Is this a problem that only K-pop band BTS should apologize for? The bottom line of a recent article in The Guardian titled “BTS should apologize to Japan and Nazi victims, says rabbi” was that many Japanese and Germans were reminded of past torments by the group’s attire, including the A-bomb design on a T-shirt worn by one of its members.
The interviewee in the article said an official apology of the band’s agency was required.
A couple of days ago, Big Hit Entertainment (the manager of BTS) issued an official statement that the group had no intention of hurting those who suffered from the atomic bombing of Japan at the end of World War II. Fine, the apology was called for, because regardless of the reasons, BTS still bear the responsibility for reminding the Japanese of their painful past.
But why did that painful past happen? Why did the historic atomic bombings occur?
I don’t want to deny that the decision to drop atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki was one of the worst choices of mankind. However, it is important to remember that Japan was aggressively pursuing imperialism back then. So this tragedy of mankind, the atomic bombing, was caused by Japan, which was a war criminal. Thus it is hard for me not to feel that the order of apology should be reversed.
So let’s think again. Is this a problem that only BTS should apologize for? Is it reasonable to require that the assailant apologize to the victim?
I am not trying to advocate for BTS at all. But now that BTS have apologized, Japan must also look back at its own historical mistakes seriously. Yet the behavior of Japanese political leaders to date has only caused international anger. Rather than reflecting upon and apologizing for their nation’s war crimes, Japanese leaders have paid visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, where “Class A war criminals” were buried, thus paying tribute to them.
A couple of months ago, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent ritual offerings to the shrine, raising more international outrage. Yasukuni Shrine still serves as a holy place for right-wing forces to justify Japan’s imperialism.
However, when we look at Germany, another war criminal, there is a society that Japan could pay attention to and learn from. Stories of Nazi war criminals being caught 70 years after the end of the war still get touted in the media, and human-rights groups are still pursuing Nazi criminals who are 80 or 90 years old. Germany is showing a strong will to bring all those war criminals to justice. This is the difference between the faces that the two countries that caused World War II in the past are presenting today.
So let’s think again. Is this a problem that only BTS should apologize for? If Japan wants an apology for the deaths of a large number of Japanese civilians by the atomic bombing, it is a good idea to apologize first for the mistakes made during the Japanese imperialism in the past.
Again, BTS’s apology was very appropriate and the right choice. Seven Korean young people sincerely apologized to those who might have felt uncomfortable because of the A-bomb design on the T-shirt. And they promised that this would never happen again. It is a “beautiful picture” indeed.
However, to make this picture more beautiful, Japan’s own determination to apologize for its own wrongs, and putting that apology into action, are necessary.
There is a sage Korean proverb: “You get angry at others for your own mistakes.” So, Japanese society, please think again. Is this a problem that only BTS should apologize for?
These days I found out the problem is many Asian countries especially Korea, on the ideological aspect don’t feel Japanese show enough remorse to the WWII crimes. Japane did in the SF Peace Treaty included many apologies to Asian nations and 1965 Japan-Korea settlement included 500 million reparation. Gov’t continues to issue apology statements several times. But when they edit the textbook, change Nanjing Massacre to Nanjin Battle or claiming comfort women are paid/volunteer sexworker, you can feel they in their heart has no remorse. I believe this is because Japan is ashamed of it’s dark past, so they don’t want to bring it up.
How Much Millennials in Japan Know about World War II (interview)
https://youtu.be/f3_UTWAPKYs
These days I found out the problem is many Asian countries especially Korea, on the ideological aspect don’t feel Japanese show enough remorse to the WWII crimes. Japane did in the SF Peace Treaty included many apologies to Asian nations and 1965 Japan-Korea settlement included 500 million reparation. Gov’t continues to issue apology statements several times. But when they edit the textbook, change Nanjing Massacre to Nanjin Battle or claiming comfort women are paid/volunteer sexworker, you can feel they in their heart has no remorse. I believe this is because Japan is ashamed of it’s dark past, so they don’t want to bring it up.
How Much Millennials in Japan Know about World War II (interview)
https://youtu.be/f3_UTWAPKYs
Thank you sir
Thank you sir
A well research and written article. Thank you.
A well research and written article. Thank you.
Thank you for this article!
I hope it gets spread & talked about.
Thank you for this article!
I hope it gets spread & talked about.
This also highlights how western media has much closer ties to Japan than the rest of East Asia. All these stories were being pushed out of AP Tokyo. I bet the narrative would have had a much different tone if it had come from Seoul. At the very least, they should have considered cultural perspectives and done some research before picking up this story. It was spread devoid of any nuance or historical context.
This also highlights how western media has much closer ties to Japan than the rest of East Asia. All these stories were being pushed out of AP Tokyo. I bet the narrative would have had a much different tone if it had come from Seoul. At the very least, they should have considered cultural perspectives and done some research before picking up this story. It was spread devoid of any nuance or historical context.
