7月8日、安倍首相が訪問した先のオーストラリア議会にてトニー・アボット首相が安倍首相を迎える演説を行った。 その中の一節が物議を呼んでいる。
“We admired the
skill and the sense of honour that they brought to their task although we
disagreed with what they did. Perhaps we grasped, even then, that with a change
of heart the fiercest of opponents could be the best of friends”
「我々は、彼ら日本軍の行為には反対したものの、彼らが任務遂行に際して示した技術と誇りを賞賛した。 恐らくは、あのようなときにおいても、最大の敵も心変われば最大の友人となりえることを、我々は理解したのであろう」
アボット首相のこのコメントに対し、オーストラリア内外から右からも左からも非難の声が上がっている。 左は放っておくとして、問題は右である。
ジャーナリズムに新風を吹き込んだものの43歳の若さでこの世を去った保守の英雄、アンドリュー・ブライトバートが立ち上げたニュースサイト、Breitbart
Newsにて、早速この発言をなじるコラムが掲載された。
記事を書いたJarrett
Stepmanはイの一番に中国の反応を挙げ、このように書いている。
「この発言は中国から即座に非難を浴びた。 中国外交部のホン・レイは言う。 『日本のファシストの侵略者は非常に残虐で、中国ならびに多くの国々に筆舌に尽くしがたい苦しみを与えた』と。 一体アボット首相は非道な日本軍によって虐待され惨殺された連合軍捕虜の苦しみを難だと思っているのか。 日本軍の酷さはナチス・ドイツの比ではなかった。 日本との友好は良いが、犠牲者の心証も配慮すべきだ」
英語圏の保守層に読まれているこのニュースサイトのこの記事のコメント欄には早速以下のような内容のコメントが並んだ。
女性を強制連行して性奴隷にし、それを慰安婦と呼ぶのがジャップの「栄誉」だ。 無抵抗で罪の無い非武装の男性、女性、子供を銃剣で突き殺すのがジャップの「スキル」だ。 奴らのPOW(戦争捕虜)の扱いの酷さは言語道断だ。 こんな奴らを褒めるアボットはバカだ。
『日本人は今はおとなしいふりをしているが、その実、やつらの数世代前は凶暴なサルだったのだ。 その凶暴なサルも我々が余計な情けをかけずに大都市を焼夷弾で焼き払い、広島・長崎をニュークして(原爆を落として)ようやっとおとなしくなったのだ。 中国の脅威があるから、奴らにもちょっとは武器を与えてやらねばならないが、奴らがもともとは理性というものを持たない獰猛なサルであることは忘れてはならない』
残念ながら、これがいまだにアメリカの保守の多くが抱く日本人像である。 それ以外では非常に開明的で正しいことを言うデニス・プレーガーやマーク・レビンといった人々も大方同じである。 それは非常に残念なことであると同時に我々の恥である。
彼らに対する恥ではない。 我々の先人に対する恥だと言っているのである。 彼らアメリカの保守は我々日本の保守と基本的な考え方を同じくする同志である。 彼らの精神性も行動も、同じアメリカ人のリベラルよりも、よほど我々に近いと考えて間違いない。
「来たときよりも、きれいにして帰りましょう」
どこかで聞いたような言葉ではないか。 アメリカ、ティーパーティーの集会ではこれが実践されている。 リベラルが賞賛した「占拠せよ!」運動はどうだったか。 ゴミは散らかすは、大小便は垂れ流すは、器物破壊はするは、まるでサルである(レイプも多発)。
私は彼らコメント主全員に対し、日本側の立場を正当化する主張を行った。 日米戦争に始まる連合国との戦争は日本が仕掛けたものではなく、スターリンの謀略によってアメリカが始めたものであったこと。 当時のアメリカ政府へのソ連の影響力の浸透は疑うべくもないこと。 日本が1930年代にいきなり中国を侵略したのではなく、日清・日露戦争にまで遡る権益の保護、そして共産主義の拡大防止という側面があったこと。 従軍慰安婦は連合国も利用したもので、強制ではなかったということ。 当時の日本軍の軍律は世界最高水準であり、日英同盟が締結されたのはまさにそれがきっかけであったこと。 日本軍が非道だったのではなく、戦争とは非情なビジネスであるということ。 一旦戦争が始まったら勝つために何でもアリなこと。 そのためには原爆もアリであり、日本は謝罪など求めておらず、我々も謝罪などする意思は一切ないこと。 今、我々は友人であり、ロシア、中国といった脅威に対して手を取り合って対抗していかなければならないこと。
時には単刀直入に事実をぶつけ、 時には歴史的背景を淡々と説明し、時には相手の懐に入り...
