Oh "Bother", Where art thou

When it comes to the diplomatic minefield that is the Sino-Japanese relationship, there are a number of issues which are certain to raise ire, or which are certain to be raised whenever ire itself is raised.

Even among these issues - which include such niceties as the Nanking massacre, Chemical weapons being used against civilians, and more general purpose war crimes than any reasonable person can be expected to shake a stick at - one issues stands out as being particularly favored in the ire states, that of Yasukuni Jinja.

One Shrine, two sides

To Japan, Yasukuni Jinja is a shrine to the fallen and a reminder of the sorrow an dtragedy of human conflict. It houses memorials to two and a half people who died in wars stretching back over the last 140 years, and is visited annually by countless Japanese seeking to remember their lost ancestors and to pray that that mistakes of the past not be repeated.

Conversely, from China's perspective, it is nothing short of a monument to Japanese Imperialism and imperialists. Its existence is like salt poured on China's wounds, and the very idea that people might go there to pray for peace is an anathema to most Chinese nationalists.

One Shrine, one more controversy

Why the sudden interest, well, it would appear that Yasukuni Jinja is once again in the headlines.

According to press reports, Yasukuni may be on the verge of receiving a well known, not to mention controversial, visitor. One who intends to make a personal pilgrimage to worship within its walls. While it is nothing new for this particular shrine, having received patronage from everybody from the decedents of "less than auspicious" military figures and members of Japan's discredited nationalist minority, to former Prime minister Koizumi Junichiro, this latest visitor may be a little different. For a start, he isn't Japanese. Indeed, he is Chinese.

Guess who's coming to diner?

In a controversial move that has provoked levels of upset that are usually reserved for Japanese visitors, former Taiwanese Lee Teng-hui, currently in Japan as part of an 11 day tour, has announced he intends to make a pilgrimage to Yasukuni Jinja to offer prays to his elder brother whom was a killed in the Philippines in February 1945, and whom is among the almost 28,000 Taiwanese nationals that are spiritually or physically interned there.

When questioned about his decision to visit the controversial shrine, Lee iterated he felt that he was duty bound to honor his brother there, regardless of what others thought.

"My older brother is honored there, and in 60 years I haven't been once. If it was your big brother, what would your feelings be?"

Lee Teng-Hui

He, however, would not be drawn on the specifics of when his visit would occur.

"I have not set a time yet, but I have to see my big brother"

Lee Teng-Hui

Predictably, faced outrage in Beijing, both because of China's views over the former politician, considered by many to be the architect of modern Taiwanese independence, and because of China's views over the shrine itself

Ulterior Motives?

Although Lee's stated aim in visiting Yasukuni Jinja is to pay his respects to his brother, some observers have questioned whether he might have additional motives in doing so. In this light, it has been ventured that any pilgrimage that Lee makes may also form part of an attempt to gain Japanese support for Taiwanese independence, particularly from among Japan's discredited nationalist minority, whom often use Yasukuni Jinja as a symbol of their cause.

"The aim of Lee Teng-hui's visit to Japan is to push forward Taiwan independence and to undermine China-Japan relations"

Jiang Yu, spokesperson, Foreign Ministry, China

Lee has, on several occasions, been accused of trying to use shared episodes in Taiwanese-Japanese history in order to draw Japan in as a wedge between the disputed island and the Mainland, and of using their pre/post war relationship in order to recruit Japanese nationalists in support of Taiwanese independence. Including incidents in which he has made provocative statements regarding beneficial aspects of Japan's occupation of Chinese Taiwan (then known as Formosa) - work that Japan undertook to improve the island's education system, and to introduce modern agriculture and infrastructure - and incidents in which he has payed homage to notable individuals of the period who formed part of the Taiwanese-Japanese dynamic.

Among the causes of doubt over Lee's intent is the fact that his brother is no longer present in Japan, his essence having been relocated to Chihua Temple, Hsinchu County, Chinese-Taiwan, during the mid 1980s.

"There is no tablet, remains or any spirit of his brother at Yasukuni"

Hung Hsiu-chu, Legislator, KMT party, Chinese-Taiwan

General purpose criticism

As has become traditional, in addition to criticizing Lee, Chinese officials also leveled criticism at Tokyo for allowing him entrance to Japanese territory.

"We feel strongly dissatisfied with Japan for allowing Lee to visit the country"
 
Jiang Yu

Beijing has made similar complaints to Japan each time that Lee has visited, and have even gone so far as to demanded that his visa be revoked (during the period when Taiwanese required them to enter Japan). As with previous occasions, Japanese officials have denied Chinese demanded, loosing loosing Beijing much face in the process.

Support

While Lee has been criticized for his intention to visit Yasukuni Jinja - as a symbolic gesture or as part of wider political machinations - he has also won some support in from some circles, including those whom believe that this is personal and private matter for Lee, which should not be the subject of political interference or commentary, and from those whom believe that is is Lee's duty to make a pilgrimage to his brother's memorial site, regardless of where it is located.

As such, it has been voiced that any pilgrimage which Lee makes should be seen in the light of what he does while he is making it, not in the shadows of what other people might do/have done in relation to the shrine or in regards to other individuals/events remembered there which are inconsequential to the family bond between Lee and his brother.

Ancestral Traditions?

Although ancestral reverence and related traditions do not form as large a part of life as they once did, particularly in areas of China where communist ideological enforcement was strongest, the visiting of graves and the offering of prayers for/to departed family members remains an important custom in China, as well as in many other parts of Asia.

tags: yasukuni jinja  lee teng hui  lee tung hui  nanking  war crimes  politics  japan  china  taiwan  

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