#yasakuni shrine

[pawberri]

Muvluv is fashy?? I was looking into getting it before you said that, can you go more into detail?

Someday I'll write up a whole thing about this, but I'll just sum it up by using the authors own words about how he was inspired by visiting Yasakuni Shrine (the shrine where all the war criminals are enshrined that is controversial for anyone to visit) and reading the propaganda books of the last words of Kamikaze pilots in WW2

(Postmemorial Conservatism: mobilizing memories of the war dead)

The entire core series is 100 hours of pro Imperial Japan apologia from netouyo bootlicking nationalism to actually including a fictionalized version of unit 731 that is revealed to have never actually done anything wrong!! Oh and of course the Korean peninsula and China and all of Asia have already been wiped out, and the only reason America is capable of silly things like "caring about human rights" is because of their immense privilege. I could go on for literally ever

[legalkimchi]

The Mistake in Comparison

So, recently someone tweeted (x'ed?) about how Japan was the showcase of why diversity doesn't matter. That Japan was "one of the most civilised, educated, dynamic, safe, tolerant, peaceful and culturally-rich nations on Earth."

It reminds me of when someone tried to argue, when queen elizabeth died, that there are examples of great monarchies, just look at the Japanese monarchy.

As a korean, we have very specific views about the japanese monarchy.

This got me thinking about the japanese occupation of korea and china. of the entire "Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere."

Then i started thinking about how we don't really view Imperial Japan in the same light as Nazi Germany. We comment on the death toll of the Holocaust but not as much of the tens of millions of chinese and koreans who died at the hands of the Japanese. How Japan escaped the fate of nazi germany. Holocaust denial is outlawed in Germany. Japanese war crime denial is part of the official curriculum in Japan.

THEN i realized my mistake.

The mistake i made in my own thinking. The Problem with that thinking is that it is a comparison. It is a feeling of injustice that the Holocaust is discussed and not the east asian genocide.

That thinking leads to antisemitism. And i have witnessed asians, who historically have no strong feelings towards jewish people (because why would they?), get some antisemitism from the seed of this thought.

Because when you start thinking that way, you start the road to resentment. Why do people care about the jews? Why don't they talk about us?

Well, it isn't the jews fault that the west doesn't talk about us.

It is victim blaming on a grand scale. and not the way to go about it.

We need to focus on educating people on what Imperial japan did. For those that know, koreans have very harsh views on the Japanese, and it is difficult to make the distinction between the Japanese people and Imperial Japan. Specifically because the Imperial Japan didn't just attempt to eliminate koreans off the face of the earth once, but twice.

But, with the exception of 3 years, Japan has had a right wing prime minister since 1996. The current one still sends offerings to the Yasakuni Shrine. it's been 4 consecutive years that cabinet members have gone to the shrine on the anniversary of the end of the war to honor Japanese war criminals. The current prime minister requested the german Chancellor's help in removing a statue symbolizing korean "comfort women" in berlin. "Comfort women" being the term used to describe the hundreds of thousands of women that were forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese.

The right wing isn't on the rise in japan, it's been in power for decades. and while many don't know about it, or ignore it because they love anime and sushi so much...

those who know the history of East asia do not ignore it. every korean alive, in country or diaspora, has at least family directly affected by japanese atrocities.

People need to know about Japan's actions, and it's government's complicity in hiding, or worse, embracing their criminal past.

I don't hold a grudge against japanese people. they are being lied to by their own government. lead to believe a fairy tale of their country's history. (much like how we do in the US). But people need to know the history here.

[loganinjapan]

Day 4 ACADEMICS

I will keep the section about the Imperial Palace generally brief as there was not an assigned reading about it today. However, a lot of past readings tie into it. One thing I learned about the palace was the reasoning for its layout, especially near the front gates. There were a lot of twists and turns, designed to slow the enemy's progression and help the defending forces. Slats in the gate provided space to shoot arrows. We learned about the various areas of the land, including the top tower that served as the final refuge if the enemy were able to advance to that point. It would be interesting to see how different the space would be if the Tokugawa Shogunate stayed in power and the Meiji Restoration had never happened. The Yaskuni Shrine is a controversial shrine in Japan dedicated to those who died in war - including 14 who were Class A war criminals. To some, it's a necessary historial memorial. To others, it's a sign that Japan takes pride in their past brutality. Ryu's reading analyzes the controversial debate and the different talking points on each side. In terms of political parties, the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) supports the shrine and welcomes the Prime Minister to visit it anytime - they believe it is a necessary historical memorial. Dissidents from opposing parties point out Yasukuni Shrine as a memorial to war criminals and brutal people who slaughtered others. China and Korea, countries who were both heavily impacted by Japan's colonial push, severely condemn the Yasakuni Shrine. A good example from an American perspective is the Vietnam War Memorial - you'll get a varying interpretation of the memorial depending on who you ask. Despite all the controversy, when we visited the shrine, it was quiet and peaceful. I presume the police do a thorough job of ensuring protests and similar events are quickly subdued as to avoid negatively publicity. Also, I wasn't expecting to see such giant Torii gates!!

