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[Dram]

http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/wireStory/unbroken-broken-japan-divided-war-27548505

Angelina Jolie's new movie "Unbroken" has not been released in Japan yet, but it has already struck a nerve in a country still wrestling over its wartime past.

The buzz on social networks and in online chatter is decidedly negative over the film, which depicts a U.S. Olympic runner who endures torture at a Japanese prisoner-of-war camp during World War II.

Some people are calling for a boycott of the movie, although there is no release date in Japan yet. It hits theaters in the U.S. on Dec. 25.

Others want the ban extended to Jolie, the director ? unusual in a nation enamored with Hollywood, and especially Jolie and her husband Brad Pitt, who have reputations as Japan lovers.

The movie follows the real-life story of Louis Zamperini as told in a 2010 book by Laura Hillenbrand. The book has not been translated into Japanese, but online trailers have provoked outrage. Zamperini, played by Jack O'Connell, survived in a raft for 47 days with two other crewmen after their B-24 bomber crashed into the Pacific Ocean, only to be captured by the Japanese and sent to a prisoner-of-war camp.

Especially provocative is a passage in the book that accuses the Japanese of engaging in cannibalism of POWs. It is not clear how much of that will be in the movie, but in Japan that is too much for some.

"There was absolutely no cannibalism," said Mutsuhiro Takeuchi, a nationalist-leaning educator and a priest in the traditional Shinto religion. "That is not our custom."

Takeuchi acknowledged Jolie is free to make whatever movie she wants, stressing that Shinto believes in forgive-and-forget.

But he urged Jolie to study history, saying executed war criminals were charged with political crimes, not torture.

The release of "Unbroken" comes at a time some in Japan are downplaying the country's colonization of its Asian neighbors and the aggressive acts carried out by the Imperial Army during World War II.

 

[Sage00]

I'm not sure who I trust less to give us the facts of a story, Japanese right wingers or Hollywood.

 

[CygnusXS]

I'm not sure who I trust less to give us the facts of a story, Japanese right wingers or Hollywood.

Just presume a fictionalized narrative either way.

 

[4Tran]

I'm not sure who I trust less to give us the facts of a story, Japanese right wingers or Hollywood.

The Japanese conservatives are going to be much less trustworthy. Hollywood will get facts wrong either out of ignorance or for dramatic film making. The Japanese conservatives will straight out lie. There are two lies right in the article: there are lots of records of Japanese torture and cannibalism in World War II.

 

[Poodlestrike]

I remember learning about Imperial Japan in highschool, for a paper we had to write about the bomb. They did some fucked up shit, man.

 

[Chichikov]

The Japanese conservatives are going to be much less trustworthy. Hollywood will get facts wrong either out of ignorance or for dramatic film making. The Japanese conservatives will straight out lie. There are two lies right in the article: there are lots of records of Japanese torture and cannibalism in World War II.

Indeed, there's no lack of evidence for this, people were tried, convicted and executed for engaging in cannibalism.
Japanese conservatives can get bent, that some holocaust denial level of bullshit, and should invoke significantly more outrage.

 

[GreekWolf]

Takeuchi better hope that no one makes a movie about what Japan did to the Phillipines, or cannabalism will be the least of his worries.

 

[cheststrongwell]

Is that priest saying the Japanese didn't torture?

Edit: I think I read it wrong.

 

[antonz]

Is that priest saying the Japanese didn't torture?

Think he is only denying cannibalism and ignoring the whole torture thing

 

[Boston]

The Imperial Army were savages. Not surprised some people won't accept reality and will try to cover it up.

 

[cameron]

"That is not our custom" is a worthless rebuttal.

 

[Head of Vengarl]

This makes me excited for the movie. I read the book and it was very compelling. Plus Zamperini is from my home town, so that's cool.

I'm not sure who I trust less to give us the facts of a story, Japanese right wingers or Hollywood.

Most definitely Japanese right wingers. Just like Chichikov said, they are just as bad as Holocaust deniers. I know Japan is a close ally of ours, but I cannot forgive the fact that they whitewash the shit out of their history.

 

[Surface of Me]

Japan is awful about teaching their WW2 shit.

 

[TheSeks]

I'm not sure who I trust less to give us the facts of a story, Japanese right wingers or Hollywood.

Well, it isn't like Japan hasn't done bad things during WW2. It's kinda a sore-point to go "well, no we didn't actually eat prisoners of war" while ignoring that they made Chinese women into prostitutes for their army and some of their army men into "suicide bombers"/plane pilots during the war.

Japan is awful about teaching their WW2 shit.

