JAPAN TO-DAY

Otago Daily Times, Issue 26589, 11 October 1947, Page 9

JAPAN TO-DAY

Sir,—lf “ Belle ” looks very carefully again at my previous letter she will see (hat it is headed “ Japan To-day,” not •• Yesterday ” or " Two Years and will realise that I was merely expressing my views on the position in Japan as it existed at the time of my departure three weeks ago. The example she gives is typical of many cases and we all know, some more gravely than others, what atrocities the Japanese soldiers committed during the Pacific war. Admittedly it is hard to realise that these same lepatriated killers are to-day outwardly peaceful citizens, working in the rice fields, fishing or serving in the Japanese police force. I have spoken to many of them and it would surprise you just what they thought about themselves when the Rising Sun was very bright in the Pacific. But those ideas were eradicated when, under pressure from General MacArthur, the Emperor of Japan publicly renounced his divinity as the Son of God. The average Japanese barely exists, and on top of this he is gradually getting democratic ideals instilled into him. An entirely different aspect of life is opening before him and we must try to realise this change-over, which is becoming increasingly apparent in Japan to-day. To do this we must be prepared to forget the past corrupt ideals of Japan and look forward to a future nation whose ideals are, we sincerely hope, solidly founded on democracy and whose strategic position shall be of such vital importance to this wobbly world.—l am, etc.. C. W. Hooper.