Published on October 17, 2019.
This article examines The Times of London’s report describing a British military rugby team’s visit to Yasukuni Shrine as a visit to “a shrine for Japanese war criminals.”
It introduces Professor Emeritus Earl Kinmonth’s critique in JAPAN Forward, discusses the biased reporting of Richard Lloyd Parry and The Times, explains the historical misunderstanding surrounding Yasukuni Shrine and the Tokyo Trials, and criticizes the article as an openly discriminatory distortion of Japan.

October 17, 2019
It is not the first time that the newspaper has written a dubious article, and this applies not only to its Japan correspondent, Richard Lloyd Parry.
It is difficult to regard such an openly biased article as anything other than deliberate.
The following is from an article published in yesterday’s Sankei Shimbun under the title “Sending Japan’s Voice Abroad: Cutting Down the ‘Fake’ Reporting of a British Newspaper.”
As is clear from Richard Lloyd Parry in this article, this is an article that proves that the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of Japan is not merely an organization unworthy of the name of journalist, but one dominated by disreputable foreigners.
Racist ‘The Times of London’ Article Hits UK Military Rugby Team and RWC2019 Host Country Japan.
The Rugby World Cup, held in Asia for the first time, has been greatly enlivened by the advance of the host country, Japan.
However, on the 18th of last month, The Times of London published a rugby-related article that seemed to throw cold water on such excitement, causing a small stir among those concerned.
At the same time as the World Cup, an active-duty British military rugby team visiting Japan to participate in the “International Defence Rugby Competition,” hosted by Japan’s Ministry of Defense, paid a visit to Yasukuni Shrine.
It should have become an event symbolizing reconciliation between Japan and Britain, two countries that fought in the Second World War, and the arrival of a new era.
However, the newspaper reported this with a malicious headline: “British military rugby team visits shrine for Japanese war criminals.”
It caused controversy because the article reported that Paul Madden, the British Ambassador to Japan, had warned the team about visiting a shrine where Class-A war criminals are enshrined and, as a precaution, had advised them to avoid visiting shrines in Japan in the future.
The Sankei Shimbun also reported the story by republishing that report.
Professor Emeritus Earl Kinmonth of Taisho University, a commentary writer for the English-language news and opinion site JAPAN Forward, quickly examined the content of the article and wrote a commentary.
The English title above, with its Japanese translation, was the headline of the commentary published in JAPAN Forward on September 22.
“It is one of the most blatantly racist articles about Japan that I have seen.”
The commentary, which begins in this way, first pointed out two errors.
The first was the claim that Yasukuni Shrine is “for war criminals.”
Yasukuni Shrine was established in 1869 to commemorate those who died in the Boshin War of 1868–1869.
He pointed out that this was an era in which the concept of “war crimes” did not exist.
Next, he introduced the fact that, on September 20, a spokesperson for the British Embassy in Japan issued an unusual statement saying, “The Ambassador has not instructed anyone not to visit Japanese shrines,” thereby clearly denying The Times’ report.
The professor declared that, to use today’s expression, it was “fake news.”
Furthermore, regarding the enshrinement of Class-A war criminals, which Western media often cite when criticizing Yasukuni Shrine, he emphasized that there are experts who believe that the West also has little basis for criticism, for reasons such as: ① “Class-A war criminals” were indicted for political crimes; and ② the Tokyo Trial, the International Military Tribunal for the Far East, was based on “victor’s justice.”
The professor concluded, “It is not the first time that the newspaper has written a dubious article, and this applies not only to its Japan correspondent, Richard Lloyd Parry.
It is difficult to regard such an openly biased article as anything other than deliberate,” and closed by saying, “Japan-related companies and others should probably look for more friendly places to advertise.”
On social media, many readers posted comments condemning the British reporter’s fakery and distortion, while some expressed the view that they did not think the article was racist.
On the other hand, there were also several voices saying, “I respect the British military rugby team” that visited Yasukuni Shrine.
Rugby is a sport born in Britain.
However, in the article of a British newspaper that conveys human goodwill as malice, there is no sign whatsoever of the respect for one’s opponent that rugby values most highly.
JAPAN Forward Editorial Department.
https://Japan-forward.com/