[thisisryderinjapan]

(from top to bottom left to right: Imperial Palace, Yasakuni Shrine, Ichiran Ramen, View from elevator of Shibuya Sky, coffee that I got at imperial palace that I had high hopes for but was dissapointed [it just tasted like normal coffee])

May 9 - Imperial Palace, Yasakuni Shrine, Shibuya Sky

Today we started the day by visiting the Imperial Palace where we learned about the design of the moats, bridges, and gates and how all three elements worked together to produce a very well-defended structure. If an army was trying to invade the palace, the only way they would be able to go was through the multiple choke points created by the gates and sharp angles of the bridges. They could not go any other way because of the moat and very steep walls made from massive, virtually immoveable stones. You cannot go into any of the palace buildings but you can walk around the gardens, which were very pretty and had the most beautiful Koi I have ever seen in my life. After the palace, we walked to Yasukuni Shrine which is a very contentious site in Japan because there are war criminals enshrined there and many do not believe these war criminals should be honored by being left at the shrine. After Yasukuni we took the train back to Shibuya where we ate at Ichiran Ramen which was very cool and extremely good, then we shopped around and I bought some Adidas shoes and a shirt. I also decided randomly to do the Shibuya Sky lookout tower which was super cool because I got to see a different angle of the Shibuya crossing and I could see the mountains way better from that POV. I tried to find a mochi place but all the ones the internet suggested were closed by the time I was looking (about 6pm) which was shocking to me because it wasn't late at all but I guess mochi places just don't stay open very late.

Academic Reflection

After reading the two farming articles, I found it alarming that Japan has such an issue with low domestic production of food. A quick Google Search told me that Japan imports around 60% of all the food they consume. If this was true about the United States I would be very concerned about the immediate future of the country. That being said, I understand that Japan is a small country and much of it is now covered in concrete jungle, but having to rely on outside sources for 60% of your food seems like a dangerous game to play, especially after the COVID pandemic when it became clear that global supply chains are quite fragile and vulnerable to collapse from many different angles. I understand that the government is taking measures to address this low yield, but the situation seems quite precarious to me.

[oliviainjapann]

May 9th- Imperial Palace and Yasukuni Shrine

Today we began the day by visiting the Imperial Palace. It was a very cold morning and I was lowkey shivering so bad, but I persevered. I thought it was amazing to see how so much land was allotted to this palace, and how even though land and real estate is so expensive in Tokyo, they still have so much of it blocked off for the parks and gardens within the palace. The Yasakuni shrine was also interesting to see, and it was intriguing to learn about the controversy of the shrine. I didn’t end up praying there. My friends and I then tried Ichiran Ramen at Shibuya for the first time- it was SO GOOD. Best ramen in my life. We then shopped around the area, and went to Harajuku again. I explored by myself and went very far down some alleys, and it was such a different experience from the busy main street. I loved every second of it. I got a pair of Onitsuka Tigers that I’m so excited to wear too. I explored for an hour more and then went to Aoyama Gakuin University where I met up with my friend Chandra who is doing an exchange program for a semester for his masters through UF there. We walked around for a bit and explored some shops, even the beautiful Ralph Lauren store and pretended we were main characters. We then got ramen together and it was so wholesome to spend time with him, I missed him so much! I’m now taking the train BY MYSELF home, and I feel so strong and independent. Such an amazing day!!

Academic Reflection

Today’s readings focused on the Yasakuni Shrine and its controversy. I had never heard of different classes of criminals, and the fact that this shrine is dedicated to 14 of the ClassA criminals was wild to me. I understood that every country wants to honor their fallen soldiers, but I believe it is a different story when in my opinion they were fighting for what was wrong. It sends a very nationalistic and scary message to other countries, and creates an uneasy atmosphere when visiting this shrine. I thought it was interesting to learn that the Prime Minister still visits this shrine to pay his respects, which I think is very controversial, and this happened in the US, it would cause a great uproar in our country.

On the other hand, I found it very interesting when we talked about how Japan does not have many national flags hanging around the country. I payed special close attention to this today and I saw that this was very true. This is a direct contrast to the United States, because we have our flags hanging everywhere, from people houses to just along the street. It is clear we show a lot of national pride, and our very proud to be America, but in Japan, I do not get this sense of national pride, which honestly makes it a more welcoming environment for foreigners. I think it also sends a message of peace as well, which definitely contrasts the shrine- I think this shrine is honestly an outlier, and I hope that people know the significance of the shrine and understand what it actually means.

