Albrecht was great, wasn’t he? We didn’t want to miss a single point; you don’t have to, either. Here are the notes for Seijigiri’s third edition.

(Intro: Iva Toguri D’Aquino, who called herself “Orphan Ann” and was convicted of being the notorious Tokyo Rose, even though none of the many women who broadcasted in English during the Pacific War referred to themselves as such. Toguri was imprisoned for seven years before being released and was pardoned only in 1977.)

In the news:

A son was born to Prince Akishino, second in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne, and his wife, Princess Kiko on the morning of September 6th by Caesarean. Preparations for the boy’s first visit home include nurses being sent to the couple’s home and child seats being installed in their cars by the Imperial Household Ministry.

The Bank Of Japan announced weaker than expected growth in the Consumer Price Index on September 8th, which some thought would lead the BOJ to halting its increase of interest rates, but BOJ Governor Toshihiko Fukui said that CPI data would not lead the BOJ to revise its projections.

Japan prepares to launch its third spy satellite from Tanegashima, Kagoshima, but this will not reduce Japan’s dependence on US satellites as Japan’s satellites are, in the words of former Cabinet Intelligence and Research head, mere kindergarteners compared to the US’s college students.

Ground Self-Defense Force troops who had gone to Iraq to help with the removal of other GSDF troops returned to Haneda airport in Tokyo, thus bringing to and end Japan’s withdrawal of the GSDF from Iraq.

Koizumi and Finnish PM Matti Vanhanen met at the Asia-Europe summit in Helsinki, where they made a vague pledge to work together on the issues of North Korea and Iran.

The discussion:

Albrecht Stahmer joins Ken and Garrett to talk about Yasukuni Shrine and the issues surrounding it.

Ken gives us some background: Yasukuni was founded in 1869, the second year of the Meiji Era, and is a place to honor Japan’s war dead. The Shrine is controversial because the Shrine’s chief priest enshrined the spirits, or kami, of 14 convicted Class A war criminals, a move not sanctioned by the Showa Emperor (Hirohito) or the public. This has caused tension with China and South Korea as well as others.

Abe wants to improve relationships with Japan’s neighbors, but will probably visit Yasukuni.

Albrecht says that Japan has relied on “checkbook diplomacy” and has allowed China to determine what issues received attention.

Yasukuni is one of many issues, including controversial textbooks, that have drawn protest from China, which foments protests against Japan within China.

Ken and Albrecht agree that China will find an issue to protest over and that the anger is not necessarily over Yasukuni itself. Japan has allowed China to set the agenda, but the Japanese public has been getting tired of hearing complaints over their role in WWII and, thus, supports Yasukuni visits.

Albrecht says that Yasukuni is a domestic issue for Japan and says that a reliance on checkbook diplomacy might be preventing Japan from moving into mature diplomacy, which would require Japan to acknowledge the economic imbalance in the region.

Our three heroes discuss the impact of a possible revision of Article 9 on Japan’s maturing diplomacy. The difference this would make is unclear because China uses protet against Japan to deflect attention from domestic problems.

Japan, and much of the world, seems to believe that China will pass Japan economically, but Albrecht and Garrett point out the gap that remains and the factors within China and Japan that are likely to keep Japan more economically powerful.

The three amigos discuss whether or not Article 9 has relevance today or has just been ignored. What will happen with it?

Ken brings the conversation back to Yasukuni, by asking what Abe could do to improve relations with Japan’s neighbors, especially South Korea and China, and how his fellow panelists would deal with Yasukuni if they were in the LDP leadership.

Albrecht calls the issue a problem of perception, diplomacy being perception. Japan has a powerful military machine and the PM visits Yasukuni, which gives Japan the appearance of being militaristic and religious, which contrasts sharply with what Japan says about itself.

Ken points out that perception gaps are extremely difficult to overcome and that Japan’s view of religion, etc. is quite different from that of other countries.

Perception gaps abound - the US sees the US as good, but people in other countries see the US as aggressive, for example.

What exactly is a religious symbol? Is a shrine in the home more or less religious than a Christmas tree?

Garrett asks Albrecht whether domestic or international perceptions should be more important to Abe.

The three talk about how the Japanese body politic should address the Yasukuni issue.

Is it religiously possible to set up a secular war memorial? Albrecht says that debating it plays into China’s hands and that the other Asian nations who complain about Yasukuni ignore or obfuscate in dealing with their own issues, such as Tiananmen.

The head priest of Yasukuni should not be expected to cooperate with anything that would decrease Yasukuni’s position. Garrett points out that the position of head priest is not strictly a religious position.

Albrecht asks what the solution is and Seijigiri #3 ends in a cliffhanger with a sort of post-modern (if you can define it clearly, let us know) record scratch.

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Thanks for listening (and reading.)