日本申請將神風特攻隊員遺書登録成記憶遺産

Recently the NHK News on-line reported the following:

特攻隊員遺書の記憶遺産登録 中国が反対

2月11日 0時05分

太平洋戦争末期、九州などから飛び立った特攻隊員の遺書や手紙について、ユネスコの「記憶遺産」への登録を目指そうとする日本国内の動きについて、中国外務省の報道官は、「日本の軍国主義の美化をたくらむもので、ユネスコの基本理念に完全に背いている」と述べ、登録に反対する姿勢を示しました。

鹿児島県南九州市知覧町の知覧特攻平和会館では、太平洋戦争末期に九州を中心とした基地から出撃して亡くなった特攻隊員が家族に宛てた遺書や手紙など、およそ１万４０００点を保管・展示しています。
南九州市によりますと、このうち書いた特攻隊員が特定されている遺書や手紙など３３３点について、今月４日、英語への翻訳作業を終え、「知覧からの手紙」と題し、ユネスコの「記憶遺産」への来年の登録を目指して申請手続きを行いました。
これについて、中国外務省の華春瑩報道官は、１０日の記者会見で、「日本の軍国主義による侵略の歴史の美化と、第２次世界大戦後の国際秩序に対する挑戦をたくらむものだ」と批判しました。
そのうえで、「このような意図は、世界の平和を守るというユネスコの基本理念に完全に背いており、国際社会の強い非難と断固とした反対に遭うだろう」と述べ、登録に反対する姿勢を示しました。

(試譯文)

On the motion by Japan in trying to register as the "Memory Heritage" of UNESCO the wills and letters written by kamikaze pilots who took off from Kyushu etc. at the final stage of the Pacific War, the press secretary of the China Ministry of Foreign Affairs said that "it is planned for the beautification of militarism of Japan and the basic philosophy of UNESCO is disobeyed completely" and showed a posture of opposing to the registration.

In the Chiran Kamikaze Peace Hall in Chiran-district of Kagoshima’s South Kyushu city, about 14,000 items were kept and exhibited, such as wills and letters addressed to families written by kamikaze pilots who departed from the bases centering on Kyushu and died during the last stage of the Pacific War.

According to the South Kyushu city, among the about 333 items such as wills and letters specifically written by the kamikaze pilots, the translation work into English was completed and was entitled "the letters from Chiran". The procedure to apply to the "Memory Heritage" of UNESCO was performed on the 4th of this month (February) and the aim was getting a registration by next year.

About this, at the press conference on the 10th (February) Hua Chunying the press secretary of the China Ministry of Foreign Affairs criticized that “it’s a beautification of the history of invasion by militarism of Japan and is a plan to challenge the international order after World War II".

Furthermore she said "the intention has disobeyed completely the basic philosophy of UNESCO of keeping the peace in the world, and will definitely encounter strong blames from the international community", and showed a posture of opposing to the registration.

Before making the conclusion that the motion is aiming at the beautification of the history of invasion by Japan’s militarism, I think many factors should be considered, such as the way the facts were presented and the angle the matter was understood. To say the least, it could be an anti-war effort by showing how miserable humanity could be during a war. The American had suffered most from the Kamikaze attacks during WWII; I am interested in knowing their viewpoints when Japan’s application reached UNESCO.