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Japan Defence Chief Sorry For Atom Bomb Remarks, Despite The Obvious
Tokyo (AFP) July 1, 2007 Japan's defence minister apologised Sunday after sparking outrage over remarks which implied that the atomic bombs dropped by the United States on Japan were the inevitable way to end World War II. Defence Minister Fumio Kyuma said in a speech on Saturday: "I understand the bombings brought the war to its end. I think it was something that couldn't be helped." He apologised on Sunday during a news conference in Nagasaki, which was devastated by a US atomic bomb and which Kyuma represents in parliament. "I am very sorry that my remarks gave an impression that atomic bomb victims were made light of," Kyuma told reporters. "I have to apologise to people in the prefecture and people across the nation for causing trouble." Prime Minister Shinzo Abe chided Kyuma for his remarks but indicated he had no plan to sack the minister. "I want (Kyuma) to refrain from making remarks that may lead to people's misunderstanding," Abe told a one-to-one debate in Tokyo with the head of the largest opposition Democratic Party Sunday afternoon. But "I would like him to continue working hard as defence minister to abolish nuclear weapons," Abe said. Both the ruling and opposition parties had denounced his remarks, which came as Japan was preparing for key upper house elections on July 29 with Abe seeking to turn around plummeting public support. "As victims of atomic bombs, we never justify nuclear weapons no matter what the conditions are," Takeaki Matsumoto, a senior lawmaker of the Democratic Party, told a television debate earlier Sunday. Legislator Tomoko Abe from the Social Democratic Party told the debate: "(Kyuma) is disqualified as defence minister. We demand his resignation. Abe is also responsible for appointing him." Some historians say that the US atomic bombs dropped in August 1945 on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing about 210,000 people, were unnecessary to make Japan surrender. But the United States must have thought the atomic bombs "could prompt Japan's surrender, thus preventing the Soviet Union from declaring war against Japan," Kyuma said Saturday. He also came under pressure from the ruling parties. "Nuclear weapons are absolute evil," said Tetsuo Saito, a lawmaker of the New Komeito, the sole coalition partner of Abe's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). "The remarks run against the grain of the Japanese people," Saito said. "They are the remarks any state minister must not make." Shoichi Nakagawa, LDP's chief policy maker, also said: "The remarks are not in line with my idea. It was regrettable." Post-war Japan has formally been pacifist under the US-imposed 1947 constitution that says Japan forever renounces the use of force to resolve international disputes. Japan, as the only country to have suffered nuclear attack, has championed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
earlier related report The controversial comments came as Japan was preparing for key upper house elections on July 29, with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe seeking to turn around plummeting public support. "I understand the bombings brought the war to its end. I think it was something that couldn't be helped," Defence Minister Fumio Kyuma said in a speech at a university east of Tokyo. Some historians say that the US atomic bombs dropped in August 1945 on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, killing about 210,000 people, were unnecessary to make Japan surrender. But the United States must have thought the atomic bombs "could prompt Japan's surrender, thus preventing the Soviet Union from declaring war against Japan," Kyuma said. "I don't have a grudge against the United States," he added. His remarks drew immediate protests from victims of the attacks. "His comment as a cabinet member is outrageous. He must know hundreds of thousands of people died, and died in terrible agony," said Terumi Tanaka, 75. "I will demand Mr. Kyuma to retract his comment," Tanaka told AFP, adding, "He is from Nagasaki, and I'm ashamed of him as a person from the same prefecture." Prime Minister Shinzo Abe played down Kyuma's speech, saying: "I understand he just explained the US position. Anyway Japan's important role of seeking abolition of nuclear weapons remains unchanged." Post-war Japan has formally been pacifist under the US-imposed 1947 constitution that says Japan forever renounces the use of force to resolve international disputes. Japan, as the only country to have suffered nuclear attack, has championed the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
Source: Agence France-Presse Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links Learn about nuclear weapons doctrine and defense at SpaceWar.com Learn about missile defense at SpaceWar.com All about missiles at SpaceWar.com Learn about the Superpowers of the 21st Century at SpaceWar.com
Rice Eyes US-India Nuclear Deal This Year
Washington (AFP) June 27, 2007US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Wednesday that a "historic" nuclear energy pact with India could be clinched this year with enough commitment from both sides. "Had this been easy, it would have been done a long time ago," Rice told the US-India Business Council, while trumpeting the deal's benefits both to fast-growing India's energy needs and to US nuclear companies. |
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