REGRETTABLY, the recent comments made by Prime Minister Tony Abbott to visiting Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe still appear to have been misconstrued.
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By listening carefully, and following the address to Mr Abe, it should have been clearly understood that Mr Abbott was acknowledging the loyalty and courage displayed by the Japanese military forces in World War II, as being loyal and courageous to their own country and their revered Emperor of the day.
At the time, in Japanese eyes, the emperor was also considered to be a god.
The depth of national courage and patriotism displayed towards their country and emperor could probably be no better demonstrated than by the actions of fanatical young kamikaze pilots, who rejected the parachute offered to them before flying into battle.
However, while acknowledging to Mr Abe the wartime courage and loyalty displayed by the Japanese, Mr Abbott qualified his foregoing comments by concluding with the telling and damning words that “we did not agree with what they did.”
Australian descendants of WWII veterans and POWs know full well the historical atrocities suffered at the hands of the Japanese enemy of the day, and bitterness still runs deep.
However, seventy years on, in a changed world, we need to listen carefully to the present-day words of acknowledgement couched in diplomatic terms by our Prime Minister, and not wrongly castigate him for a perceived disloyalty to our respected and returned Australian war veterans.
Clearly, this was not the intent.
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