A notorious thesis, which distorts history and prettify aggression has been a "hot spot" of attention for Japanese media over recent weeks. There are two causes involved: First, the essay was written by Toshio Tamogami, the chief of staff of Japan's Air Self-Defense Force, which is equivalent to the rank of "airforce commander". Secondly, this former "airforce commander" not only rejects media criticism but reproaches media with much arrogance as "making a fuss over a trifle".
The incident occurred in late October. Air Self-Defense Force Chief of Staff General Toshio Tamogami released online an essay entitled "Was Japan an Aggressor Nation?" He claimed in it "our country is said to have invaded the Chinese mainland and the Korean peninsular in the prewar period" on "the basis of treaties" and that "Japan was ensnared in a trap that was very carefully laid by the United States in order to draw it into a war", etc. Then, Tamogami was dismissed on October 31st, hours after publishing the essay about Japan's wartime past, and his dismissal, nevertheless, has drawn a wide-ranging media response and endorsement.
Several days ago, the ousted general appeared before the national Diet and defended his justification of Japan's war crimes during World War II, openly referring the statement made by former Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama on August 15, 1995, which had acknowledged and apologized for Japan's wrongdoing in the WWII, as a tool for the suppression of speech. Meanwhile, he asserted that his essay did not have any error with its content.
In his capacity as a high-ranking military officer at his post, noted Japanese media commentaries afterwards, he impaired or tarnished the image of Japan's Self-Defense Force, and it is really deplorable or regretful.
Through inquiry at the Diet hearing, general public in Japan has been further acquainted with backgrounds about how this ex-Air Self-Defense Force Chief of Staff won a writing competition organized by a hotel and condominium developer. Moreover, this former "airforce commander" has not only partook in the collection of essays, but urged more than 90 airforrce officers and men from the Air Self-Defense Force Staff headquarters to contribute or submit essays.
In response to inquiries from Diet people, this former "airforce commander" said: If one does not consider Japan a good nation, he or she will not exert his utmost for the country and, if one does not have a correct outlook on his home country and its history, he or she is not able to safeguard it. In other words, distorting history and prettify aggression is aimed precisely to raise the officers and men's "sense of pride in the country's history" and boost their morale.
Then, how scholars and media institutions in Japan appraise this awarded essay of Tamogami's? A University of Japan lecturer said the thesis was unqualified for publication as an essay. As the top "airforce commander" of Japan, he has voiced discontent and complaints with policy principles and views of his government to the dismay of general public in the country.
Asahi Shimbun，a very influential newspaper in Japan, in an article queried how upcoming historians of later age will look at the year 2008, during which Toshio Tamogami published online an infamy essay, and if Japan is still able to resist the restaging of its history. These questions have been placed right before the people in Japan, the newspaper acknowledged.
The essay of this former "airforce commander" would intend to add honor and do credit to Japan, but it has, as a matter of fact, been turned into the teaching materials by negative experience, which is even too bashful for Japan's right-wing forces to draw reference from, and Tamogami himself too serves as a teacher by a negative example, who has fallen into upper disrepute and sounded the alarm to people at large.
By People's Daily Online, and its author is PD resident reporter in Japan Yu Qing
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