For more than a decade, the Asahi Shimbun produced pages praising North Korea and glorifying Kim Il-sung in connection with the repatriation program.
When the falsehoods were exposed, responsibility was swiftly deflected—a pattern repeated in the Ōe trial, revealing deep flaws in postwar Japanese media culture.

2016-04-04
The following is a continuation from Awakening the Japanese People: 35 Exhilarating Chapters, by Masayuki Takayama, the one and only genuine journalist in the postwar world, published by Themis.
All emphases in the text, except for the title, are mine.
“Without Any Reflection on ‘Long Live Kim Il-sung.’”
The defining feature of this editorial mirrors that of Kenzaburō Ōe.
It portrays the Japanese military as evil and attributes mass suicide largely to its guidance.
Accordingly, the Asahi Shimbun argues that it is excessive for textbook screening to deny military orders behind mass suicide,
while Ōe claims that since Captain Akamatsu was part of the Japanese military, whether he “ordered” or “did not order” suicide is a trivial matter.
The Asahi Shimbun once produced pages for more than a decade praising North Korea and glorifying Kim Il-sung in connection with the repatriation program.
When those falsehoods were exposed, it hastily shifted responsibility, claiming that the program had been led by the Japanese Red Cross,
or that the Japanese government itself had been eager to send back Koreans, many of whom were criminals.
In the Ōe Kenzaburō trial as well, when danger looms, responsibility is deflected with remarkable speed.
When the moment comes, will they abandon Ōe? It will be something to watch.
Another aspect of this issue that must not be overlooked is the ruthlessness of Okinawan prefectural politics.
Dissatisfaction with the devastation of war and with living on the front line of national security is understandable.
That does not, however, justify knowingly defaming two commanders and exploiting their names for political purposes.
Persisting in such behavior leads one down the same path as Kenzaburō Ōe.
(August 2007 issue)

---

次は、