Tag: History Problem

  • Fukuyama Takes on Japanese Nationalism, His Translator, and the U.S.–Japan Alliance

    Francis Fukuyama, the U.S.-born political scientist who made his name by declaring another discipline, history, to be so over in End of History and the Last Man, does not work much with Japanese issues, despite what some people assume based on his name. But he learned something about establishment Japanese nationalism when he had The…

  • Abe's 'Comfort Women' denial: U.S. reaction, a victim speaks, and classifieds

    Just joining us? See this entry and this follow-up. New developments: U.S. Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte would not comment on Abe’s specific words, but AP reports: “Our view is that what happened during the war was most deplorable,” he said when asked about the sex slave issue. “But … as far as some…

  • Abe Rescinds Support for 1993 Comfort Women Statement

    In the politics of 20th century East Asian history, the Japanese wartime practice of using women as sex slaves under the putrid euphemism “comfort women” is comparable only to the Nanjing Massacre and the Yasukuni Shrine in its prominence. In 1993, Japan’s chief cabinet secretary, Kono Yohei, acknowledged that “comfort stations” had existed and that…

  • Is the Nuclear Unity Hiding Ongoing Friction?

    Dozens of reporters are working the North Korean nuclear test story. Dozens more, some on double duty, are covering Abe Shinzo’s tour through China and South Korea. I won’t try to duplicate or aggregate their work, but some of the key links appear at right in my Google Reader feed. But there’s something going on…

  • On the NYT Editorial Page, a Swing and a Miss

    The New York Times today took a whack at what Abe Shinzo should do as the new prime minister of Japan. The editorial is both reasonable and unambitious in urging Abe to work toward better relations with China and other nearby states. It ends: Japan has a great deal to be proud of, including an…