Yasukuni: A Documentary Explores the Ethics of War Memory

War memory is a super touchy subject. When a country fights a war, and does things that are not very cool at all in the process, and then that country loses the war, do its people still have the right to worship the dead? A new documentary called Yasukuni explores this topic by documenting the extreme emotions that surround the controversial shrine in which ashes of Japan's war dead are kept. Some think it's okay to honor those who fought and died for the country; others think it's not cool at all to pay homage to those who caused suffering, shame, and death to countless civilians abroad.

The war in question is WW2. The ashes causing the controversy are those belonging to the higher-ups in the Imperial Army, including a couple who famously commanded the Nanking Massacre. The worshiper that brought the name Yasukuni to international fame was former prime minister Koizumi, who chose to make his annual visit to honor the dead despite cries of protest from pretty much everywhere in 2005.

On one hand, it makes me uncomfortable that the extreme right wing is still praising the emperor and glorifying Japan's might during the war. On the other hand, and as some of the interviewees in the documentary point out, isn't it okay for little sisters and daughters whose fathers died in battle to want to pray for their souls to rest in peace?

At the end of the day—and this is a topic I once really got into during grad school—it's all about victor's justice. If you lose the war, you lose the right to honor the defeated, because part of the price you pay for defeat is the admittance of guilt and shame. If you lose, then those who fought for your country are war criminals. If you win, they're heroes. This isn't as black and white as it once was now that the United Nations has institutions in place to try perpetrators of war whether they won or not. But the general rule, I think, still stands. Whoever won writes history until maybe, one day, another war is fought, the tables are turned, and history is rewritten again.

The movie is showing at the SF Int'l Asian American Film Fest this month. Buy tickets to Yasukuni here.

Comments

[Nobita]

A very very touch subject to be sure. As a Japanese who grew up in the US, not only did I get to see the point of view from the victors in school but I also got direct feedback from my grandparents that fought in the war. As a former POW captured by US GI's and later escaped, my grandfather did not have particularly nice things to say about them...

However, I have also been to Yasukuni and I have been to the museum as well. They do a good job portraying the war but at the same time, I couldn't help but feel a bit uncomfortable at some of the strong nationalistic feelings I got from the displays and some text. Kind of like how I felt in the US soon after 9/11 with the "if you don't support the president then you are unpatriotic" talk.

This argument will go on for a very very long time. Personally I feel that we should be allowed to honor the dead. They died for their country with pride just like the GI's did and even the Germans. We don't have to agree with what they stood for. But I don't think they should be forgotten either.

[stuz]

.. based on your conclusion would mean exactly what in regards to the vietnam memorial wall? As I recall it North won..

[obrian93]

An interesting puzzle, this. While I'm not big on celebrating war, I do feel it important to be able to honor family and friends.

Having never been, what is the shrine more strongly commemorate? Is it the might of the Nation itself, or the spirit of the people who served it?

Or, maybe a bit more likely, does it serve as a place for those who survived to go and honor the people they loved?