[941injapan]

June 3rd- Imperial Palace and Yasakuni

Today our class went to the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. The surrounding area was quite nice, I guess that is partly because of the importance of the site as well as the abundance of government building close by. The whole area felt like how Washington D.C felt to me if that makes sense. High class but also very reserved, an obvious attribute of politically charged urban areas. It's a shame all of the buildings have burnt down. I find that very strange, I would have figured the wooden buildings would have rotted or shaken to bits by earthquakes, but nonetheless, the structures are no longer there. After our visit, I took a long walk down to Bingo International. This is an exotic car showroom settled between many government buildings such as the House of Representatives and the Prime Minister's office. I must say, holy moly. I was surrounded by 7 cars in this showroom that probably costs well over 20 million together. Pagani Huyrua BC 4 million Italian v12 hypercar, Lexus LFA, 1.2 million dollars and the most elite car Toyota has ever laid hands on. Ferrari f40 2 million +, 2 of the rarest Lamborghinis, and finally a Ferrari f50. What an honor it was to stand amongst some of the most legendary vehicles humanity has ever created. I'm still getting jitters thinking about it. After I quit my fangirling, I went to Nakano Broadway and had a pretty good time. Found an original Japanese copy of Sonic Adventure 2, which I'm pretty stoked about. Grabbed some manga for the looks, and found a new 70 dollar game for 44 dollars. Good loot today I must say, finally my luck is turning up again.

I wanted to double back and talk about the Yasakuni Shrine we saw today. This shrine stands as a symbol of militarism in Japan. In WW2, soldiers as well as many Class A war criminals were buried here. In traditional Shinto beliefs, once you are buried in a shrine, you can become a kami, or a type of God. Since then, Japanese prime ministers have vististed this shrine, brining controversy along with them as it is seen as a legitmation or condoning of previous military acts. Personally as an American, the baddest boys on the block, this didn't offend me. The reason I didn't enter was for the respect of others who take that place seriously. My great grandfather probably worked on a plane that put some of those bodies in the shrine. Shouldn't have touched Pearl Harbor, bears sleep for a reason.

Pics here hot and ready

[chelseainjapan-blog]

June 3- Imperial Palace/Yasukuni Shrine

Today was long! We started with the Imperial Palace which was much larger and grand than I thought it would be. Walking the palace made me feel like a small peasant child that would probably wait outside wishing I was royalty. The place itself is very large and took a while to walk through. I was starving during the walk in all honesty. However, the best part was definitely the garden. It was genuinely breaktaking and the views of the koi fish, ponds, lily pads, and flora were artfully placed and manicured. After the garden we walked to higher grounds and saw where the “last stand” would be for the military. Thinking back to its use, I think they definitely could’ve made it higher but also I don’t know what type of infrastructure was there. Then, we walked to the Yasakuni Shrine, which had beautiful trees that looked matcha covered. I was enthralled by the sights, but I was starving so I honestly didn’t take the time to explore the area much. Casey, Aulora, Julie, and I then went to get food and basically ran into the closest restaurant. Then, we went to a really nice antique cafe that was covered in different fine china and collectibles. The blueberry cheesecake and coffee were very good quality and satisfied my sweet tooth.

Academic Reflection

Visiting the Yasukuni Shrine felt surreal. I previously took Japanese Culture and wrote a paper about the Nanjing Massacre and always felt really uncomfortable about how the topic is handled by the Japanese government. In Yongwook Ryu’s The Yasukuni Controversy, subjects such as the controversy of the shrine and how reactions to the shrine have proliferated. In the paper, it is written that other countries such as China and Korea view the shrine as a symbol of imperialism and revisionist history. Visiting the place itself, I really hate that they had to enshrine these war crimes into the landmark, as it was truly beautiful and breathtaking. However, the beauty of the landmark reflects the dedication of the Japanese government and also those involved with aligning its message to not address the Nanjing Massacre.

Additionally, the reading discusses how Prime Ministers visit the Yasukuni Shrine which has sparked international outrage and protests, but the Japanese government says that these visits are signs of freedom of religion. This pull between the two contributes to the strained relations between the neighboring countries. However, seeing the Shrine and the it’s adjacent attraction upholds a sense of reverie. In my head, I wondered if other representatives of countries visited if they would feel the same way I felt.

[brianinjapan721]

June 3 - Imperial Palace and Yasakuni Shrine

Today, our first stop was the Imperial Palace. I did not know much about this place before our visit, so I was excited to learn a bit about it and see it. Something that I found especially interesting about it was the levels of security they had. There were originally three moats and a few watch towers from which guards could shoot arrows at invaders from outside and inside the gates. The security, therefore, was pretty top-notch. It was a lot of walking, but I also really enjoyed the garden inside. There were plenty of beautiful flowers and even a small waterfall to look at. After this, we visited Yasukuni shrine. It was a lot like some of the other shrines I have seen, decorated with gold detailing. A few things, however, stood apart from other shrines I had seen. For one, there was chrysanthemum decoration, indicative of the family that was ruling at the time of the shrine’s building. Also, the tori gate at the entrance to the path toward the shrine was made of metal and had a more modern-looking design than other tori gates I have seen.

