Yasukuni's Shadow, Trembling Reporter - Thoughts on a June

Yasukuni's Shadow, Trembling Reporter - Thoughts on a June

The moment I heard the news that the House of Representatives Cabinet Committee had passed the Yasukuni Bill, I felt a chill. No, it was more than a chill, I really felt as if I would catch a cold. That is how I felt.

I honestly did not think that the day would come when this bill would be passed. For a long time after the war, the basic line was that Yasukuni Shrine should keep its distance from the nation. The fact that it is now recognized by the Diet may be an attempt by the government to rekindle the prewar atmosphere. Such an ominous premonition crossed my mind.

The first time I visited Yasukuni Shrine was when I was a student. The moment I passed through the Torii gate, I felt a change in the atmosphere. There was a solemnity as a place to enshrine the spirits of soldiers who died in the war, but there was a "war-affirming" look in the air. Since then, I have felt uncomfortable with Yasukuni. And now, that discomfort is about to become a reality in the form of "official support by the state.

If this bill is passed, Yasukuni Shrine will be considered a state facility and will be operated under the patronage of the government. Memories of the war may be repainted as a beautiful story, and the reality of the war may be distorted in the public consciousness in the name of "honoring the spirits of the dead.

Of course, there is no denying that we should express our condolences to those who died in the war. However, Yasukuni Shrine is not merely a place for memorial services. It is a place where the will of the nation is involved and politics is involved. The idea that "it is noble to die in war" will slowly seep into society. When I think about it, I realize that this is a problem that cannot be solved by just talking about a religious institution.

On the day I heard the news, I was having coffee in the editorial office. But the moment I saw the news about the Yasukuni Bill, I stopped putting down my cup. I looked at my colleagues, all of whom were speechless. I immediately sat down in front of the typewriter to write a draft, but my fingers wouldn't move as fast as they should. What should I write? Yasukuni bill passed, return to prewar days? Such headlines come to mind, but they are not enough. I must tell more about the horror of this.

Where is this country headed? Is postwar democracy beginning to crumble? Such questions were swirling in my head.

I looked outside and saw that it had begun to rain. The cold rain continued to fall in my mind.