Deputy Prime Minister, former-PM and noted Rozen Maiden fan Taro Aso has caused outrage by supposedly saying Japan should copy the methods Nazi Germany used to do away with its pesky liberal constitution, although despite his apologies there are some concerns that he may have been grievously misquoted after all.
Aso’s translated comments were quoted as saying Japan should sneak through constitutional reform as Hitler did with his infamous Enabling Act:
“The German Weimar constitution changed, without being noticed, to the Nazi German constitution. Why don’t we learn from their tactics?”
Predictably, China and South Korea have also weighed in, with China warning it that after only 70 years of being Asia’s doormat Japan must “win the trust of Asian neighbours and the international community through concrete actions” and Korea claiming the remarks “definitely hurt many people.”
Top anti-anti-semites the Simon Wiesenthal Center also condemned him:
“What is worth learning from the Nazis? How to secretly undermine democracy perhaps? Has he forgotten how Nazi Germany dragged the world into the abyss of the Second World War?”
Aso quickly retracted his remarks in response to all the controversy:
“I retract my remarks in which I cited the Nazis as an example, as it has ended up leading to misunderstanding.”
The Chief Cabinet Secretary also affirmed this:
“I want to make it clear that the… cabinet will never view the Nazi government positively.”
Japan’s post-war constitution remains unchanged from the version imposed upon the ruined empire by MacArthur in 1947, essentially being a hastily cribbed copy of the US constitution with the notable addition of a “pacifism” clause.
Aso and most of the LDP have long been keen to reform it, with proposals ranging from wholesale reform to allow the sort of authoritarian state most LDP nationalists seem desperate for, to the most moderate and realistic option of a revision of Article Nine to allow a more credible defensive posture against China, although as Japan maintains the world’s 4th largest navy despite its provision that “land, sea, and air forces, as well as other war potential, will never be maintained” the practical necessity of reform seems questionable.
Another recent development has been efforts by the LDP to support an initial reform of the constitution’s requirements for revision, in order to make it easier for them to pass their wish-list of subsequent reforms (most of which relate to stripping individuals of rights, or making the document “more Japanese” as the LDP would have it).
As might be expected, some have alleged his remarks were simply quoted out of context or translated rather liberally (and may have a point, as the original address apparently does not explicitly mention Nazis at all and is clearly alluding to the threat China poses to Japan’s security) – his full address:
The international situation Japan finds itself in now differs completely from that it found itself in when it enacted the current constitution. Thinking you can just shout about the constitution and peace will come is a big mistake.
The objective of the constitution is the stability and peace of the nation. The constitution itself is just the means to this end. It’s not something we should determine in the midst of an uproar.
We should calmly consider what sort of environment we find ourselves surrounded with, after carefully considering the situation conduct constitutional reform in line with public opinion. If we don’t, we cannot avoid a mistake.
Germany’s Hitler arose under the Weimar constitution, at the time thought to be Europe’s most progressive constitution. Even with a constitution regarded as good such a thing was possible.
I don’t want to discuss the constitution in an excited atmosphere. Even with the Yasukuni Shrine, we should visit and pay our respects quietly. What would be strange is that we would not pay our respects to those who gave their lives for the nation. We should visit quietly.
So, saying “we should do it quietly” is also relevant to the Weimar constitution – it was changed without anyone even noticing. How about we learn from their methods? I have no intention of denying democracy, but I do not want to decide something like this in the midst of an uproar.
There is some concern about the level of difference between the full text of his speech and what mass media soundbites have alleged he said:
“If that is what he actually said, what is the problem?”
“Somebody upload his full speech please…”
“The worthless media needs to stop editing what he said and put the whole thing out.”
“Honestly, there is something really wrong with our media if they manage to turn this into ‘Aso supports the Nazis!'”
“Maybe one of them simply didn’t understand the speech?”
“Maybe to the most deluded anti-Japanese maniacs this does look like praise of the Nazis?”
“This is a pretty egregious example of media fabrication. The LDP should do something about the press!”
“The world’s media is going on about him praising the Nazis and the word ‘Nazi’ isn’t even mentioned in the original speech!”
“It looks as though the Yomiuri altered what he said in their quote of him to say ‘The Weimar Constitution was changed into the Nazi Constitution without anyone ever noticing. How about we learn from that?'”
“Aren’t they ashamed? I guess they make more money making things up than would reporting anything honestly.”
“He’s still talking about how they changed the Weimar Republic into the Nazi Germany overnight.”
“I think he has a point… I read the Wikipedia article on the Enabling Act and was convinced. The Nazis did not even abolish the constitution, they just passed an act and overrode it all.”
“According to tweets from people who actually attended, that was the basic content of what he said though – he was saying it doesn’t really matter how good your constitution is you let someone amend it in the midst of a crisis or uproar, not praising the Nazis or the method they used.”