The reading for today’s excursions focused on the heavily-charged debate regarding the Yasakuni shrine. I knew very little about this before doing the reading, so I was very interested in reading about it. One thing that stood out to me about this reading was the issue of national pride among the youth of Japan. It was stated that the youth are significantly less proud of the country than older generations are. Part of this is thought to be because of Japan’s militaristic, imperialistic past. I drew a parallel between the youth in Japan and America on this topic. Many American youth are not very proud of their country as well, albeit for different reasons. I found it very interesting that some politicians believe that official visits to the Yasukuni shrine would indoctrinate the Japanese youth with more national pride than they currently have. I also think it is interesting that part of the reason why political parties have differing views on how to deal with the Yasukuni conflict is because they have different ideas of what different groups think about official visits to the Yasukuni shrine. For instance, politicians appear to be divided on the extent to which the Japanese youth take pride in their country currently. There was also discussion in the reading about how politicians have different perspectives on why the Korean and Chinese people are offended by official state visits to the Yasukuni shrine. The reading made it clear that there are many possible solutions to this conflict, yet the division in support or lack thereof for official state visits to the Yasukuni shrine prevents Japan from being able to appropriately handle this conflict.

[haydennorthrup]

🇯🇵 DAY TWO 🇯🇵

Our day two attractions consisted of Yasakuni Shrine in the morning, Harajuku in the afternoon, and some exploring of Nagoya at night. Yasakuni shrine was one of a kind just from the outside alone. The large green tori gates could be seen from a mile away and were a very cool entrance point. Once we were inside we were greeted with numerous rooms that had a plethora of Japanese and non-Japanese artifacts that spanned hundreds and hundreds of years. Although the majority of pieces in the museum had descriptions in Japanese I couldn’t read, I still had a great time looking at them. Being a guy, I found myself admiring the planes, armor, and baseball artifacts the most. Although this is common all around the world, the souvenir shop at the end of the museum is a great example of tradition and modernity. In a place full of traditional pieces, they offer modern gifts like phone cases, and model sets. With this switch to modernity they can help attract more people by selling items with the name as advertisement while also helping the artifacts live on.

Our next stop was Harajuku, where I was lucky enough to cross another thing off my bucket list. Ive heard people rave about cat cafes, and they were all right. Although the drink I payed for wasn’t the best, I was more consumed by what cat to play with next. The cats were the cutest I’ve ever seen and were all so playful. While it made me miss my cat at home even more that I already did, it also boosted my serotonin levels to the max. After the cat cafe I decided to get some food while all the others went out for crepes. The first thing I noticed while getting food is how different the environment is. In the United States it’s almost looked down upon or sad to go out to eat by yourself, but In Japan I was quick to notice that almost every time 50% or more of the people in there are by themselves. Me personally, I love eating by myself and enjoyed this about Japan. I wasn’t left with much time after eating, but managed to find a Golds Gym that had shirts saying “Harajuku Annex” on them and have already decided that will be apart of my gym attire the day I get back.

Exploring Nagoya at night was interesting and consisted of running into many drunk salaryman and more shopping. We learned in class that drinking after work with colleges was normal, but I didn’t realize it was that prominent. One of the moments during the trip I’ll never forget is when Reyna and Paytyn were laughing at something and got blatantly mocked by a group of salaryman who at the same time almost fell head first into a bush. When shopping in Nagoya we checked out the stations mall which ended up having a lot more than we expected. BIC camera was one of the main stores and sold anything you could ever think of. Once again, I fell into the trap and bought more than I had room for.

[shivu14]

Japan, Summer 2017

Mt. Fuji, Ashi Caldera, Mt, Komatagake, Hakone, Tokyo Tower, Yasakuni Shrine and War Museum 

[loganinjapan]

Day 4 ACTIVITES:

Today was like a fast-paced sprint and not a full-length marathon. Not too bad, but it had its moments. Imperial Palace: A lot of walking. Damn damn damn. But it was very very very beautiful. We walked through the gardens and went through a bunch of nature. I ended sitting on a bench and just taking in as much high quality fresh air as possible for 30 minutes. It was absolutely divine. I could have used more electrolyte drinks though (and *actual* Pocari Sweat this time, please...). There were these super steep inclines that absolutely cranked and tweaked my hip. Still nursing it while writing this. Overall, the nature was heavenly, but the walking was hell.

