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Japan’s PM Abe criticizes rise of hate speech in country

May 08, 2013 Features, National 18

Japan’s PM Abe criticizes rise of hate speech in country

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe expressed his concern on the increase of hate speech in the country in an Upper House Budget Committee session on May 7. The premier criticized the hate-mongering that has become rampant on the internet and in specific areas around the nation, adding that the hate these people show is dishonoring Japan.

“It is truly regrettable that there are words and actions that target certain countries and races,” Abe was quoted as saying. This was the prime minister’s response to a question from Democratic Party of Japan lawmaker Kan Suzuki, who pointed out that demonstrations in the Koreatowns of Tokyo’s Shin-Okubo district and Osaka’s Tsuruhashi district have been marred by such vitriol and race-specific hate. Protesters have been shouting, “Kill the Koreans”, or that “Koreans are cockroaches”, and “Koreans go home, you do not belong here!” Abe called on the Japanese people to show the courtesy that has been the trademark of the nation. “I believe that the Japanese respect harmony and should not be people who exclude others,” Abe said. “The Japanese way of thinking is to behave politely and to be generous and modest at any time,” he added.

Abe himself has been caught in recent issues where his specific words have caused angry reactions from South Korea and China. This is with regards to his views about Japan’s role in World War II, saying that the term “aggressor” can be defined in different ways from different points of view. South Korea has specifically made strong diplomatic reactions, asking Japan to apologize and the international community to exert pressure for Abe to retract what he said.

Abe concluded that those who are spreading hate speech – online or offline – do not represent the Japanese people. He also specifically said that it was his intention to restrict hateful comments posted on his official Facebook page. “It’s completely wrong to put others down and feel as if we are superior,” he said. “Such acts dishonor ourselves.”

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[via Asahi]

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  • Taiwanese

    As a politician, Abe is fully aware the root cause of the hate and those extreme right wing groups.

    I don’t know if his statement has any effects on those extreme groups. But I am sure if there is no preventive measures, something terrible is going to happen someday.

    • Far East

      Something terrible, you mean as in China with their ultra nationalists?

      • Taiwanese

        Haha you are funny.

        I mean minority Koreans will become extreme right wing Japanese target.

        In China, normally it’s minority who launchs attack on majority Han.

        You know the difference now!

        Han Chinese won’t shout to Uigurs who are selling babyque lamb “Go back to where you belong” in Beijing or Shanghai or Shenzhen even when the riots break out in Xinjiang when they learn that Uigurs separatists are killing Han.

        I witnessed it myself as a tourist. when Tibet had riots in 2010, Shanghainese still bought a lot of things from Tibeatan vendors while the news was reporting that Tibetan mobs are killing Han in Lasha.

        That’s the difference. It’s my personal experience.

        Guess what? minority enjoys a lot of privileges than Han.

        • Far East

          I am glad you could recognize 1) that you had similar issues in China and 2) you have nothing to do with Taiwan except the misleading name.

          • Taiwanese

            Sorry that’s only the minority who can enjoy the privileges Japanese not included.

            But I will condemn those mobs who attacked the Japanese or Chinese or looting the stores.

            Jail is the only place for them to go.

            So you said you are a foreigner who love Japan deeply even more than average Japanese ( sorry goose bumps), and you say the Okinawans are proud Japanese.

            Do you have a short memory that not long ago there were many right wing Japanese shouting at Okinawans and asked them “Get out of Japan” ?

            Don’t you remember it?

          • Far East

            Just let me correct your usual exaggeration. I did not say I love Japan more than the average Japanese, but I said I love Japan like the average Japanese.
            For the rest, there is unfortunately people full of hatred, and although they are a minority, they are painfully noisy, kind of like pro-China people in Taiwan I guess.

          • Taiwanese

            Shame on you!

            Yes, in Okinawa it’s painfully noisy.

            It’s lowering my standard to talk to someone like you. Chao!

