It is the big failure of Japan diplomatically and culturally that it refuses to really accept its behaviour in the 1st half of the last century. Which is also shooting itself in the foot here as it gives easy propaganda to the regime in China and alienates its other neighbours such as your country. Despite the crushing defeat in WWII a sizeable proportion of their culture still seems in denial and unwilling to admit what Japan did during that period.
I also find it disturbing that some of their politicians try and present themselves as victims because of the two nuclear weapons used against them. Despite the fact that more 'conventional' US bombing raids were even more devastating. Suspect this is to try and draw attention away from Japanese war crimes.
To be fair to Japan they wouldn't have been allowed to send forces overseas in the Korean war and given how recent 1945 was at the time I suspect they wouldn't have been welcomed then as many of any soldiers sent would probably have seen service in WWII. Unfortunately Japan wasn't purged of its war criminals to the degree that Germany was nor reallyt forced to face up to their past. As people with experiences of WWII disappear and with the mis-information that passes for Japanese history of WWII I fear its only going to get worse. Especially since with China growing more expansionist and militant its likely that Japan, for all its demographic problems is going to have to rearm and there is the danger that militaristic elements will use that as a path to regain prominence inside Japan. Doubt they will be going on any imperialistic wave of expansion but you could see Japan further isolating itself from its neighbours as a result.
60
@cassert
It is the big failure of Japan diplomatically and culturally that it refuses to really accept its behaviour in the 1st half of the last century. Which is also shooting itself in the foot here as it gives easy propaganda to the regime in China and alienates its other neighbours such as your country. Despite the crushing defeat in WWII a sizeable proportion of their culture still seems in denial and unwilling to admit what Japan did during that period.
I also find it disturbing that some of their politicians try and present themselves as victims because of the two nuclear weapons used against them. Despite the fact that more 'conventional' US bombing raids were even more devastating. Suspect this is to try and draw attention away from Japanese war crimes.
To be fair to Japan they wouldn't have been allowed to send forces overseas in the Korean war and given how recent 1945 was at the time I suspect they wouldn't have been welcomed then as many of any soldiers sent would probably have seen service in WWII. Unfortunately Japan wasn't purged of its war criminals to the degree that Germany was nor reallyt forced to face up to their past. As people with experiences of WWII disappear and with the mis-information that passes for Japanese history of WWII I fear its only going to get worse. Especially since with China growing more expansionist and militant its likely that Japan, for all its demographic problems is going to have to rearm and there is the danger that militaristic elements will use that as a path to regain prominence inside Japan. Doubt they will be going on any imperialistic wave of expansion but you could see Japan further isolating itself from its neighbours as a result.