Yasakuni Shrine: I'll be blunt - this was a bit of a forgettable stop for the day. I can dive into the lore a lot more deeper on the academics post as this is a very historic and controversial spot in Japan. I didn't pray at the shrine out of personal reasons, but I did cleanse my hands and mouth before going in. I was honestly more focused on hopping on the taxi and getting food and electrolytes into my system. Lunch: I'm back at Takadanobaba Station to finally try Yuragi, the white katsu curry that evaded me on Day 1. I headed inside the restaurant with one of my fellow groupmates and after figuring out the ticket machine, I waited for my order. It was a small shop operated by one guy and I got to sit at the counter and watch him cook up a masterpiece. I won't mince any words. THIS was the best meal I've had in Japan so far. The tonkatsu was super crispy yet moist and the curry was addictive. The cheese on top added texture and taste that just boosted this dish to a whole new level. Forget the hamburg steak. When I die, bury me in a giant crockpot of white curry. Absolute 10/10. Even better than wagyu steak. Akihabara: Short and simple, I got my first anime figure - Ritsu Tainaka from K-On! She's one of my favorite characters. Lot of interesting-looking people in those Akihabara stores, by the way... TeamLab Borderless: Honestly, this was a bit of an underwhelming tourist trap. Don't let the social media posts fool you - there are only maybe 3-5 cool exhibits and everything else is just pretty crap projected onto a black wall. At $40 a person just to take photos in an overcrowded digital art museum, this was a bit of a miss. I did get some cool photos though and the music sounded good. But I probably could have spent more time at Akihabara instead. Dinner: Logan's first Tomahawk Steak. My goodness. We went to a place called Cedar Chop House Bar & Grill. I ordered clam chowder, me and my groupmate split a medium rate tomahawk steak, and I had some key lime pie for dessert. Everything was really delicious, but I'm taking a point off for the wait time - two whole hours. Bleh. 9/10. Pretty fun day. Doing some farming stuff tomorrow!

[imnothinginparticular]

#finishedbooks Death by Water by Kenzaburo Oe. Was surprised to find the library had the latest novel by the Nobel Prize winning Japanese author. I have only read his first novel in "A Personal Matter" back in 2008 and his amazing book of essays "Japan and the Ambiguous I" more recently. Came to find this was the fifth in a loose series of autobiographical novels that began with "A Personal Matter" a rather dark novel about the birth of his real life son who was born with a deformity that really has become an influential motif of his work through a literary alter ego. The book here resumes that character's plight with the writer in his twilight working on his last novel about his own father's death and ramifications involved with that while dealing with writer's block, an avant-garde theatre group who base their plays on his work, and his son who now at 45 is rapidly deteriorating due to his affliction...all told through the classic Japanese "I" narrative. I consider Oe the last writer of the Japanese genre "jun bungaku" that translates into serious or pure literature as the more known contemporaries in Yoshimoto and Murakami fall under "taishu bungaku" that is popular literature...of which I tend to read with a different mindset. With that, what a treat to read Oe! Oe along with Mishima I always find difficult to discuss with Japanese out of the jun bungaku writers and I realized with Oe it is because of his politics. Where Mishima was extreme right combined with his sensational death, Oe is left after as a child having to recite he would cut himself open for the emperor. He took to the post war idea of democracy and has been outspoken for pure democratic values refusing the prestigious emperor's award that has brought on death threats from right wingers on more than one occasion throughout his career. The novel here directly talks about the legacy of militarism and the infamous Yasakuni shrine which he ingeniously relates to rape through the final avant-garde play in his novel, something in my expirence Japanese don't openly discuss which is why Oe tends to be avoided. Whereas with foreigners, I always found (despite winning the Nobel Prize) most have never heard of Oe while Mishima I find everyone likes, however and unfortunately more for his sensational death or equally as shallow the avant-garde imagery he did with Eikoh Hirose that I always found the more goth inclined fashion crowds clinging to devoid of any context haha. What made Mishima amazing is that he wrote with great passion and sincerity on topics he himself in real life didn't believe that even went against the things he cut himself open for, breaking that old adage: write what you know. Which is certainly more curious than anything else especially when most wrote about the everyday and their individual experiences within that. In all the jun bungaku writers along with the great Russians represent my favorite literature.

[fapangel]

>defends the presence of confederate dead in Arlignton >also thinks yasakuni shrine should be bulldozed and/or left to the dustbin of history

Ah, the long distance mind-reading again, nice desu ne. I could deal with the names being on the shrine, if Abe didn’t stand in front of that shrine while whining about how badly America bullied poor little innocent Japan without once mentioning the breathtaking brutality and staggering crimes against humanity his nation conducted. 

Call me back when a Dixiecrat stands in Arlington National Cemetery and says “slavery was good, actually” because that be the equivalent.

