Japanese writers` different views on history

“We, Japanese, are thinking less and less that we are perpetrators.” It is a courageous comment made by Haruki Murakami, a 65-year-old Japanese writer, who was a strong favorite for the 2014 Nobel prize for literature. In an interview with the Mainichi Shimbun on Monday, he criticized Japan’s lack of sense of responsibility. “After the war, it became nobody’s fault eventually. The fault was with the military and it took advantage of the emperor and deceived the Japanese people, forcing them to suffer a lot,” Murakami said.

It is impressive in that the globally-renowned writer criticized the people of his country. Kenzaburo Oe is also a Japanese writer who urged Japan to remember past history and atone for its wrongdoings. He was the first Japanese Nobel Prize laureate for literature in 1994 in 26 years since Yasunari Kawabata who won the Nobel Prize in 1968. Kenzaburo said in his acceptance speech, “It is a clear fact that Japan made a big mistake particularly to Asians.” In July this year, he sharply criticized Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, saying, “He is a rare man who does not fear the constitution.”

Of course, there are much more Japanese writers who are opposite to these writers. A good example is Nanami Shiono, the author of the “Story of Romans,” a series sold more in Korea than Japan. She showed her true intention in a recent writing contributed to a Japanese magazine. She said that Japan should take actions hurriedly to prevent the story of a Dutch woman who was recruited as a comfort woman for Japanese soldiers from being spread. Meanwhile, she also said there was no forced recruitment of Korean comfort women, distorting the truth.

When there were disputes over Dokdo islets between Korea and Japan and Diaoyu/Senkaku islands between China and Japan in 2012, Japanese intellectuals including Oe reminded of the history of invasions, saying, “Let’s stop the vicious cycle of territorial disputes.” Even Murakami said in a contribution to the Asahi Shimbun, “If a territorial issue becomes part of an emotional issue between countries, it will be placed in a dangerous situation without an exit.” Japan marks the 70th anniversary of the end of war next year. Hopefully, more conscientious Japanese people have a louder voice that can strike a balance to prevent Japan from returning to the past.