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What's the big deal? All he wants before he dies is to return Japan to the way it never was: A happy, obedient land full of noble, honorable, dedicated, brave, & fierce samurai warriors that were the fear & envy of the lesser, wanna-be, savagely barbaric & backward nations that surrounded that golden, shining isle which served as the world's only dwelling place of true, civilized humanity.
And of course, in order to do this, he needs a government that has the authority to do whatever it wants to whomever it wants whenever it wants however it wants to do it!
BWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Sarcasm is not going to be detected by delusional japs for this comment.
Japs hardly visit this site and comment. Heavily obsessed japanophiles with adopted nationalism is another story....
You make me sick with rage gaijin, go back to a flyover state and prey to your god for another bucket of fried shit.
God, that would be great.
He can copy China, or the USA. They are the same right now... No wait. Actually the US is worse.
How can the US be worse when the US is owned by China?
Hole shimoli, I was planning to move to Japan trying to escape the black wannabe white muslim nazi in office from the USA. Now there are neocommmies in power in Japan. FCK THAT SHIT! I am moving back to my fcking country better.
pppffffffHAHAHAHAHAHA!!
look at all the milk i spilled.
what a great read.
To say there is nothing to be learned from Nazi Germany is bullshit. Whoever posted those remarks must be out of their mind- there is a lot we can learn from Nazi Germany- Like, how to prevent such a thing from happening again? Goddamn Israeli nutcases.
Nazi Germany was the first country to ever consider banning cigs, because smoking is unhealthy. So yes, the world can learn even from the evils.
We can't learn nothin from any German ever. I say wipe them off the face of the earth.
Actually, that's misrepresenting his point. What he means, is that there is nothing positive to learn from the Nazi, which mind you is still invalid, since there is no reason why bad guys can't have good ideas too.
Being a "Bad Guy" or "Good Guy" Is just a matter of Perspective.
Being a popularity cynic is a bitch move
Stalin murdered much more, USA dropped atom bombs to civilian targets (and since then bombed a lot more civilians) all is shit, fuck off with your "good guys"
‘A bad guy is someone who harm others for anything beyond the essential needs of their own or others.’ - In that case there are no good guys, just bad guys who aren't able.
Japan pretty much deserved the Nuke. Considering all the sickening level of war crimes committed that even Nazi's found deplorable. They were even forewarned of such of the nuke yet they carried on flipping the bird.
The number of deaths is definitely a factor concerning how bad an event was, but how the deaths came to be really shows the nasty side of humans.
In WW2 Japan Killed more people than Nazi Germany and committed more War crimes! It's not new for Japan to act like this and You're a fool to think otherwise! All he is saying is to take the good things from their act , To help and better Japan. Stop getting hurt by everything people say and just Listen an at least hear them out like the civilized person you are.
No it's not. A bad guy is someone who harm others for anything beyond the essential needs of their own or others. It's pretty unambiguous.
Heh, don't forget all those radioactive babies in Fallujah, USA got a lot more to answer for.
16:57 LOL the fuck you little yellow bitch
Yup, mass murdering a group of people based on prejudice can definitely be good with the right perspective.
Prevent what ? Nazi from losing ? :D
Prevent the born of Nazi-level of bad thing.
There are something in Japan called "Hannmen kyoushi."
aka "learning from the mistake of the other".
Looks like politicians in Japan shall not cite the Nazi, even if they are talking bad about Nazi.
That shit is called "Kotobagari", a kind of censorship by the media itself.
Also, the most important journal of japan picking up part of text and tell the inverse of what he said is full lack of professionalism have the Japanese journalism.
This shit like that make the theory of comfort women being invention of Japanese journalism more trustful for me.
It's more trustful even when I think any kind of crime against humanity/war crime is automatically truth with no need of proof.
They must teach us in the UK differently about WW2 then, cause I thought that the holocaust was the greatest massacre in modern history, being approx 6 million if my mind is correct, I have not heard of any higher numbers from Japan in the same period?
You can always learn from something whether it is a good or bad event
Israelis? What has it to do with anything here???
Only by people manipulating a spineless, easily fooled, easily manipulated kids like you can the world opinion turn against a group of people being oppressed and threatened with genocide, based purely on their ethnic background while they ignorantly ignore their own sins and crimes that will put them against a brick wall and shot tomorrow if they were all accounted for with the same standards as they criticize others.
Israelis are perfectly in the right to oppose such racist and ignorant attitudes of those that turned against them at a dime (not to mention religious and economic thievery in the form of special taxes and informal pressure to kowtow to every whim of non-israelis) during modern and ancient times for no other significant reason then that they are jews.
Israelis deserve their place on earth. It's their strong sense of ethnic identity and cultural heritage that makes others feel uncomfortable, even without as adverse actions on part of the israelis, because in many ways it gives lie to every group's core pride and idea of their 'unique' greatness when a smaller group succeeds and excels at the standards they can't even dream about and still has that pride and honor of belonging to a tribe that has such strong sense of identity and spiritual resiliency.
