War wounds persist as Japan emperor to visit Saipan

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http://www.swissinfo.org/sen/swissinfo.html?siteSect=143&sid=5871553&cKey=1118813733000

TOKYO (Reuters) - When Japanese soldiers and civilians leapt to their deaths from cliffs on Saipan in 1944 rather than surrender to U.S. forces, they were acting in accord with a nationalist ideology that worshipped the emperor as a god.

This month, Japan's Emperor Akihito, the son of wartime emperor Hirohito, will go to Saipan to mourn those who died in the conflict and pray for peace at a time when the nation's ties with its Asian neighbors are still tormented by the war.

"Ever since Akihito ascended to the throne he has been working to come to terms with the legacy of World War II," said Kenneth Ruoff, director of the Center for Japanese Studies at Portland State University.

"In spite of all he has tried to do, this has not been wrapped up," Ruoff added. "Here we are, 60 years after the end of the war and there have been anti-Japanese riots in China. It doesn't seem as if it is going to go away during his reign."

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1. At least two generations have to pass

There is too much pain, especially in China with the Rape of Nanking, and the germ warfare experiments used against them.

It should never be forgotten, but there has already been much progress made through business arrangements between China and Japan

The anti-Japanese riots started when Japan honored those people who were responsible for the mass killing of many Chinese during the war

Things will get better through cultural exchange and dialouge