[ezhilmozhi]

The crucifixion of Zhang Zhehan in the age of misinformation

I wanted to write this article because there has been a tremendous amount of misinformation out there regarding the cancellation of Chinese actor Zhang Zhehan. As someone wiser than me once said, “If you want to condemn someone, base it on facts, not lies.”

The facts

Zhang Zhehan has been in the Chinese entertainment industry for 10 years now and he enjoyed small fame over these years. His breakthrough role came about when he filmed wuxia TV show “Word of Honor” last summer, taking on the co-lead role of Zhou Zishu. Word of Honor aired in late February this year and it catapulted both him and his co-lead Gong Jun to domestic (and to a certain extent, international) stardom.

He enjoyed about five months of elevated stardom, clinching numerous endorsements and making appearances in variety shows, before shit hit the fan. This is a timeline of events:

On 12 August, a series of old photographs appeared in the public eye that led to the start of Zhang Zhehan’s problems. The ones that aroused the most discussion were these two:

Photograph showing that he attended a friend’s wedding at Nogi Shrine in 2019, a shrine that is dedicated to imperial Japan General Nogi Maresuke.

Photograph of him in 2018 posing near or in front of the Yasukuni Shrine, which enshrines both Japanese war criminals as well as the deceased from various Japanese wars. He posted this photograph to his Instagram account in 2018.

The photograph of him posing near the Yasukuni Shrine was the most controversial. His friend, whose wedding he attended, issued a public apology for not checking the background of the wedding venue. Zhang Zhehan also apologised on 13 August for his ignorance, said he was not a Japanophile and that he loved his own country.

He was also swiftly rebuked by the People’s Daily, an official newspaper of the Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party, and he reposted the article on his Weibo page, adding that he accepted the criticism.

The misinformation

Everything written above is factual. But there has also been a lot of misinformation that originated on Chinese platforms that have spread to international platforms.

Lie: Zhang Zhehan posted a photo where he purportedly did a Nazi salute. A Singapore entertainment magazine, which likely took its news from China’s Weibo, repeated this accusation, although it later republished the article with the correction.

Truth: Zhang Zhehan did the pose as an allusion to a role that he played in 2019, where his mentally-challenged brother would raise his arm to stop his nosebleed.

Lie: He paid the entrance fee to visit the Yasakuni Shrine. This misinformation was repeated by a Chinese Youtuber with almost 80k subscribers, who likely based her information on Weibo/Chinese sites.

Truth: A simple Google search in English would tell you that entrance into the shrine is free.

Lie: He paid respects to the war criminals by simply walking into the gardens.

Truth: You can only pay your respects by appointment. There is also a report from Chinese newspaper the Global Times that indicated that Chinese people are not allowed into the inner shrine.

People who live in Japan have also stated numerous times that it’s easy to wander into the gardens by accident and they often see many Chinese tourists milling around taking photographs of the cherry blossoms. In my opinion, Zhang Zhehan looked like his was disrespecting the dead rather than honouring them with his head-to-toe streetwear. This tweet is from someone who lived in Japan for many years and speaks Japanese.





Lie: There is a sign outside in Japanese stating that “to enter is to pay your respects” and therefore the moment Zhang Zhehan stepped into the gardens, he was paying respect to the war criminals.

Truth: The sign says in Japanese: “You cannot come into the inner shrine unless you intend to pay your respects.”

The aftermath

There were swift repercussions after these photographs came into the public eye. I would actually term Zhang Zhehan’s punishment as more akin to an erasure than a cancellation. People in the West understand what cancel culture is and they think that this is what is happening to him. But what has happened to Zhang Zhehan is more similar to what certain dictators do when they want to blot out their existence (eg. tampering with photos, rewriting history etc.).

It all started off as pretty normal repercussions before it quickly escalated to what was effectively an attempt to erase his existence from Chinese entertainment:

On 13 August, all 27 brands that worked with him announced that they had terminated their contracts with him.

On the same day, the movie “Formed Police Unit” said they would terminate their working relationship with him. He had finished filming this movie so it meant they would either remove all his scenes or hire another actor to replace him.

On 14 August, Weibo said they had muted his account and his studio’s account i.e. no posts allowed.

On 15 August, the China Association of Performing Arts (a non-profit organisation managed directly by industry volunteers) boycotted Zhang Zhehan, effectively preventing him from holding live or stage performances.

On the same day, Weibo closed his account (which had more than 18 million followers) and his studio’s account, on the grounds that he had hurt the national sentiment and created a negative influence on youths.

I believe the punishment, although harsh, is still well within the normal realms of what people in the West understand as cancel culture. Later on, these things happened:

His songs were deleted from Netease Music and QQ Music.

His name was removed from the cast of “Word of Honor”. The whole TV series was later taken down from Youku, the streaming service platform that produced the series.

