An edited and revised version was published in New America Media.
On his recent tour of Asia, President Obama's first
stop was Japan where he blundered and tarnished the prestige of the Presidency.
At about the same time, as if to atone for his former boss's misstep, Gary
Locke, the first Chinese American to be a state governor, a cabinet secretary
and as ambassador to China, paid a personal visit to the Nanjing Massacre Museum.
In his typically understated style, Locke did not
announce his intention to visit in advance and thus went to the museum without
fanfare. When the media caught up to him, he made it clear that his was a
personal visit and had no bearing on the official position of the U.S.
government.
This was his first visit to the museum. Keeping his
visit a routine matter reflected a sincere interest to see first hand various
acts of Japan's WWII atrocities, free of grandstanding and limelight that
politicians crave. He effectively reminded the government of Japan that all Chinese
and most of Asians are still waiting for Japan to finally admit their heinous
acts of inhumanity and stop pretending to be the victims rather than
perpetrators of the War.
In contrast, Obama's visit in Tokyo was bathed in
bright lights and he said just about everything Japan's prime minister Abe
wanted to hear, including the willingness of the U.S. to help Japan in the
event of military conflict over the disputed Diaoyu/Senkaku islands.
Until Obama's statement, the U.S. official position
was that when the administrative control of the islands was turned over to
Japan in 1972, the U.S. government took no position on the rightful ownership
of those islands.
China had been demanding that Japan abide by terms
of unconditional surrender as described in the Potsdam Declaration. The terms
specified that Japan renounced all claims to offshore islands other than the
four main islands of Japan.
Not only did Obama showed ignorance of history but
he got nothing in return. Abe was all smiles but gave no concessions that Obama
sought. Obama gave up the good vibes from the Sunnyland summit with China's Xi
Jinping for no good reason.
In August 2001, not long after he was elected to
Congress, Mike Honda visited China and he made sure the Nanjing
Massacre Museum was on his itinerary. Despite his being ethnic Japanese, Honda
understood the right and wrong of history. He has been among the most
vociferous members of Congress in demanding redress from Japan for their crimes
against humanity.
Later Honda even guided then freshman Congresswoman
Judy Chu to the Nanjing Museum so that she can become acquainted with this dark
chapter of WWII history. Chu born in America was not familiar with the war
atrocities committed by Japan's Imperial troops.
At the massacre museum in Nanjing, leis of paper
folded cranes made by school children from Japan can be seen as offerings of
regret and apology. Schools from Japan organized periodic tours to Nanjing so
that their students do not forget.
The right wing government does
not represent the majority of Japanese people. Even if Americans do not pay attention to history, the people of Asia will not let
Abe and his ilk forget.
