Remarks for Press Conference

Yue-him Tam President, GA

On the eve of the opening of the International Citizens’ Form on ‘War Crimes and Redress’, I would like first to inform the audience of this press conference that the Global Alliance for Preserving the History of World War II in Asia (GA) is a non-partisan

confederation of world-wide non-profit grass-roots organizations for preserving the uncorrupted history of the Second World War in the Asian Pacific theater from 1931 to 1945. For we believe that the proper closure of that chapter of history rests with an objective understanding and unequivocal acknowledgment of the truth of that war.

GA’s mission is to bring about an honorable closure to ensure the healing of the wounds and a genuine reconciliation and lasting friendship among all the people concerned.

We undertake this mission with sympathy and extended arms of friendship for the people of Japan and of Japanese descent elsewhere, for they also have been victims of Japan’s militarism. Thus we warmly congratulate each and every member of the Japan Organizing Committee for their joint initiative to convene this forum to address the issue of war crimes and redress.

In addition, I would like to note that GA is proud to co-sponsor this historic event initiated by concerned friends in Japan and North America. We deeply appreciate the participation of many scholars, specialists and community leaders from Japan, Korea, China, the Philippines, Canada, the United States, and other countries and regions. We cherish in particular the support from the World Jewish Congress, the Canadian Jewish Congress, the Japanese American community and the Japanese Canadian community, as their representatives will bring a far-sighted perspective of accountability and justice to bear on the rightful closure of the unhealed wounds from the crimes of World War II in Asia.

It is our fervent hope that this conference will become a historic beginning to bring an honorable closure of that chapter of world history and thus lay the foundation for a just and lasting peace, namely, reconciliation instead of recrimination, mutual trust instead of self-deceit, and peace with honor instead of war of ethnic disharmony, such as evidenced by the recent tragedy of Kosovo.

When Japan was in defeat and bankrupt, China and other victimized countries forgave its obligations due to the atrocities of its aggression, in the tradition of the Confucian code of conduct: “Do not do unto others whatsoever you yourself do not desire.” However, as Japan recovers and grows, its neo-militarist clique also gains the upper hand in its government. Thus Japan has yet to reciprocate by equally high-minded deeds, such as to offer unequivocal apology and due compensation to its victims.

Since Japan has whitewashed its past, we have come to this conference also to present the unadulterated truth of its aggression against its neighbors, in the firm belief that when the people of Japan know what their soldiers and sailors have done, they will honor its tradition that demands supreme expression of internalized contrition, not for the perpetrators to commit hara-kiri, but by all means by all who are concerned as well as those who are responsible, to ensure genuine reconciliation with its neighbors and a just and lasting peace.

Finally, we cordially invite all people of goodwill to join in this endeavor to ensure that justice will prevail so as to bring about a new era of reconciliation, trust and peace with honor.

Remarks for Opening Session

final 12/7/99

Yue-him Tam President, GA

I would like to begin my remarks by noting that in his book entitled A Passion for Justice, Robert C. Solomon quotes the following words from Mencius: “Anyone without the heart of sympathy and compassion is not a human being, anyone without the heart of shame and dislike is not a human being, anyone without the heart of modesty and courtesy is not a human being, anyone without the heart of right and wrong is not a human being.” (¡m©s¤l¡nµL´lÁô¤§¤ß¡A«D¤H¤]¡CµL²Û´c¤§¤ß¡M«D¤H¤]¡CµL ÃãÅý¤§¤ß¡M

«D¤H¤]¡CµL¬O«D¤§¤ß¡M«D¤H¤]¡C) (1)

The above quotation from the Chinese Confucian master, whom many Japanese today respect highly still, expresses our common humanity most relevant for this international citizens’ forum on war crimes and redress.

On the eve of the 62nd annual memorial of the Nanking Massacre, I, and all the members of Global Alliance for Preserving the History of Second World War in Asia (GA), feel at once happy and sad at the opening of this forum. We are happy because the dedicated work of many of our friends in Japan has made it happen, and sad because the wounds of the atrocities epitomized by the Nanking Massacre remain to be healed, and the mistrust that ensued such as from the Pearl Harbor Attack---its anniversary we observed a few days ago---has yet to be reconciled, by unequivocal deeds in honor of our common humanity and passion for justice.

While Germany has apologized to the victims of the Nazi regime and long begun, and continues, paying them due compensation, I regret to note that Japan has enshrined its Class A WW II criminals, whitewashed its past aggression, and denied responsibility for the war crimes. This is meant to be a statement of facts without any connotation of judgment or pointing finger. A value judgment, however, will be inherent in what we the citizens are going to do about the acts of our respective governments. For what we are going to do, or fail to do, will define whether we live up to the attributes for human beings as Mencius has articulated twenty three centuries ago.

Therefore I propose the discussions of this forum be dictated by what we wish others would do for us if we ourselves were the victims of the war atrocities, without any thought for revenge or hatred but, to quote and paraphrase Mr. Lincoln’s celebrated speech, “with malice toward none; with charity for all; with firmness in the right, as God gives us to see the right,” let us begin to heal the wounds, “to do all which may achieve and cherish a just, and a lasting peace,” and bring about a new era of reconciliation, trust and co-prosperity. (2)

Perhaps, whatsoever we resolve here to do would be inadequate, in fact too late for those who have perished or since succumbed due to age. Nevertheless, we can and must keep the memory of the victims alive and preserve the story of their suffering in a museum for generations to come to learn the horrors of that war and prevent them to revisit the humankind. For this is the least we wish others would do if we ourselves were the victims. Thus, GA has initiated such a memorial museum project, as well as a world-wide annual commemoration to honor their memory in the month of December. To that end it espouses the study, research, and dissemination of the historical truth by all like-minded individuals and institutions worldwide.

To the citizens of Japan, we want you to know that we have come seeking reconciliation and friendship with mutual trust and respect, in the belief that such reconciliation and friendship are essential for healing the wounds and ensuring a just and lasting peace. As Japan’s Nobel literature laureate, Mr. Oe Kensaburo, has well said: “Japan and the Japanese must work for rehabilitation in Asia. In the history of our modernization in general but, in particular, in the war of aggression that was its peak, we lost the right to be a part of Asia and have continued to live without recovering that right. Without that rehabilitation we shall never be able to eradicate the ambivalence in our attitude toward our neighbors, the feeling that our relationships aren’t real. If I believe these feelings might nonetheless be overcome, it is not because I expect our government to change its attitude drastically, but because I find that true remorse is quietly but deeply internalized among common people.” (3) Thus, we are confident that our search will be awarded by you, and the common people, with such genuine internalized feeling.

I would like to close my remarks with an invitation to all the people concerned, citizens of the world, let us dedicate ourselves to this endeavor to bring a just closure of that chapter of world history so that we can march on, with confidence and increased appreciation of our common humanity, to meet the challenge of a new century and a new millennium.

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(1) Robert S. Solomon, A Passion for Justice. Addison Wesley, 1990. p. 30.

(2) Angle and Miers, The Living Lincoln. Barnes & Noble, 1992. p. 640.

(3) Oe Kensaburo, “Denying History Disables Japan,” The New York Times Magazine, July 2, 1995.