The genesis No. 1 (Part Three)-A Question over the Japanese Leftists' Concept of Peace

Those who have not viewed "The genesis No. 1 (Part One and Part Two)" should go through them before going into "The genesis No. 1 (Part Three)" below.

Viewers should acknowledge the following "Rules of the Play" laid down before it began:

1. I try to be accurate when translating all the discourses I came across in preparing for this presentation. 2. I try to be concise enough to point out the aspects possibly related to the play when translating all the discourses I came across in preparing for this presentation. 3. Whatever discourses I translate will remain tentative until I get satisfied with their accuracy.4. I reserve the right to decide which discourses I choose for this play.

Characters of The genesis No. 1 (Part Three):

Mr. Toshio Tamogami is one who is said to represent the silent majority in Japan and ex-Chief of Staff of Japan's Air Self-Defense Force from March 2007 to November 2008.

Mr. Nobuteru Ishihara is a member of the House of Representatives at the National Diet of Japan for the Liberal Democratic Party (hereinafter referred to as "LDP").

Mr. Ktsuei Hirasawa is a member of the House of Representatives at the National Diet of Japan for LDP.

Mr. Akira Nagashima is a member of the House of Representatives at the National Diet of Japan for the Democratic Party of Japan (hereinafter referred to as "DPJ").

Mr. Kazunori Yamai is a member of the House of Representatives at the National Diet of Japan for DPJ.

Mr. Keiji Kakuta is a member of the House of Representatives at the National Diet of Japan for the Japanese Communist Party (hereinafter refereed to as "JCP").

Mr. Hisayuki Miyake is a very popular Japanese political critic and commentator, well-known for the fact that he was an immediate boss of Mr.Takichi Nishiyama who scooped a secret agreement on return of Okinawa to Japan made between President Richard Nixon and Prime Minister Eisaku Sato and who was later arrested for violation of Public Employees Law.

Mr.Masahiko Katsuya is a columnist, photographer, etc.

Ms.Sawako Agawa is an essayst, talent, etc.

          Mr. Makoto Ohtake is a TV personality, talent. etc.

Mr. Takuro Morinaga is an economist, talent, etc.

The third video footage in which Mr. Toshio Tamogami is introduced as a controversial man on a popular TV program called "TV Tackle" aired on Feb, 2009

Mr. Miyake said: Mr.Harry Dexter White who drafted the plan of Bretton Woods institutions has been said to have written a note so-called Hull Note (taken as U.S. ultimatum by Japan) by which Japan was drawn into the war with USA. He died in 1948 while still charged with espionage. Including things like this one, we should be discussing this matter of whether Japan was an aggressor or not.

Mr.Kakuta said: Mr. Miyake. Listen to me. Mr. Tamogami just didn't publicize it in his personal capacity but he taught his students everything expressed in the essay at JSDF Joint Staff College for 5 years. It is not a matter of freedom of speech but he was executing control over speech without any doubts at all.

What does LDP think of it? And, what does Komeito think of it?

Mr.Miyake said: Just listen to what Mr. Tamogami wants to say.

Mr. Tamogami said: Anti-Japan education has been prevalent here in Japan. Kids learn it at schools.

Mr.Kakuta said:  What do you mean by "anti-Japan education"?

Mr. Tamogami said:  No doubt we have anti-Japan education here. Victors created history from their own perspectives and they forced losers to accept it. At some point, we will have to speak up for the restoration of our true history. Since the end of the last war, Japan has been continuously branded as an aggressor and a bad country. I believe unless we restore our deleted history, JSDF will not be able to defend Japan against the foreign aggressions.

Mr.Kakuta said:  Are you saying that the Old Imperial Forces still have been in existence without being abolished?

Mr. Tamogami said:  What ? I don't quite understand what you are saying.

Mr. Morinaga said: You mean to say that JSDF has inherited ideology, organizations, etc. from the Old Imperial Forces?

Mr. Tamogami said:  I think it has because JSDF is the military. You all are thinking everything about the Old Imperial Forces is wrong.

Mr. Morinaga said: Are you saying that we were right about the Pacific War?

Mr. Tamogami said: Japan was drawn into the war even though Japan tried whatever possible to prevent the war from occurring.

Ms. Agawa said: Mr. Morinaga! Do you think Japan is the only nation that was wrong?

Mr. Morinaga said:  Everybody was wrong.

Mr. Katsuya said: That's why Ministry of Defense should have discussed this matter before finalizing Mr. Tamogami's retirement. JSDF took off his uniform before he met the press. No retirement ceremony was held in honor of Mr. Tamogami for his 30 years service of defending Japan. It is totally inexcusable.

Mr. Otake said: Recently I just met a man who worked for the Self-Defense Agency for 30 years. He said to me "All I have done in the last 30 years was just "Playing the army". That's all. So, I personally think it is good to speak up like Mr. Tamogami although I am opposed to his idea. JSDF has long struggled with its identify crisis, in which JSDF is faced with the growth of the military power and what others think of JSDF even if it is not defined as the military power.

Mr. Ishihara said:  When his essay became public and when the general public reacted to it,  I thought this is his coup d'etat by voicing his opinions but not by forces. As I was listening to him now, I am beginning to understand a little that it is not a coup d'etat. The reason why I am saying this is that so-called Murayama statement is the official view expressed by the Government of Japan, albeit expressed under the political situation different from what was envisaged by LDP. Whatever situation we had, it was decided as the official view. I was meeting with ex-generals of JSDF when everybody was focused on his essay. All ex-generals told me that LDP would end its life if you don't support Mr. Tamogami. Then, I told them that if there is anything deviating from the Murayama statement, I will not support him. Absolutely no. As I carefully read his essay, I found that it did not say "Murayama statement is wrong or anything at all." But the essay Mr. Tamogami publicized is the one revealing his historical perspectives.

Mr. Tamogami said: I, when at service, never mentioned that Murayama statement is not good. Not even once. And, even in my essay, I am not saying anything related to Murayama statement. We all have to follow the cabinet decision. However, we share the feeling that our freedom of speech has been a little bit limited in the sense that we can't criticize Murayama statement. But we can't do anything about it. As long as I don't criticize Murayama statement, I thought nothing wrong with expressing my views.

Mr.Hirasawa said: I don't necessarily approve of Murayama statement at all. When examining what's written in your essay, I find it totally different from Murayama statement. In other words, Mr. Tamogami is denying it.

Mr. Tamogami said: You are absolutely right!

Mr. Otake said: Mr. Tamogami. You really sound like you want to fight now.

Mr. Tamogami said:  No! You are wrong!

Watch this video produced by Japan Air Self-Defense Force



Note:
1.The Self-Defense Agency was upgraded to the Ministry of Self-Defense on January 9, 2007. Although the cabinet decided to upgrade the Self-Defense Agency to the Ministry in 1964, LDP gave up the idea of submitting a bill to the National Diet because of strong opposition from the Socialist Party.

2. 村山談話 Murayama danwa has been translated into English as Murayama statement as if to say it is an official statement made in 1995 by Prime Minister of Japan Mr. Murayama (the then chairman of Japan Socialist Party who always opposed Japan's alliance with U.S. , 81st Prime Minister of Japan, the coalition government formed by Liberal Democratic Party, Japan Socialist Party, and New Party Sakigake).
However, "談話 Danwa" literally means "talk" in English.