昨天的OTTAWA CITIZEN 第A13版上登了一篇日本驻加使馆外交官写的文章，标题为Japan doesn't forget，看完全文，只有一个感觉：无耻！
全文如下：
Andrew Cohen’s assertion of Japan’s “amnesia” in these pages recently (“The Republic of Amnesia,” June 28) is based on a selective citing of facts.
As Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi announced in his speech at the Asian-African Summit in April 2005, “Japan squarely faces” the facts of history in which “Japan, through its colonial rule and aggression, caused tremendous damage and suffering to the people of many countries, particularly to those of Asian nations,” and “with feelings of deep remorse and heartfelt apology always engraved in mind, Japan has resolutely maintained, consistently since the end of World WarⅡ, never turning into a military power but an economic power, its principle of resolving all matters by peaceful means, without recourse to use of force.”
Japan has dedicated itself to international peace and prosperity. It has mobilized all of the resources made available by adhering to a strictly defensive security policy, to help prevent escalation of international conflict and to contribute 20 per cent of the world’s total development assistance for the last decade.
Thus it is through deeds, not just in words, that Japan has, for the past 60 years, lived up to the pledge referred to by Prime Minister Koizumi.
As for the issue of history textbooks mentioned by Mr. Cohen, it should be noted that Japan, unlike other countries, has a diverse range of textbooks that are written and compiled by the private sector. While the government of Japan checks textbooks to ensure a certain level of academic objectivity and accuracy, the textbooks are in no way meant to reflect any specific government perspective on history.
In accordance with the guidelines produced by the educational authority, al of out textbooks teach how the war started and the enormous loss of life and tragedy caused to all human beings by the war, focusing attention o relations with Asian countries.
Japan humbly acknowledges that, in 1937, many Chinese non-combatants were killed or plundered in Nanjing(Nanking). Though the actual number of victims of the Japanese army’s actions remains subject to debate, all 26 textbooks authorized for history classes in junior-high and high schools describe the “Nanjing incident ” or the “Nanjing massacre.”
Regarding the visit to the Yasukuni shrine, Prime Minister Koizumi has repeatedly stated that his visit is based on his desire to sincerely mourn all those who lost their lives in the War, shoes ultimate sacrifice laid the foundation of Japan’ s peace and prosperity, and to reinforced our vow never to repeat the tragedy of war.
His visit to Yasukuni shrine is by no means meant to glorify militarism.
Furthermore, it is not appropriate to draw a simple comparison between Japan and Germany. The postwar East-West division of Germany made it impossible for Germany as a whole to conclude a peace treaty and offer reparations at the bilateral level.
Thus the German government offered compensation to Nazi victims on its own.
Japan, for its part, has sincerely dealt with the issue of compensation for war victims and their claims for lost properties according to the San Francisco Peace Treaty and other bilateral agreements. It has squarely faced up to its past and expressed its deep remorse and heartfelt apology.
To dismiss all this as “amnesia” dose gross injustice to Japan’s efforts for reconciliation with its neighbours over the past 60 years.
全文如下：
Andrew Cohen’s assertion of Japan’s “amnesia” in these pages recently (“The Republic of Amnesia,” June 28) is based on a selective citing of facts.
As Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi announced in his speech at the Asian-African Summit in April 2005, “Japan squarely faces” the facts of history in which “Japan, through its colonial rule and aggression, caused tremendous damage and suffering to the people of many countries, particularly to those of Asian nations,” and “with feelings of deep remorse and heartfelt apology always engraved in mind, Japan has resolutely maintained, consistently since the end of World WarⅡ, never turning into a military power but an economic power, its principle of resolving all matters by peaceful means, without recourse to use of force.”
Japan has dedicated itself to international peace and prosperity. It has mobilized all of the resources made available by adhering to a strictly defensive security policy, to help prevent escalation of international conflict and to contribute 20 per cent of the world’s total development assistance for the last decade.
Thus it is through deeds, not just in words, that Japan has, for the past 60 years, lived up to the pledge referred to by Prime Minister Koizumi.
As for the issue of history textbooks mentioned by Mr. Cohen, it should be noted that Japan, unlike other countries, has a diverse range of textbooks that are written and compiled by the private sector. While the government of Japan checks textbooks to ensure a certain level of academic objectivity and accuracy, the textbooks are in no way meant to reflect any specific government perspective on history.
In accordance with the guidelines produced by the educational authority, al of out textbooks teach how the war started and the enormous loss of life and tragedy caused to all human beings by the war, focusing attention o relations with Asian countries.
Japan humbly acknowledges that, in 1937, many Chinese non-combatants were killed or plundered in Nanjing(Nanking). Though the actual number of victims of the Japanese army’s actions remains subject to debate, all 26 textbooks authorized for history classes in junior-high and high schools describe the “Nanjing incident ” or the “Nanjing massacre.”
Regarding the visit to the Yasukuni shrine, Prime Minister Koizumi has repeatedly stated that his visit is based on his desire to sincerely mourn all those who lost their lives in the War, shoes ultimate sacrifice laid the foundation of Japan’ s peace and prosperity, and to reinforced our vow never to repeat the tragedy of war.
His visit to Yasukuni shrine is by no means meant to glorify militarism.
Furthermore, it is not appropriate to draw a simple comparison between Japan and Germany. The postwar East-West division of Germany made it impossible for Germany as a whole to conclude a peace treaty and offer reparations at the bilateral level.
Thus the German government offered compensation to Nazi victims on its own.
Japan, for its part, has sincerely dealt with the issue of compensation for war victims and their claims for lost properties according to the San Francisco Peace Treaty and other bilateral agreements. It has squarely faced up to its past and expressed its deep remorse and heartfelt apology.
To dismiss all this as “amnesia” dose gross injustice to Japan’s efforts for reconciliation with its neighbours over the past 60 years.