Exactly, it's god's given right that the'd be allowed to use cluster bombs on innocents.
Innocents? They are all dedicated to genociding the jews and teach each other bullshit about why their miserable loser existence is justified. Why aren't the palestinians not genocided yet? Because jews are not dedicated to committing genocide unlike some criminal people. Their blood is on their own hands, just like all criminals who act with ignorance and bigotry.
Not to mention it's not 'god's' given right for palestinians to fire rockets to schools and hospitals and commit suicide bombing on buses.
Fuck off/
Israeli nutcases? The Israelis want Nazi Germany to BE remembered and lessons to be learned from it. You apparently spent your life in isolation, Tepesh.
Ironic since they behave more like Nazis than anyone else on earth at this moment.
"You little fuckers with attitudes better check yourselves."
Whoooaaa look out! We've got an internet badass over here!
Of course they behave like nazis, otherwise they wouldn't be arresting people for uncensored porn like that one bust posted here a few days ago.
Jew state is on the Palestinian territory, first of all. Now they should be praised for "allowing" palestinians to live in their traditional lands?
This
Territory which was stolen from Jews after Romans did their dirty work for them. The name Palestinia is a fake one given by romans after they made the decision to forcibly and purposefully erase the name Judea in order to scatter and exile the jews and give their land to their enemies.
I assume you are talking about arabs and palestinians who hate jews for what they are, versus jews who largely go with what they 'do'. Only recently since nothing else works and that it has been proven time and time again what racist pieces of shits arabs are, have israel taken a slightly greater hardline stance against them.
How else would jews allow 20% arab population within their state and amusingly enough, not enough palestinians and arabs can get it line fast enough to work in israel where jews have built one of the most modern and innovative centers of prosperity from practically nothing in 50 years versus endless strife and stagnation for over 2000 years under non-jewish rule.
You little fuckers with attitudes better check yourselves.
So you're a Zionist follower. Good for you.
14:17,
You do realize that 12:31 ended his comment with 88? You just agreed with someone who ended his comment with "heil Hitler." Thats what 88 stands for.
What right do you have judge others?
Zionist are such hypocrites.
Every race should be entitled to there own community, sense of history and nationalism.
To take that away is criminal.
88
12:31 Exactly. Jews are entitled to their homeland where their heritage and traditions were formed, unlike mongrel decedents of thieves who stole that land after romans did their dirty work for them.
Who is the criminal? The ones indiscriminately firing rockets and claiming to initiate genocide fundamentally because of who jews ARE. Who is the stupid fuck that think they are not hypocrites and trying to manipulate and twist childish buzz words like 'racism' and 'apartheid' so they can be the enslaver? Arabs are the biggest and oldest slave traders in human history.
Zionists are good patriots who seek to rebuild their homeland and create a place on earth for their people who suffered over 2000 years of exile and wandering in total. You dumbfucks can't even share the land with each other, much less a strip of land less than half the size of NJ.
Careful where you try to bitch and play that game because you're definitely gonna get horsefucked ^^
Better self-defensive, self-aware and proud zionist then a fucking reactionary, cowardly muslim that can't even win a fight out numbering jews 20 to 1.
All mouth and no fuckin spine you bitch
Israel is a piece of shit.
You are kind of proving his point ironically. It seems you didn't actually read the full article.
This is nothing but a plot from those dirty jew$.
Hitler was just playing war when we compared with Mao Tsé-Tung. Mao Tsé-Tung killed 100 millions, probably even more! The entire WW2 was just around 60 millions. Hitler alone did just 9 millions as max!
Joseph Stalin killed around 50~60 millions too.
STOP BEGIN brainwashed by those dirty jew$ !
Damn Chinese if those number didn't made them extinct then even their garbage food and smog air won't minimize their population. :P
"Dirty" Jews? A discussion about a not-really-Nazi-supporting quote manages to interest some neo-Nazis in a forum about Japanese culture? Funny, don't these shitheads always go on about "Yellow Peril" and such bullshit?
Troll or no.
Did you forget that the Nazi's were pretty damn brutal with their war crimes? Sure not on par with the Japanese but still....
"hurr durr joos r risponsibl fur al de porbelms in de wolrd hitlur wuz rihgt!!!1!"
^This was what I read. I almost forgot that anti-Semitism was the latest trend on the Internet these days.
Nah. It's just Sankaku. It just attracts some of the worst scum on the internet. Like 2ch.
YouTube is child's play compared to LiveLeak. There is hardly ever any intelligible comments on there. Just filled with kill them and that. Though if you say anything bad about Americans on there or just White people in general, you get your ass jumped like no tomorrow.
There's plenty of anti-Semitism on YouTube as well.