History, nothing else

Japan has recently voiced regret over a statue recently unveiled in Manila symbolizing a comfort woman. Japanese Internal Affairs and Communications Minister Seiko Noda made her displeasure known to President Duterte last week. She stated to reporters that "It's regrettable for this kind of statue to suddenly appear." Duterte's reaction or comment was not made known. At least we do know he did not blow his top. The Palace has taken a "hands-off" stance on the statue, saying it is not a diplomatic issue.

I can understand the position of the Japanese. Nobody wants to be reminded of a dark past in history. But can anyone really deny what transpired in history? How many times have we heard the saying that "those who fail to learn from history are doomed to repeat it?"

In Chiyoda, Tokyo, lies Yasukuni Shrine, which commemorates those who died in service to Japan. Among the names listed are 1,068 convicted war criminals, including those considered as Class A war criminals. No Emperor of Japan has visited the shrine since 1975, since the inclusion of these war criminals in 1978. Several Prime Ministers of Japan have made visits to the shrine. Most noteworthy is Junichiro Koizumi, who made annual visits during his term. He was criticized by those who fell under Japanese occupation and suffered atrocities, particularly the Chinese.

I, for one, was surprised that a statue of a Japanese Kamikaze pilot was erected in Mabalacat, Pampanga, supposedly where the unit of the Kamikaze or "Divine Wind" was born. Japanese tourists visit the statue/shrine, particularly every October when the first Kamikaze squadron was formed. A torii gate was even erected, symbolizing a transition into holy ground for the Japanese. The statue of Lt. Yukio Seki, considered as the world's first Kamikaze pilot, was cast and paid for in Japan, then sent to the Philippines. Did the Philippine government formally protest or even block this? No. And to think it was erected on Philippine soil. It did get protests from comfort women and those who still remember Japanese brutality and atrocities in World War II.

Germany has no shortage of being reminded of its dark past under the dictator Adolf Hitler. The horrors of the holocaust are immortalized in several memorials all over the world. There are many documentaries on the holocaust that continue to inform those who still have no idea of what happened, and especially those who deny it did. Displaying the swastika is still forbidden in most of Europe. I remember when "Schindler's List" was first shown, there were those in Germany who could not finish the movie, while there were others who left in tears. On the other side of the spectrum, there were those who labeled the film as propaganda, even continually denying that the murder of six million Jews ever happened. I'm sure Germany would rather the world forgive and forget what happened in World War II, but again, that's history. There are those who can forgive and forget, there are those who cannot, and there are those who want to be reminded.