Yes. Both Japan (particularly the media and the government) and the Simon Wiesenthal Center–who, because they didn’t do a basic source check, are responsible for spreading a story propogated from far right extremists in Japan (talking about the "N*zi" images)–should apologize.
Just so everyone knows, the Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC) lacks all moral integrity and has made these cavalier accusations before. This is not the first time they’ve falsely accused someone of being Nazis or anti-Semitic. Just look up Legia Warsaw. SWC even condemned Presidents Carter and Obama for being anti-Semitic despite then doing no such thing. Also, they have recently been criticized for not calling out Trump for his insensitive commments about the Jewish Community–which some say is highly political given their track record.
The fact that western media took them seriously in the first place and ran with this story (also without checking sources) is despicable. Most ironic of all is that in the past they denounced a famous doctor (and media commentator) in Japan named Katsuya Takasu for making statements claiming that the medical advances that came out of Nazi Germany were good (they were because of human experimentation) and that "Nanjing and Auschwitz were fabricated." This person that they condemned for hate speech was one of the people spearheading this defamation campaign against BTS. The very person they denounced they were deceived by. And yet, still the SWC has not apologized for spreading far right nationalist propaganda.
The SWC, by spreading this propaganda, fed into the far right outrage and frenzy from Japanese nationalists. Member Jimin and Taehyung received credible threats from these hate groups. Despite many people having written to SWC, they have continued to say nothing. Shameful.
I hope they get sued to the fullest extent by Seo Taiji (and BigHit if they so choose although they seem to be taking the high road in this case).
Yes. Both Japan (particularly the media and the government) and the Simon Wiesenthal Center–who, because they didn’t do a basic source check, are responsible for spreading a story propogated from far right extremists in Japan (talking about the "N*zi" images)–should apologize.
Just so everyone knows, the Simon Wiesenthal Center (SWC) lacks all moral integrity and has made these cavalier accusations before. This is not the first time they’ve falsely accused someone of being Nazis or anti-Semitic. Just look up Legia Warsaw. SWC even condemned Presidents Carter and Obama for being anti-Semitic despite then doing no such thing. Also, they have recently been criticized for not calling out Trump for his insensitive commments about the Jewish Community–which some say is highly political given their track record.
The fact that western media took them seriously in the first place and ran with this story (also without checking sources) is despicable. Most ironic of all is that in the past they denounced a famous doctor (and media commentator) in Japan named Katsuya Takasu for making statements claiming that the medical advances that came out of Nazi Germany were good (they were because of human experimentation) and that "Nanjing and Auschwitz were fabricated." This person that they condemned for hate speech was one of the people spearheading this defamation campaign against BTS. The very person they denounced they were deceived by. And yet, still the SWC has not apologized for spreading far right nationalist propaganda.
The SWC, by spreading this propaganda, fed into the far right outrage and frenzy from Japanese nationalists. Member Jimin and Taehyung received credible threats from these hate groups. Despite many people having written to SWC, they have continued to say nothing. Shameful.
I hope they get sued to the fullest extent by Seo Taiji (and BigHit if they so choose although they seem to be taking the high road in this case).
Note though… Big Hit apologized to the Koreans & Japanese victims who suffered from the atomic bombings, and to those who were hurt by that image. They did not apologized to Japan.
Note though… Big Hit apologized to the Koreans & Japanese victims who suffered from the atomic bombings, and to those who were hurt by that image. They did not apologized to Japan.
And BigHit only apologized about Hat. Nazi -like flag is distorted by SWC rabbi. So BigHit explained about that. I don’t understand that they don’t distinguish about that. https://youtu.be/xFVDg3bt9ek
And BigHit only apologized about Hat. Nazi -like flag is distorted by SWC rabbi. So BigHit explained about that. I don’t understand that they don’t distinguish about that. https://youtu.be/xFVDg3bt9ek
only included a bomb picture on liberation T-shirt, BigHit apologized to victims of atomic bombs. You are right. Then Japan who never apologized his criminal during ww2 will apolozie? I think they don’t that. They will only say victims of atomic bomb.
only included a bomb picture on liberation T-shirt, BigHit apologized to victims of atomic bombs. You are right. Then Japan who never apologized his criminal during ww2 will apolozie? I think they don’t that. They will only say victims of atomic bomb.
KOREAN Media COMDEMN JAPAN USING BTS to Cosplay Victim, Whitwashing Japan’s Wartime Crime Images. –2018.11.15
반크 "日, 방탄소년단 이슈 악의적으로 이용…전쟁 피해자로 이미지 세탁"
KOREAN Media COMDEMN JAPAN USING BTS to Cosplay Victim, Whitwashing Japan’s Wartime Crime Images. –2018.11.15
반크 "日, 방탄소년단 이슈 악의적으로 이용…전쟁 피해자로 이미지 세탁"