His scenes in critically-acclaimed “Nirvana in Fire”, in which he plays the younger character of the lead actor, were erased from the TV series.

Le.com removed “Demon Girl” from its streaming platform because it starred Zhang Zhehan in the lead role.

International fans woke up on 24 August only to find that the two songs that he sang for the Word of Honor soundtrack became unplayable on Spotify.





The repercussions then spiraled to the comedic:

Variety shows either removed episodes in which he was in or blurred him out entirely.





Variety show Ace vs Ace, which featured Zhang Zhehan and Gong Jun in its 26 March 2021 episode, chose to blur him out.

He came in 2nd in a “top 10 hottest male actors in Q2” ranking. The results were released properly in July before his troubles started, but his photo and name were erased retroactively in August.





Where is Number 2?

I don’t know what the rationale is for erasing his works apart from petty punishment. This course of action hurts everyone else (actors, producers, directors, writers etc.) who have worked so hard on these productions.

At the same time, netizens verbally abused him, branded him a traitor, said he did not love his country and made up stories about him having Japanese blood. When he was de-platformed and there was nowhere else to direct the hate, the vitriol also spread to his family and friends.

Let me draw your attention to a parallel situation in Hollywood. Gina Carano, who starred in “The Mandalorian”, faced public backlash this year for several controversial social media posts, one of which was deemed as anti-Semitic. Netizens demanded that she was fired and Disney obliged by dismissing her from The Mandalorian and all future Star Wars productions.

Her fans and several media outlets blamed cancel culture for her dismissal and she never apologised for her posts. In comparison to Zhang Zhehan, her social media accounts remain intact; her scenes remain in both season 1 and 2 of “The Mandalorian”; nobody took down any off her TV shows and she has not been boycotted from the industry.

If you think you know what cancel culture is, it is nothing compared to what they can do to you in China.

Silencing alternative voices

Some Chinese netizens defend the erasure of Zhang Zhehan as the will of the people. They say that the Chinese people are genuinely angry with him and that foreigners do not understand the severity of his actions.

I wonder how we know what Chinese people really think if they are able to silence anyone who post an alternative viewpoint? In Weibo, you can report accounts and comments to get them taken down if you are displeased with the content. Anyone speaking out for Zhang Zhehan quickly saw their accounts being silenced.





On Bilibili, which is the Chinese equivalent of YouTube, many videos related to him were also taken down on the grounds of “inappropriate content.”

His fans were forced to keep silent. They were told that their opinions were irrelevant because they were his fans. They were also told that speaking out might harm him even more. Essentially, anybody who wanted a rational debate was branded a traitor. If you did not support the mob, you were a Japanese spy just like Zhang Zhehan.

This comment below is a very typical argument that equates any support at all for Zhang Zhehan with being a traitor to China. It may not come from your average Chinese netizen; it may be written by someone paid to slander Zhang Zhehan, but the point is that this is the argument they use to stop rational discussion.





“Nothing to say. A bunch of people still trying to speak up for this dog traitor. If you say you are not Chinese, I wouldn’t scold you. But if you are Chinese, why are you speaking up for this dog traitor? Why don’t you use your energy to learn more about this dog traitor?”

And here is another typical comment, which is the kind that disregard any evidence because they have already decided he is guilty in their minds. Again, this may be written by someone paid to inflame sentiments online, but this is the type of argument that is used to state that as long as you are are a fan of Zhang Zhehan, your opinions are invalid.





“Who cares if he paid his respects or went sight-seeing? Eating one mouthful of shit is still eating, eating a plate is still eating. So fans stop defending him. As long as he visited the place, he needs to be boycotted.”

Conclusion

You can criticise Zhang Zhehan for being ignorant, insensitive, careless or stupid, but these criticisms need to be based on facts. Let me summarise the facts for you:

He took tourist photographs near or in front of Japan’s controversial Yasukuni Shrine, photos that he posted to his social media account in 2018.

His foray into the gardens of the Yasukuni Shrine may or may not have been intentional. We can only make a guess.

There is no evidence that he paid his respects to the war criminals.

He apologised for his ignorance.

If you want to crucify him, crucify him based on the facts above. If you want to decide the severity of his punishment, decide it based on the facts and not misinformation. I leave you with this quote:





Zhang Zhehan

This article about zhang zhehan’s issue was a good read. Yes, he was careless and made a mistake out of ignorance but people should know the difference between a mistake and a crime. He deserves a chance to correct his mistakes

[aeondeug]

State Shinto isn’t fucking blameless and meaningless either. That shit leads to things like Yasakuni Shrine, aka the War Criminal Shrine. It ends up affecting things like the narrative about comfort women. It keeps playing into the destruction of Ainu and Ryuukyuan faiths.

It’s real not great.

