Emperor Akihito must apologise for war crimes

I refer to SCMP David McNeil's "A movie laid to rest" on April 3 and Kevin Rafferty's "Japan Inc shuts its door to the past" on April 5 that discuss the Yasukuni Shrine issue.

All the Second World War victims by the Japanese's agression and brutality, are unlikely to get a wholehearted apology and or expression of remorse from the Japanese Government and the people of Japan.

Japan, in its collective psychology, thinks it lost the second World War because it faced a mightier for in the form of the USA - not because it was morally wrong to attack and occupy other country.

To make matter worse, Emperor Hirohito who ruled and not just reigned during the WW II, was not tried as a war criminal by the High Command of the US occupation forces in Japan in the immediate aftermath of Japan's unconditional surrender.

General MacArthur found it expedient to co-opt Emperor Hirohito as an ally in the newly emerging cold war era against the Soviets.

The subsequent adoption of a pacifist constitution and the democratization process introduced in Japan provided a purportedly legitimate sense of self-redemption for the Japanese, yet they suffer from frequent bout of amnesia and sometimes make denials regarding their WW II guilt.

The Liberal Democratic Party that was in power for almost the entire post war period up to today with the brief exception of 1993-1996 period was formed by a group of the right wing conservatives, who were previously the members if not the supporter of the Imperial Japanese Government during the WW II.

If Japan is sincere to repent her WW II crime, it has to start with the present Emperor Akihito to apologise on behalf of his father who was, as the ruling and reigning head of state, responsible for allowing Japanese agression during the War

Without this deed of repentance, the souls of the victims by the Japanese agression, from Korea to China and from the Allied force to the non-combatan civilians everywhere, will not rest in peace.

Emperor Akihito is now old and wise and should have the courage his father did not possess!