 memorandum written by one of his grand stewards. The article goes on to note that the Showa Emperor did not visit the shrine after the memorialization took place, although he had visited Yasukuni eight times since the end of the war. One wonders, if he had been able to express his opinion more openly as the titular Head of State, would the the controversial memorialization have taken place? It seems significant that it didn't happen while a relative of the Emperor was chief priest there.

Comments

[digex.livejournal.com]

if you know anything about how the japanese work, those
facts (assuming they are true) are a blazing flashing underlined
statement from the emperor - when you can not speak with
words you speak with actions (on inactions). especially in japan,
where you generally can not speak with words in an unlimited
and open sort of way. cool data that I had never heard of before.

doug

[kawaii-shoujo.livejournal.com]

Of course, this revelation will have no effect on Koizumi's determination to continue visiting the shrine. I hope the next prime minister will care more about relations with the rest of Asia.