E. V. MOLODYAKOVA

Doctor of Historical Sciences

Institute of Oriental Studies of the Russian Academy of Sciences

Keywords: Yasukuni Shrine, shinto, revival of militarism, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe

The issue of the" deification " of war criminals at the Yasukuni Jinja Shrine has now become particularly acute in Japan's relations with neighboring countries, which suffered greatly from Japanese troops during World War II. In many ways, the present-day" Yasukuni Shrine problem " has become political in nature, becoming a kind of bargaining chip in a big diplomatic game.

The formal reason for the claims of neighboring countries to Japan is the "deification" of war criminals in the sanctuary, which supposedly means the rehabilitation of war crimes. In Japanese society itself, there is an opinion that Yasukuni imposes his own vision and interpretation of the country's history, as evidenced, in particular, by the Yusukan War Memorial Museum under his jurisdiction.

IN SEARCH OF YOUR OWN STORY

All the post-war years in the country, discussions on the problems of national history and its interpretation have not subsided. Japan, in the context of high economic growth, was rapidly approaching the level of highly developed countries. In addition, the Japan-US security treaty was successfully revised towards a greater partnership. In this regard, it is quite natural to increase interest in understanding one's own history (especially since the centenary of the "Meiji restoration" was widely celebrated in 1968), traditional spiritual values, problems of ethnic psychology, and issues of cultural identity.

At present, national history has become one of the most important forms of national consciousness and national identity, and therefore the problems of its interpretation and perception are of purely practical interest. The issue of teaching national history in secondary schools and the development of textbooks are constantly in the focus of attention of politicians and society.¹

There were also repeated attempts to pass through Parliament a bill to transfer the Yasukuni Shrine to the state, i.e., in fact, to return it to the pre-war status of the main Shinto shrine for the military. Perhaps no event associated with giving Shinto rituals national significance has caused such public outrage at home and abroad as official visits of government officials to the Yasukuni Shrine during the religious rite of soothing the souls of the dead, including those who died in the war. I think there are a lot of political elements that are not related to the religious ceremony itself. After the war, the sanctuary's spiritual leaders claimed that their main goal was not to praise the dead, but simply to pay tribute to them. M. Sonoda quite rightly noted: "It is very important that when they rushed into battle, they believed that their death would serve as the basis for creating a better future in their native country, without feeling any hatred for the enemy." ²

THE INTRICACIES OF NAKASONE

The immediate reason for launching a campaign around the Yasukuni Shrine is the visit of top officials of the state, who have a long history. Back in October 1945, Prime Minister Kijuro Shidehara paid tribute in Yasukuni to all those who died during World War II. This resulted in a strict ban by the Headquarters of the occupation forces on members of the Government to participate in the memorial services of the sanctuary. However, Yoshida Shigeru, who served as Prime Minister five times, visited Yasukuni three times as an official; his successors Nobusuke Kishi, Hayato Ikeda, Eisaku Sato and Kakuei Tanaka did the same, respectively, 2, 5, 11 and 5 times. And it didn't cause any problems. During the premiership of Takeo Miki (1974-1976), there was first disagreement in the Government over whether top officials could attend Yasukuni in an official or private capacity. Since 1975, starting with Mika, Prime ministers have made pilgrimages as private individuals, as have members of Parliament. Yasuhiro Nakasone, who signed the visitors ' register as head of government, broke the established order in 1985.3 We are talking, of course, about an official visit to the commemoration ceremony of the fallen soldiers on August 15. Since 1978, after the announcement of the veneration of the main war criminals here, and until 1984, the premieres visited the sanctuary 20 times.

But it was only starting in 1985 that the Chinese government erected the

Ending. For the beginning, see: Asia and Africa Today, 2014, No. 8.

this ceremony is considered a serious diplomatic problem.