      • Dan

        You are fogging the issue with China again….

        I believe that any country should not allow such hatred speech
        in the name of freedom of speech.

        It is deplorable
        such hatred speech is allowed on the street of Japan,
        which is supposedly highly civilized society.

        PM Abe is trying to repositioning at least on the surface
        and I think it is praiseworthy.

        • Far East

          I agree completely that such hate speech should never occur, neither in Japan, and sorry, but neither in China or Korea. I think many Japanese keenly remember the hate speech and riots against Japanese in September 2012…. Unless you’d think that was somehow less bad???

          • Dan

            Hate speech should never “be allowed”
            rather than never “occur”.
            Can you see the difference?

          • Far East

            Sure I do. I am being more restrictive, because not only do I think the hate speeches should never be allowed, but also I think they should not occur and steps should be taken to prevent them from happening.
            Do you see the difference now? Can you imagine this being applied in China? Of course not. The Chinese government is just too happy to stir ultra nationalist sentiment to use that in their foreign policy.
            Back at you buddy.

          • Dan

            Well, it seems that there is something we agree on 🙂

            “should not occur” and “should not be allowed” should be applied not only Japan and Japanese government, but also to China and Chinese government and Korea and Korean government.

          • Don’t Okinawans hate Americans due the base and the school girl who was raped by that P.O.S who called himself a Marine?

            Also, I’ve seen so many videos and read so many articles regarding discrimination in Japan.

            Discrimination is everywhere. No one should defend it for any reason. I praise PM Abe for at least saying something.

            Nationalistic attitudes will do nothing but ruin the appeal of a country. And make investment less likely.

          • Far East

            I go often to Okinawa and I can assure you they do not hate Americans at all, but they don’t like misbehavior by some of them, and they did not like the fact that the american soldiers were dependent on U.S. law as in an extrajudicial system. Good thing the latter is over since a few years already.
            They don’t like the presence of the military in some part of Okinawa, BUT they are also keenly aware of the economic value it represent for them. Hirokazu Nakaima, current Governor of Okinawa knows well how to play this card in his bargaining with the central government.

  • Thank You Abe. I’m mixed Korean that gets confused for Japanese all the time.
    Abe did much better than the Americans.
    By the way, which casino in Japan are they siphoning money off to North Korean with? 🙂

  • yamashita_k

    This is a proper remark as a politician’s act. No one can trust such person who ignores inhuman activity.

    • Daftduck21

      Yes – Abe does not go far enough – and does not put it into practice within his own ruling party. Just today in Channelnewsasia – there was an article saying that Abe’s party will keep visiting the war shrine. Why is Abe so keen to encourage young people to die for Japan – if Japan is truelly a peaceloving nation as he claims?

      “TOKYO – The policy chief of Japan’s ruling party vowed Sunday to keep paying homage at a controversial war shrine despite anger and diplomatic protests by China and South Korea.

      “Nearly 170 Japanese lawmakers made a pilgrimage last month to the Yasukuni Shrine, a flashpoint in a bitter dispute between Japan and Asian neighbours which were victims of its 20th century militarism.

      For foreign critics, the shrine is a stark reminder of Tokyo’s brutal occupation of the Korean peninsula and imperialist expansion leading up to World War II. Among the 2.5 million honoured there are 14 men convicted of war crimes by a US-led tribunal after Japan’s 1945 surrender.

      Sanae Takaichi, who heads the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s policy affairs council, was one of the senior lawmakers who joined the April visit and on Sunday defended the practice.

      “It’s an internal affair (of a nation) how to commemorate the people who sacrificed their lives for the national policy,” Takaichi said on a programme on public broadcaster NHK.”

      • yamashita_k

        This kind of story always disappoints us, doesn’t it?

        Japanese politicians, they need to consider why none of state guests make a pilgrimage to the Yasukuni Shrine, and why the present emperor never visits there.