彼らも戦勝国の人間として、「そうだったんですか。 それは知りませんでした。 悪かったです」とは口が裂けても言わない。 こちらが「お前、議論に負けてるだろ。 素直に認めろ」と言っても絶対に認めない。 そこまではこちらも求めることは無い。 自国には自国の歴史がある。 自分は自国の歴史を守らなければならない。 それでよいのである。 8割がたの同意に到達すれば。
結果として、彼らコメント主の数名とは8割の合意に達することが出来た。 中には分からず屋もいる。 中には何も応えない者もいる。 恐らく彼らは今までこのような反応を受けたことがなかったはずであり、知らなかった、あるいは認めたくなかった事実を突きつけられ、逡巡したはずである。 彼らの言葉たらずな反応を見ればそれは一目瞭然である。
これは非常に大きな教訓である。 日本人が、日本の歴史の正当性を、全世界に向けて大声で主張すれば、我々の友人である保守派はそれを渋々ながらもキャッチするのである。 そして、私がブライトバートのコメント欄で交わしたようなやりとりを通じて、我々は友人を得ることが出来るのである。
今の我々の生活があるのは、ひとえに、先の大戦で体を張って戦った我々の先人のお陰である。 彼らと違って、我々は命をかける必要もなく、かすり傷一つ追うこともない。 せめて我々にできるのは彼らの築いた歴史を磨き上げることである。
以下、ブライトバートニュース上の論争である。 緑の部分が「8割の合意」である。
JR1984 •
5 days ago
There is no
"HONOR" in forcing women into prostitution, and calling them comfort
women. The is no "SKILL" required in bayoneting helpless and unarmed
men, women, and children. Leftist tend to lookover, and or ignore historical
atrocities they agree with. Nothing can justify how they treated the POW's from
the US, the UK, Australia, and anyone else they captured.
CBJapan > JR1984 • 5 days ago
You
gotta read this, pal. http://conservative.jugem.jp/?eid=409
CBJapan
• 5 days ago
I praise Mr.
Abbott for the comment as a Japanese. We have to get over the history and look
to the future. Dear fellow Australians. It is about time that you get over it.
You may not forget it. But, you can get over it, just as we got over Hirosihma
and Nagasaki. You can do it, and we will be friends.
John Gerhard > CBJapan • 5 days ago
That generation of Japanese DESERVED
Hiroshima and Nagasaki!! After what they did to China, Korea, the Philippines,
East Asia, Indonesia. Get over it??? Like we have to apologize for defending
ourselves after Pearl Harbor, the Bataan death march, tortures of helpless
prisoners and civilians, mass rape and murder?? Fire bombings were divine
justice, unlike your divine wind. Only because God is merciful, and Americans
are merciful, did any of those criminals survive. Every single Japanese supported the war once it got underway. There were no peace
marches in front of the emperor's palace. God literally rained fire from the
sky upon that evil generation. I do look to the future, and do not blame a
single Japanese citizen born after 1945 for any of the previous generations
horrific crimes. But the future is always attached to the past and present. You
must come to grips with the fact that you are the children and grandchildren of
mass murders and sadists. Better check the family tree and see what kind of
fruits are falling from the tree.
CBJapan > John Gerhard • 5 days ago
What
do you want me to do? Simply? What? Make clear EXACTLY what you guys want us to
do.