Nakasone made the pilgrimage to a memorial ceremony for fallen soldiers on the 40th anniversary of Japan's defeat in World War II, despite the fact that the House of Representatives Legislative Committee in 1980 declared the participation of cabinet ministers in Yasukuni Shrine ceremonies as officials unconstitutional. Then a special commission under the Cabinet Secretary General, which studied the issue, concluded that visiting the shrine by members of the government is not unconstitutional, if it does not observe Shinto rituals, but only expresses "universal feelings".

Explaining his decision, Nakasone stated: "The visit was held in accordance with the wishes of the Japanese people to honor the memory of those who died in the war. This act confirms the desire for peace and the prevention of a repeat of war."⁴. At the same time, he stated that "I did not go there to honor the spirit of Tojo (Prime Minister, war criminal-E. M.). My younger brother died in the war, and his spirit is now in Yasukuni. I went to see him. " ⁵

Nakasone's official attendance at the Yasukuni Shrine ceremony was a deliberate and deliberate act. He never hid, or rather, always emphasized his commitment to traditional spiritual values, the history of the country, which is somehow connected with Shinto, since this religion is the core of the entire national culture of the Japanese. However, Nakasone refrained from observing the Shinto ritual of hairei, which includes two bows, a clap of hands, another bow, and the offering of a few coins. He simply bowed and dropped the coins that are considered offerings to the sanctuary, not to the deities, into a special box.

This was a period of active revival of nationalist sentiments, which were reflected in the campaign to reassess the events of the recent historical past, to revise the teaching of national history in schools. All this caused violent protests in China, but for the time being, the problem of Yasukuni and its deified war criminals did not arise. Let us recall that Japan has firmly taken its place among the world's industrial democracies, has become a full-fledged member of the Western community, and has taken the path of increasing its role in international affairs, which would be adequate to its economic potential. The new foreign policy course was associated with the name of Nakasone.

When he attended the ceremony at the Yasukuni Shrine in 1985 in accordance with his beliefs, he did not expect a violent protest reaction, especially among Asian countries that were victims of Japanese aggression. China was particularly harsh, saying for the first time that it was closely monitoring the Yasukuni issue and that Nakasone's visit would hurt Japan's Asian neighbors. ⁶ At that time, Japan was just stepping up its Asian policy. Not wanting to aggravate relations with neighboring countries, Nakasone and other prime ministers refrained from attending prayers at the Yasukuni Shrine in the following years. The pragmatic Nakasone explained his position as follows:: "International relations are not a one-way street. The mood of Asian peoples requires special attention. If we fail to reach a consensus in international relations, we will end up harming our own country's interests. If Japan finds itself isolated from the rest of Asia, will it please the spirits of those soldiers who thought they were dying in the name of Asian interests? " ⁷

In other words, political considerations prevailed, and the very essence of the religious ceremony faded into the background.

BEIJING IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY OUTRAGED

In the mid-1990s, China protested against visits by Japanese prime ministers to the Yasukuni Shrine, presenting it as an expression of the feelings of the Chinese people. It is worth noting that there is also opposition within Japan to the visits of the head of government to Yasukuni, which coincides with the position of China. However, it seems possible to recognize that this is a kind of political speculation, since there is no legal component, except for the question of whether visits to the Yasukuni Shrine do not constitute a violation of article 20 of the Constitution, which recognizes the equality of all religions. Priests of other faiths consider it a violation of such equality to visit the Shinto shrine by the first persons of the state.-

tilings. They even filed a lawsuit demanding that such pilgrimages be recognized as unconstitutional actions.

Beijing is playing the Yasukuni Shrine card in relations with Japan, escalating the situation, which leads to a deterioration in bilateral political relations against the background of expanding economic ties. The ever-growing geopolitical rivalry between the two countries and disputes over the events of World War II contribute to the complication of relations. Japanese society, on the one hand, believes that the dispute over the Yasukuni Shrine can only be resolved by changing the position of China, which cynically uses the issue of the main war criminals as a historical map in order to exert diplomatic pressure on Japan. On the other hand, it is suggested that Japan should take the first step on the path of concessions, since, from a historical point of view, it is still to blame, and this would increase its moral prestige.

