'Generous' San Francisco Treaty ? To whom? -- Akahata editorial, September 6, 2001

As the 50th anniversary of the signing of the San Francisco Peace Treaty approaches, moves are now under way to try to praise the treaty as a "generous peace."

A ceremony to express gratitude for "the 'generous peace' which has helped Japan's postwar development" will be held in Tokyo on September 8, attended by Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro.

The question is, for whom has the treaty been "generous" ? What has actually happened to the nation's course and the people?

War criminals reinstated

The Peace Treaty was supposed to legally end the war of aggression for which Japan was responsible and to help Japan become independent. The irony is that at the treaty's 50th anniversary, the Japanese government is severely criticized in Asia and the rest of the world for its failure to admit that its war of aggression was a mistake.

This is because the Peace Treaty and the Japan-U.S. Security Treaty, signed on the same day as a package, not only hindered Japan's independence but failed to make clear the responsibility for the war of aggression.

The term "generous peace" which is used by the government has been taken from a speech Yoshida Shigeru, Japan's prime minister at the time delivered to express Japan's acceptance of the treaty. In the speech, Yoshida praised the treaty as a "generous treaty." This speech was written in conformity with U.S. intentions, as is clear from the well-known episode that it was first drafted in English so as to allow the U.S. secretary of state to make changes.

The United States, which occupied Japan, wanted to form a military alliance with Japan, contrary to all expectations that Japan would become a neutral country. In order to do so, the United States rushed to conclude a treaty of peace with Japan and depurged war criminals held responsible for the war of aggression.

In no country other than Japan have Class-A war criminals of WW II made a comeback as prime minister or as leaders of various sectors.

The "generous peace" was intended to acquit war criminals of their responsibility for what they did in the war of aggression. It was a truly generous act for the war criminals.

In the peace conference, representatives of many Asian countries denounced the brutalities of Japan's war of aggression and the damage it caused, which stands to reason.

As a result of the treaty, the Japanese people have been forced to accept the U.S. Forces being stationed on their soil to this day. In addition, those who mobilized our loved ones to the war of aggression that took their lives were acquitted of all responsibility. How can this be praised as "generous" acts?

What we are clearly experiencing from day to day is proof of how this treaty has distorted Japan's postwar course.

Yasukuni Shrine visits by Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro and Liberal Democratic Party Dietmembers, and the government approval of a history textbook glorifying the war of aggression are now serious problems involving Japan and its neighboring countries. These are not unrelated to the mistake made at the new beginning fifty years ago.

Raising questions about Japan's failure to recognize the Nanjing Massacre and 'comfort women' as historical facts, the Chicago Tribune recently pointed out that the acquittal by the U.S. of Emperor Hirohito has led to evasive action in dealing with war responsibility. Note that this is an opinion arising in the United States. The question now is why the United States helped protect Japanese war criminals and allowed Japan to evade its responsibility for the last war of aggression.

To establish genuine peace and friendship

It is time to stop glossing over the mistake the U.S. imposed on Japan fifty years ago.

The Japanese people must rethink Japan's postwar politics, and establish truly peaceful and friendly relations with the peoples of Asia and the world. For the Japanese people to live peacefully in the 21st century, there is no other way than to take this course.

Let's take the 50th anniversary of the San Francisco Peace Treaty as an occasion to seriously examine this problem. (end)