CBJapan > John Gerhard • 5 days ago
You
don't like "get over it"? Then, I would tell you "learn from
it". Here is what you have to learn. This is the true history. http://conservative.jugem.jp/?......
Mass murder? You gotta be kidding me. Have you ever ONCE criticized the real
mass killing by King Leopold II of Belgium killing 8 MILLIONS in Kongo?
John Gerhard > RegularRon • 5 days ago
Yeah, total honor: mass murder, sadistic medical experiments, attempted
extermination of the Chinese, enslavement of the Koreans, torture and torment
of POW's and civilians, racist fury to eliminate or enslave everyone not
Japanese. What the hell definition of 'honor' do you use?? Go talk to the Commies of the USSR
about atrocities, not us. In any case, the Germans got paid back in spades for
all they did in Europe and to the Jews. At least some Germans worked against
Hitler. How many Japs worked against the emperor.
Japan in WW2 didn't fight for something above them, they fought for
something below them: Satan and Hell itself. So God measured to them the
measure they gave to Asia: fire and destruction coming on the wings of the US
airforce. If it weren't for American mercy, Japan and Europe would still be a
burned out wreck like the old Soviet Union still is to this day. Honor my ass. Ain't tough to be holier
than Tojo and Hitler you fascist sycophant.
CBJapan > John Gerhard • 5 days ago
Hey
Pal. FDR REJECTED Jews who sought help. Tojo HELPED Jews. Read this here http://conservative.jugem.jp/?eid=403
CBJapan
• 5 days ago
Mr. Stepman. "Japan was worse than Nazi Germany"? Then, tell me please. What exactly did Australia do during Holocaust to
save Jews? If you are troubled in finding an
answer, please read this and find out what we Japan did to save the Jews during
that time when all the other nations turned their backs on the Jews. http://conservative.jugem.jp/?eid=403... Thank me very much for giving knowldge to everybody.
Jim Sweet > CBJapan • 5 days ago
"What
exactly did Australia do during Holocaust to save Jews?" - From literally
the other side of the planet? Dumb questions deserve no answers. Propagandists
like you deserve no respect.
CBJapan > Jim Sweet • 5 days ago
Oh
yeah? Japan saved Jews literally from the other side of the planet. And what
you said about Australia? You gotta read this one http://guides.naa.gov.au/safe-haven/chapter8/australian-responses.aspx....
"Australia's record leaves much to be desired"
CBJapan
• 5 days ago
Prime Minister
Abbott is conservtive. I am conservative. This is how conservatives become
friends by overcoming history.
tenndoug911
• 5 days ago
Freaking
politician needs to experience Japanese honor displayed during the Second World
War first hand. Treat him to the Japanese Bushido code of one who is captured
or surrenders and work/starve his sorry butt to death.
CBJapan > tenndoug911 • 5 days ago
Get the chip off your shoulder. You
never know what happend. Both sides suffered. Get over it. By the way, you now Allen West? He is a great conservative and
understands what Bushido means. http://www.amazon.com/Guardian-Republic-American-Journey-Freedom-ebook/dp/B00FO60EO2
Austexchili
• 5 days ago
The New Revisionism now states that it was the West, specifically, the
United States, who conducted a racist war against Japan (Listen to Tom Hanks'
statements regarding his show THE PACIFIC.) It also says that most of the
battles fought in the Pacific were un-neccesary, and the reason they were such
great bloodbaths was the American lack of understanding of Japanese culture.
And of course, don't get them started on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. (I do agree
that Pelilu was unneccesary, but Tarawa and Iwo Jima were not.) I lived in Japan for two years.
They can be the nicest, most polite people you ever want to meet. But they
thought then and they still do, that they are the master race. Plus, then (and
possibly still now) they were not teaching their kids about Nanking, the
Chinese slaughter in Singapore. The Death Railway, Bataan, etc.
CBJapan > Austexchili • 5 days ago
Pal,
I wrote this piece and you gotta read this and learn how the Nanjing Massacre
was a pure fake http://conservative.jugem.jp/?eid=403 No, our school teaches our kids about fake Nanjing story too much and I am
working on detoxicating them from the lies.
