Abe's remarks show his dangerous historical view

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Abe's remarks show his dangerous historical view
Akahata editorial

Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe Shinzo emerged victorious in the Liberal Democratic Party presidential election for which the campaign will start on September 8.

It is important to note that Abe is outspoken in making "hawkish" remarks such as, "I will exercise leadership in order to place the establishment of a new constitution on the political agenda."

Repeated 'hawkish' statements

Here are some of his remarks:

"Citizens like us, who were born after the war, must seriously take part in nation building" (August 12 in Shimonoseki City, his constituency);

"We have to be enthusiastic in creating a new Constitution by ourselves. The Official Residence of the Prime Minister will need an organization like the U.S. National Security Council (to strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance)" (August 22, in Yokohama City).

In his remarks in preparation for the LDP presidential election, Abe has repeatedly expressed his strong intention to set out to adversely revise the Constitution and the Fundamental Law of Education as well as to strengthen the Japan-U.S. alliance.

As shown by Prime Minister Koizumi Jun'ichiro's repeated visits to Yasukuni Shrine, the overseas deployment of the Self-Defense Forces, and the LDP's draft of a new constitution, the Koizumi Cabinet in the last five years has been persistent in justifying its support for the war of aggression and implementing policies precisely at the beck and call of the U.S. and business circles. However, it has been unable to have the national referendum bill for a constitutional revision and the bill to revise the Fundamental Law of Education enacted. These bills will be carried over to the next Diet session.

Abe's remarks expressing his intention to put the constitutional revision on the political agenda indicate that he is intent on inheriting the Koizumi policies in accelerating the process for the enactment of the national referendum bill and the bill to revise the Fundamental Law of Education, and realizing a revision of the Constitution. While pretending to advocate the need to "build a nation by oneself," he is just trying to be subservient to the U.S. in pursuing a path to revise the Constitution in a more expedient manner.

Persistent advocate for Yasukuni visit

Abe has not stated whether he will visit Yasukuni Shrine after he becomes the prime minister. However, it has been revealed that Abe visited the shrine last April as the chief cabinet secretary. As he unhesitatingly stated in August 2001 that "it is important for a prime minister to visit Yasukuni Shrine every year without interruption," he is a staunch advocate of Yasukuni Shrine visits.

We cannot overlook the fact that the series of assertions by Abe on worshipping at Yasukuni Shrine is based on his peculiar historical view that glorifies Japan's war of aggression and denies the pledge Japan made internationally after World War II that it will never again wage wars. In the January 2005 issue of the LDP monthly "Jiyu-minshu" (Liberty and Democracy), he displayed much hostility toward the Constitution and the Fundamental Law of Education. By calling them the "remnants of the postwar occupation of Japan by the allied powers," he expressed firm opposition to them, which underlines his extraordinary historical view.

In his recently published book entitled, "Forward a Beautiful Country," Abe insists that "there is a misunderstanding about 'Class A War Criminals'; the constitutional preamble is like a deed of apology Japan submitted as a defeated country to the victorious Allied Powers; the 'masochistic view of history' must be purged from educational circles."

Distorted view of history will deepen Japan's isolation

Abe also argues in the same monthly magazine, "Revising the Fundamental Law of Education and the Constitution will put an end to the emotional (U.S.) occupation of Japan," denying the principles of postwar Japan and actually arguing that Japan is tasked to eliminate the "remnants" of the occupation influence. How can such an anachronistic view be accepted in today's world?

If Abe, an advocate of these anachronistic views, takes power, it will help reverse Japan's basic postwar policies again back into prewar and wartime politics. It will just make Japan more isolated in international society.

For an LDP president and a prime minister responsible for the nation's politics to maintain this sort of historical view is indeed dangerous. A government based on such historical views must be foiled.
- Akahata, August 25, 2006