Relations with neighboring countries have been sharpened by the annual visits to the shrine by Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who held the post for five years, since 2001. It should be noted that he visited Yasukuni mainly during the so-called great spring and autumn reisai holidays, which are held annually on a certain day, while refraining from visiting on August 15. However, in the fall of 2005, after his visit to the shrine during Reisai, a fierce campaign was launched, especially by China, which even led to a violation of the agreed agenda of meetings between the leaders of the two countries.

The impression was that Koizumi's visits were somewhat provoking to China, thereby complicating Japan's Asian diplomacy. Foreign, mostly Asian, media outlets periodically report that Japan has not sufficiently apologized to the peoples of the region, although Japanese leaders do this regularly, and also interpret visits to the Yasukuni Shrine by top officials of the state as " attempts to glorify Japanese militarism of the past."

In response to such statements, as if to summarize, the Japanese government issued an official position regarding the visit of the Prime Minister to the Yasukuni Shrine in 2005. His statement, in particular, says that it is a mistake to consider such a visit as an attempt to glorify Japanese militarism of the past. The Prime Minister made it clear that the purpose of his visits was to express deep respect and gratitude to the many people who died in the war, that he was not doing this for the sake of the main war criminals, and that Japan recognized the decisions of the International Military Tribunal for the Far East. He stressed that "Japan, through its aggression and colonial rule, has caused great damage and suffering to the peoples of many countries, especially in Asia." The Prime Minister has repeatedly stated that " Japan should honestly accept these facts of history in a spirit of humility, with a sense of deep remorse and sincere regret." It reaffirmed Japan's commitment to contribute to global peace and prosperity, while appreciating the relationship of trust with other countries. ⁸ Koizumi reiterated this position to the international community in a speech at the Asia-Africa Summit in April 2005 and repeated it in August 2005 in a statement marking the 60th anniversary of the end of World War II.

IS THERE A WAY OUT OF THE IMPASSE?

In Japanese society, there is a wide range of opinions regarding the visits of the head of government to the Yasukuni Shrine. Supporters of visitation believe that it is natural for any nation to pay tribute and honor to those who gave their lives for their country. At the same time, naturally, such reverence is expressed in ways that differ according to the history, culture and traditions of each country. Such reverence is an exclusively internal matter, which cannot be interfered with by other countries.

According to Tsuneo Watanabe, editor-in-chief of the Yomiuri newspaper, Japanese prime ministers should not stop visiting Yasukuni just because China or South Korea oppose it. Indeed, "the Japanese committed crimes by killing people from other countries," he writes, " but millions of Japanese were also killed. Most of those whose spirits are now worshipped in the sanctuary were victims. We must distinguish between murderers and victims. We should also pay attention to the degree of responsibility of those who are responsible for-

committed crimes. We must deal with our own past, taking into account the position of China and South Korea. " ⁹ He believes that Japan should improve relations with neighboring countries, which will require it to honestly study its history, recognize the fact of waging aggressive wars and bring this to the attention of the entire population. Then, in his opinion, both China and the Republic of Korea will stop their constant criticism of Japan. This position seems to be quite balanced, which takes into account domestic and foreign policy aspects.

Akita International University President Kanako Takahara insists only on the foreign policy aspect. He believes that the continuation of such visits is necessary in order not to create a false impression that Japan is yielding to pressure from the Chinese side and that it can be forced to compromise by increasing interference in the country's internal affairs. He describes the bilateral relationship as a diplomatic standoff that has attracted international attention, and a concession to China would weaken Japan's position.¹⁰

Opponents of such visits insist that Japanese leaders should consider the feelings of people in other countries and avoid actions that might offend neighbors and undermine friendly relations. But the main thing is recognized attitude to the wars that Japan waged in the 1930s-1940s. In particular, Tetsuya Takahashi, an expert on the Yasukuni Shrine from the University of Tokyo, calls first of all to get rid of the negative legacy of the militaristic past. This, in his opinion, is much more important than relations with China and South Korea.¹¹

Despite the difference in approaches, supporters and opponents of visits by prime ministers to this sanctuary agree that the Japanese should deal with the problem on their own, without any outside help. Its solution lies both in religious and political terms. In no way should we forget that in Japan, despite the grandiose cataclysms over the past hundred years, the connection of centuries has never been interrupted, tradition has always been preserved, and religious consciousness has not been eradicated, which turns the spiritual life of society into a desert and destroys traditional culture.

