Quote:
Originally Posted by Fazer
I'd have to contradict you there, Izzibeth. Since I've worked at an international exchange center for foreign students at a UC, I've had a chance to meet many Japanese students. Since I'm quite interested in Asian regional history/politics, on occasion, I've had the opportunity to ask them regarding the "controversial" topics of Japanese textbooks and wartime atrocity. For most of them, if they were not oblivious to certain events, they did not learn about it until they came to the United States through American or Chinese friends. Those that knew certainly never learned it from the Japanese school system. I am unsure as whether or not they are taught that they were forced in to war, although I'm sure some of the older generation believe that. What I'm sure of is that there is a large Japanese population ignorant about WWII events being manipulated to believe that everyone is against them for events that, in their view, have no concrete proof of occurring.
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Hmm... well, the students that I had talked expressed a knowledge on the subject. It could be that they did the research on their own...?
Regardless, I am convinced that the apology will have to come at a much later date. It won't happen now. As I said, throughout history... the apologies have always come (in various situations for various reasons in various parts of the world) after the generation that lived through whatever happened has left. If the apology comes while that generation is still alive... heh... well, it's probably not too sincere. Old beliefs die hard. I'm not going to say that it's never sincere... it's just harder to expect it to be. Obviously somebody believed they were right and trying to make them believe they were wrong after the fact is hard to do in many cases.
Anyway... I think some time needs to pass. Japan is going to have to deal with an influx of immigrants very, very, very soon and with that influx will come the changes most likely.