A History Lesson
So I have this supergreat private student, Yoshiko, who I may already have mentioned. On her suggestion we have been spending a good part of each lesson reviewing journal entries that she creates for homework. Usually these entries are based on Japanese culture, and I have been thoroughly impressed, but never so much as tonight. A few of my own questions were answered...Please know that there are likely discrepancies. My apologies.
A few Emperors ago (Emperors are appointed like royalty, in the death of their fathers, and "rule" until their own deaths), Japan was ruled by Tenno; his rule corresponded with World War II. Somehow Tenno convinced himself and all of Japan that he was a messenger of God(s) (Buddhist God(s), that is) and gained the complete faith of this nation. Because his demands were the will of God(s), everything he demanded was justified and right. It was believed that God's(') will would be protected and, as such, if war was necessary the Japanese people would be protected and would win. Thus, in the late 1930s the Japanese people set out on attacking Korea and China.
As we all know, World War II was finally halted by two catestrophic atomic bombings in Japan, and Japan lost the war. Japanese people could not reconcile their defeat with their previous belief in their God(s), and most abondonded religion altogether; this is why Japan is now a highly agnostic (for lack of a better term) nation when they had previously been quite spiritual. Further, Tenno was seen as a regular human, and a crazy one at that.
Having forced Japan into submission, the United States comprised a Japanese Constitution (similar to their own) and forced Japan into democracy; Japan abides (to some degree) by this same constitution today. The constitution states that Japan may not have arms or military forces (though that they have minimal forces for self defense is overlooked), and it is my deduction that this is the reason for the current American Military presence in Japan.
Talks with my other student, Yuji, have suggested that many Japanese people are unhappy with the constitutional laws regarding Japanese military forces, especially considering the current volitility of Korea and the development of and search for natural resources by China.
Ironically, despite the rather harsh lesson on the distinction between a God and a human, the Japanese symbols for Emperor that follow even the current Emperor's name translate as "God" and "Son."
Post a Comment