The whole history of Japan, in one way or another, is connected with shinto, since it is the core of the entire culture, in which national characteristics have been established and preserved for centuries, despite the widespread borrowing of continental culture. The national religion makes it possible for every Japanese person to identify themselves, because Shinto is ingrained in their subconscious. Many serious conflicts that arise in different parts of the world are rooted in the confrontation of religions, because religions of monotheism are characterized by intolerance to other faiths. Shinto, with its pantheism and lack of militancy, has shaped the adaptive religious consciousness of the Japanese and can provide "information for reflection" on how to direct religious consciousness towards tolerance. No less valuable is the experience of Shinto in overcoming its use as a public policy tool.

Perhaps the awareness of modern generations of Japanese people about what their national religion is will help them understand what the Yasukuni Shrine is and not create a special problem around it. In other words, it is quite possible to resolve the internal political aspect of the problem.

The Yasukuni problem also requires a foreign policy solution. Back when he was Prime Minister in 2006-2007, Shinzo Abe took some steps to remove the severity of the problem and look for ways out of the current impasse in relations with neighboring countries. Refusing to visit Yasukuni, the prime minister sent a piece of traditional bonsai art as an offering to the shrine. In early January 2007, he made a pilgrimage to one of the most important shrines associated with the imperial cult - Meiji. It is dedicated to Emperor Meiji and his wife. According to Abe, he often visits this shrine, as it is located near his residence. At the same time, his move sent a signal to conservatives that he honors the national religion, but is still looking for an alternative to the Yasukuni Shrine.

The prime ministers of the Democratic Party of Japan, which came to power in the fall of 2009, refused to visit the sanctuary, showing "diplomatic sensitivity" towards neighboring countries, as the head of the cabinet Yoshihiko Noda put it at the first press conference in September 2011, "based on considerations of world politics"¹³. With the return of the Liberal Democratic Party to power in December 2012, the newly re-elected Abe and some ministers resumed their pilgrimage to Yasukuni. Nevertheless, Tokyo seems to be aware that it is necessary to remove unnecessary sharp points in the already difficult relations with China and the Republic of Korea. This was evidenced, in particular, by Abe's refusal to visit Yasukuni in April 2014, when he limited himself to sending an offering to the shrine.

The difficult search for a solution to the Yasukuni Shrine problem without compromising the Shinto tradition continues.

¹ For more information, see: Molodyakov V. E. Vospriyatiye natsional'noi istorii v sovremennoi Yapanii [Perception of National history in modern Japan]. 2. p. 72-80.

^{Sonoda Minoru.} 2 Mir shinto, Moscow, 2001, pp. 89-90.

³ Yomiuri shimbun. 29.07.2001.

⁴ Nihon keizai shimbun. 28.10.1985.

⁵ Cit. by: Japan Echo. Vol. 33, N 2 (2006, April). P. 11.

⁶ Asahi shimbun. 07.09.1985.

⁷ Cit. by: Japan Echo... P. 13.

⁸ Principled position of the Government of Japan regarding the visit of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to the Yasukuni Shrine / / Document of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan 2005, October; Statement of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi // Document of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. 2005, August 17.

⁹ Japan Echo... P. 11.

¹⁰ The Japan Times. 26.07.2005.

¹¹ Ibidem.

¹² Ibid., 07.01.2007.

¹³ NHK world. 02.09.2011.

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