masayuki yoshida wrote:

> Eric Takabayashi <etakajp@yahoo.co.jp> wrote in message news:<3F05CA44.9F142BE8@yahoo.co.jp>...
> > Ryan Ginstrom wrote:
> >
> > > "Ernest Schaal" <eschaal@max.hi-ho.ne.jp> wrote in message
> > > news:BB2B7991.41B4%eschaal@max.hi-ho.ne.jp...
> > > > On the way home I noticed a poster about a memorial ceremony on the
> > > > anniversary of Gifu being carpet bombed in WWII. It shows a photograph
> >  that
> > > > shows the town leveled as if it were Hiroshima. Anyone know the history of
> > > > all this?
> > >
> > > Contrary to what one might think today, just about every major (and even
> > > bum-f**ked in the case of Gifu) city outside of Kyoto was pretty much
> > > flattened by bombing.
> >
> > Even Fukuyama was carpet bombed, with (they include injuries) a casualty count
> > of 80,000. Lack of media or public attention and a focus on the A-bombings,
> > particularly of Hiroshima, has contributed to this ignorance or apathy among
> > Japanese. Many even forget the Tokyo firebombing.
>
> As far as the majority of contemporary Japanese is a post-war
> generation, using the word 素orget' is not appropriate.  You mean
> failing to recall person's real experience by the term?

The Japanese term for not actively telling the young about Japan's suffering during the war is
indeed "forget". Just tonight I was at my children's' nursery school annual summer festival, but
for some reason, "peace" was the theme. Instead of the usual children dancing or fireworks finale,
the children and parents stood in a circle holding hands singing along to some song I've never
heard before saying we are "one world".

Right. One world with war, terrorism, SARS, etc. Then there is Japan which is so safe and
peaceful.

And next month, we'll hear about Hiroshima, and to a much lesser extent, Nagasaki again. Maybe
Koizumi and the Emperor will make some vague speeches about their "remorse" again or the trouble
that occurred in Asia.