The politics of war memory in Japan : progressive civil society groups and contestation of memory of the Asia-Pacific war / Kamila Szczepanska.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Szczepanska, Kamila, author.

Series:

Sheffield Centre for Japanese Studies/Routledge series ; 49.

Sheffield Centre for Japanese Studies/Routledge series ; 49

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

World War, 1939-1945--Social aspects--Japan.

World War, 1939-1945.

War and society--Japan--History--20th century.

War and society.

Collective memory--Japan.

Collective memory.

Nationalism and collective memory--Japan.

Nationalism and collective memory.

Civil society--Japan.

Civil society.

History.

Japan.

Physical Description:

xvi, 233 pages ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

Abingdon, Oxon ; New York : Routledge, 2014.

Summary:

"Since the 1990s, questions of Japanese wartime conduct, apologies for aggression, and compensation to former victims of the country's imperial policies, have been brought to the fore of national and regional politics. The state is undoubtedly the most important actor in the process of memory production and along with conservative legislators and the grass-root revisionist movement there has been a consistent failure to acknowledge responsibility for Japan's wartime past. However, to fully comprehend war memory in Japan, due attention must be paid to competing discourses that demand an alternative view, and only then can the true complexity of Japanese war memory and attitudes towards the legacies of the Asia-Pacific war be understood. The Politics of War Memory in Japan examines the involvement of five civil society actors in the struggle over remembering and addressing the wartime past in Japan today. In studying progressive war memory activists, it quickly becomes clear that the apologia by conservative politicians cannot be treated as representative of the opinion of the majority of the Japanese public. Indeed, this book seeks to remedy the disparity between studies devoted to the official level of addressing the 'history issue' and the grass-root historical revisionist movement on the one side, and progressive activism on the other. Furthermore, it contributes to scholarly debates on the state of civil society in Japan, challenging the characterisation of Japanese civil society as a depoliticised space by demonstrating a more contentious side of civil society activism"-- Provided by publisher.

Contents:

1 Introduction 1

Progressive war memory activism in Japan: what is already known and what more is there to find out? 2

The main topic of the book 8

Outline of the book 10

2 Performing the politics of (war) memory 13

The politics of (war) memory 14

Methods of articulation: how the politics of (war) memory is performed? 16

Methods of articulation: how do you advocate your cause? 17

Political advocacy 19

Social advocacy 21

Mass media advocacy 22

Transnational advocacy 25

How does advocacy matter to the politics of (war) memory? 27

Summary 27

3 The actors 31

Origins and organisational structure 31

In search of 'historical truth': Center for Research and Documentation on Japan's War Responsibility 31

The 'history issue' and classroom teaching: Children and Textbooks Japan Network 21 33

In search of redress and compensation: Violence Against Women in War Network Japan 34

Uncovering POW experiences: Prisoners of War Research Network Japan 36

Narratives and aims 36

Addressing the burden of responsibility towards victims: the JWRC 36

History education and Japan as a peace state: CTJN21 37

Dignity and justice denied: the 'comfort women' issue, VAWW NET JAPAN and WAM 40

Forgotten victims? Allied POWs and POWRNJ 41

Discussion 43

Internal organisation 43

Narratives and aims 44

Summary 47

4 How do you make your voice heard? Clarifying historical records and reaching out to the public 51

Clarifying historical records through research 52

Researching the past: uncovering historical evidence 52

Researching the past: uncovering historical evidence on Allied POWs in Japan 55

Disseminating information and views 57

Publishing activities 57

Organisation of information/educational events 58

Alternative sites of memory and commemoration practises 71

Discussion 76

Research activities 76

Dissemination of information 77

Summary 82

5 How do you make your voice heard? Engaging the mass media 87

Perceptions of the mass media 87

Examples of interactions with the mass media 90

Women's International War Crimes Tribunal and the NHK affair 90

The 2007 'comfort women' controversy 92

Textbook campaigns 92

The Asö Mining affair 94

New mass medium: the Internet 95

Discussion 97

Summary 100

6 How do you make your voice heard? Targeting national and local governments 104

The political environment in Japan and progressive war memory activism 104

Addressing the power holders at the national level: challenging conservative political elites 106

Contesting the 'comfort women' issue 106

Contesting the history education issue 112

Political advocacy in the Diet 113

Working towards comprehensive political solutions to the 'history issue' 113

Clarification of the POW Issue in Japan: the Asö Mining affair and its consequences 118

Grass-root advocacy and local initiatives 119

Local politics and civic activism 119

Grass-root political participation and the history education issue 120

'Written opinion' (ikensho) campaign on the 'comfor women' issue 121

Discussion 122

Evaluating activism at the national level 122

Evaluating activism at the local level 124

Summary 126

7 How do you make your voice heard? Transnational networking and co-operation with international institutions 131

Establishing transnational networks for change 131

Towards the creation of a common 'history consciousness' in East Asia: Forum on Historical Consciousness and Peace in East Asia 131

'Comfort Women' and Asian Solidarity Conference on the Issue of Military Sexual Slavery by Japan 140

The case of (lack of) transnational POW activism 143

Mobilising pressure from above: UN ativism 146

United Nations and civil society 146

UN and the 'comfort women' issue 148

Contribution to shaping the UN agenda on 'comfort women' 149

Discussion 152

The development and significance of transnational networking 152

The significance of activism at the UN level 158

Summary 160

8 Conclusion 165

The roles, methods and actors 165

How did the groups matter? 174

The ethics of responsibility vs the ethics of conviction 175

Where do we go from here? The prospects for the future under the new LDP-led administration 176.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780415707718

0415707714

OCLC:

864676668