John Gerhard
• 5 days ago
They committed
mass murder!!!!!!! Rape, pillage, plunder, torture, sadistic medical
experiments, forced prostitution!! What honor and skill does barbarism
require??? For God's sake, man, get a grip!!
CBJapan > John Gerhard • 5 days ago
Hey hey hey, calm down, pal. I am the
Japanese that you are talking about. I wrote this wonderful piece and you gotta
read it. Forced Prostitution? http://conservative.jugem.jp/?eid=409 ...
You will be stunned.
dhd123 •
5 days ago
Anthony John
"Tony" Abbott is the 28th and current Prime Minister of Australia. He
has held the position since 2013, and has been the Leader of the Liberal Party
since 2009.
Born: November
4, 1957 (age 56), London, United Kingdom
Nothing to see
here, he is just another liberal history revisionist who was born after WW 2
CBJapan > dhd123 • 5 days ago
Wrong history needs to be
"revised". Here is the right history. http://conservative.jugem.jp/?eid=84 ... written by me. Thank me very much.
dhd123 > CBJapan • 5 days ago
Then
how come the Japanese government has admitted to the acts of killing of a large
number of non-combatants, looting, and other violence committed by the Imperial
Japanese Army after the fall of Nanking?
How
come Japanese veterans who served in Nanking at that time have confirmed that a
massacre took place?
A
small but vocal minority within both the Japanese government and society have
argued that the death toll was military in nature and that no such crimes ever
occurred. Denial of the massacre (and a divergent array of revisionist accounts
of the killings) has become a staple of Japanese nationalism
Your
illegitimate distortion of the historical record shows that you are a follower
of negationism.
Practical
examples of negationism (illegitimate historical revisionism) include Holocaust
denial.
CBJapan > dhd123 • 5 days ago
How
come our government admitted? Because they are sell-out. Japanese veterans
rejected it. Nobody saw it. What they saw was peace and tranquility. TELL ME
then. Why the fake photos? Why fake them, if that was what really happened? You
know what? It was fake.
CKAinRedStateUSA > CBJapan • 5 days ago
You
are a Holocaust denier. Your remarks are absurd, bordering on the deranged.
But
you do seem to fit the Japanese delusion that prevents a real apology ever
being given for the Nanking Massacre.
To
reply further is senseless. Good-bye.
CBJapan > CKAinRedStateUSA • 5 days ago
Holocaust denier? You don't know what
it is. I will educate you here. You are the one who denies it and here is why http://conservative.jugem.jp/?eid=123 ... .
chelmer > CBJapan • 5 days ago
only
on the internet Dude. Millions upon millions of people experienced Japanese
savagery personally, themselves, from China to the South Pacific. You are
trying to deny the collective experience of a third of the world's population.
Good luck with that.
CBJapan > chelmer • 3 days ago
Oh
yeah? Then, why is it that Asians like us?
chelmer > CBJapan
• 3 days ago
I happen to like the Japanese myself. But Japanese
depravity during WWII is not a matter for dispute. You're just reminding us
that Japanese re-entry militarily on the world stage--which I happen to regard
as inevitable and necessary--will probably come at a cost. But China has to be
contained, and without Japanese involvement, that will be impossible. The US
needs Japan more than Japan needs the US.
CBJapan > chelmer
• 2 days ago
Well, thank you for liking us and we came to 80% of
an agreement, which I would have to say good enough. I not only like America, I
also believe in American exceptionalism. America is the only countries in the
world that is based on ideals of life, liberty and pursuit of happiness.
And yes, it is not a matter of dispute.... that we
were the BEST in terms of military conduct during the war which has been
abundantly chronicled and which was EXACTLY why the Brittish Empire decided to
enter into an alliance with us in 1902, observing our superb actions in CHINA
(people don't change over night. We were the way we were in 1900s, 1910s,
1920s, 1930s and 1940s like the way we are in 2010s).
And yes, China is one of the biggest threat and we
have to destroy it. To do this, the US and Japan work together.