[running-for-a-cause]

End of Japan Update

The last three days in Tokyo have gone by in a blur as I took full advantage of everything this wonderful city had to offer. But that didn’t detour me from my training as I logged a total running distance of 21.9 miles!

On the charity front, we’re now up to $948 AUD (approx. $735 USD). Thank you all for your generosity and continued support, the finish line is in sight!

After arriving in Tokyo Saturday morning, I checked in at the Hotel Fukudaya, a traditional Japanese inn known as a ryokan. I really wanted to immerse myself in the culture, and this best way to start it off!

I then took off for shopping and dining in Shibuya. From the hustle and bustle of Shibuya Crossing to the quick service of Uobei Sushi’s conveyor belt, this city is one to keep up with!

After spending the morning in Shibuya, I made my way to Harajuku for more shopping, and then to Hamarikyu Gardens to enjoy the beauty of the park. There’s no need for bright colored florals or extravagant design, less was definitely more, as the simplistic nature was both peaceful and majestic.

Next I made my way to Tokyo Tower and Zōjōji Temple where I took a moment to pause and pray for strength and blessings to come to the ones I love.

Finally, I made my way back to Hotel Fukudaya where I changed into my running gear and ran a challenging 6.2 miles thru the heart of Shibuya to Yasakuni Shrine in Chiyoda for the Mitama Matsuri Festival. The heat and humidity took a beating on me, and I struggled with this shorter distance, finishing with a slower than desired 7:37/mi pace.

The Mitama Matsuri Festival, however, was worth the effort! This was an obon (lantern) festival where many gathered and celebrated the summer’s eve. Thousands of lanterns beautifully illuminated the shrine grounds as various traditional performances were showcased to great enthusiasm.

Returning back to Hotel Fukudaya, I took a traditional Japanese shower (sitting on a stool on the ground and using a handheld shower head) before crashing on the comfort of my tatami mat bed.

Sunday morning I was up bright and early for my second Tokyo run, heading past the Nippon Budakai and Imperial Palace to Sensō-ji Temple. Again, the heat and humidity were tough, and I had to stop quickly at a vending machine to refuel after my water ran out on this 11.4-mile run. I finished with a final pace of 8:38/mi before relaxing at the temple.

After my run, I did a quick clean-up and change into some street clothes I’d carried in a running backpack, and then I was off to explore Ueno Park, Tōshō-gū Shrine, and the Ueno Zoo.

The Ueno Zoo was a great deal of fun as I saw many creatures I’d never seen or heard of before! The unworldly and prehistoric-looking Shoebill Stork, and the wildly playful Japanese Macaque monkeys were some of the highlights.

Next I made my way to The Grand Shrine, Tokyo Daijingu, followed by a return to the Imperial Palace to explore the East Gardens.

Finally, I made my way to Ginza to enjoy a live Kabuki performance at the Kabuki-za Theater; “Daemon Hana no Gosho Ibun”. I was only able to see the final act as the performance was sold out and the only available tickets were standing room only for the third act, but it was worth it! The show had traditional music and acting, samurai battles, magic, undead warriors, pyrotechnics, and a cheeseburger! This is an experience I would highly recommend to anyone visiting Tokyo in the future!!

After the show, I had a quick dinner and my way to Irifune Yu, a sento, or public bathhouse, in Chūō. Another immersive cultural experience, I took a traditional Japanese shower before soaking in the hot baths, all with a bunch of other full unclothed Japanese men.

Returning back to Hotel Fukudaya, I again crashed on my tatami mat. These Tokyo days sure are exhausting!

Come this morning, my final day in Tokyo, I slept in a bit, waking up at an ever-so-late time of 6:00 AM.

I started my morning off with my third and final run, a 4.3-miler thru Shibuya to Yoyogi Park and Meiji Shrine at an 8:34/mi pace. Even with the early morning and shorter distance, the humidity was a challenge. I give my respects to those who run in this weather on a regular basis; it’s not for the weak of heart!

Once I returned back to Hotel Fukudaya, I cleaned up and took one last Japanese shower before heading to the Samurai Armor Photo Studio in Shibuya for an authentic samurai photo shoot experience!

The armor I wore is the same high-quality replica used by Japanese movie studios, and the specific design I chose was that of Yamagata Masakage, the famed Japanese samurai.

While enjoying my Top Model experience and learning about the history and purpose of the samurai armor and weapons, I was also interviewed by a local Tokyo TV station about my experience. And what an experience it was!

At last, making my way to the airport, I checked in, passed through Immigration, and departed the land of the rising sun, a beautiful country filled with history and tradition.

Despite several challenging runs and a busy, whirlwind schedule, my time in Tokyo has fully reinvigorated my spirits!

I have a few more stops before the finish, but I’m ready for it. I’m ready for Australia!