Japan. Shadows of the Past

Your Playlist:

Description

Is rightwing nationalism making a comeback in Japan? This program explores a militaristic revival among a minority of Japanese politicians, academics, and students - a minority that has nevertheless pushed its agenda beyond the realm of rhetoric. Examples include the recent upgrade of the Defense Agency to the status of full government ministry, with corresponding buildups in military technology, and a surge of young Japanese citizens interested in attending military academies and enlisting in the armed forces. More symbolic cases are examined as well, such as visits by two Japanese prime ministers to Tokyo's Yasukuni Shrine, where war criminals are among those consecrated; school policies that require students and instructors to stand and sing Japan's national anthem, with grave consequences for those who abstain; and revisionist school textbooks that downplay or even ignore atrocities such as the Nanking Massacre.