Agreed. Japan needs to admit that they were on the wrong side of World War 2/axis and did terrible things at the time before the end of the war happened. This sweeping their terrible things under the rug isn't helping them any.

Is that priest saying the Japanese didn't torture?

Edit: I think I read it wrong.

You read wrong. He is denying the cannibalism that is featured in the movie, which kinda ignores the other shit Japan did.

 

[GreekWolf]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men_Behind_the_Sun

Movie about Unit 731. Not about the Phillipines, but pretty damn bad.

Oh man, I remember seeing that one years ago. I wanted to sanitize my brain with bleach after watching that poor kid get eviscerated. Ugh!

There was quite a bit of controversy when that film came out, that the director actually threw a live cat into a pit of starving rats and filmed it being torn to shreds. Of course, he denied it years later.

 

[Chichikov]

You read wrong. He is denying the cannibalism that is featured in the movie, which kinda ignores the other shit Japan did.

It also ignores the fact they they engaged in cannibalism.

 

[Volimar]

Japan has an absolutely shameful record in recognizing the horrors it perpetrated in the first half of the 20th century.

Is that priest saying the Japanese didn't torture?

Edit: I think I read it wrong.

Enhanced Interrogation.

 

[TheSeks]

It also ignores the fact they they engaged in cannibalism.

Right, but I mean, that was implied with the "other shit Japan did in WW2."

Edit: Also reading that movie link goes this actual bioweapon site of Japans on Wikipedia which shows that vivisections were done there. Holy shit at some of this.

 

[JABEE]

It also ignores the fact they they engaged in cannibalism.

Also, wasn't this based on Zamperini's firsthand account? Maybe he had some facts wrong, but it's not just Hollywood making things up. A person that was actually there helped make a book about his own life which was made into a film just as he was passing on.

 

[4Tran]

Japan has an absolutely shameful record in recognizing the horrors it perpetrated in the first half of the 20th century.

To be fair, Japanese leaders do tend to make apologies from time to time. However, to be even more fair, other Japanese leaders tend to repudiate those same apologies at a later date.

 

[unholyrevenger72]

Don't worry, in a century or so, when the U.S. no longer exists they'll make inspirational movies about the people the CIA tortured.

 

[HomerSimpson-Man]

Man, Japan is such a stark contrast to Germany in accepting the actions of World War 2.

 

[Anjelus_]

Since some of you have probably never heard of this incident: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chichijima_incident

The book by James Bradley is also quite good. There are numerous recorded instances of acts of cannibalism by Japanese military personnel during the war.

 

[Chichikov]

Also, wasn't this based on Zamperini's firsthand account? Maybe he had some facts wrong, but it's not just Hollywood making things up. A person that was actually there helped make a book about his own life which was made into a film just as he was passing on.

Yes, and again, there is no lack of a first hand accounts that Japanese engaged in pretty damn widespread cannibalism in World War 2.

Edit: Also reading that movie link goes this actual bioweapon site of Japans on Wikipedia which shows that vivisections were done there. Holy shit at some of this.

Unit 731 was the stuff of nightmares, and most of those fuckers got immunity from the US.
A lot of them are still honored in WW2 memorials in Japan, shit is shameful through and through.

 

[FartOfWar]

Japan is awful about teaching their WW2 shit.

Yep, Germany has copped to its evil. Japan, it seems, is still deep in denial, perhaps because it knows China hates its guts and will never forgive, never forget. As soon as the US steps aside, China will make make Japan reap the whirlwind. Shitty situation.

 

[4Tran]

Unit 731 was the stuff of nightmares, and most of those fuckers got immunity from the US.
A lot of them are still honored in WW2 memorials in Japan, shit is shameful through and through.

Is it too late in the day to blame MacArthur? Nah, if it weren't for that nincompoop MacArthur, the Japanese war crimes would have as much exposure as the Nazi ones, and this would all be water under the bridge.

 

[HomerSimpson-Man]

Since some of you have probably never heard of this incident: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chichijima_incident

The book by James Bradley is also quite good. There are numerous recorded instances of acts of cannibalism by Japanese military personnel during the war.

I have to say, yes, it's new to me. Wow, like out of a horror story.

 

[Ratrat]

They nearly ate the Shiba Inu into instinction so I am not surprised.

 

[zeemumu]

Come on guys. If Germany can own up to it so can you.

 

[ElTopo]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Men_Behind_the_Sun

Movie about Unit 731. Not about the Phillipines, but pretty damn bad.

The director made a sequel called Black Sun: The Nanking Massacre. It's equally devastating.

Oh man, I remember seeing that one years ago. I wanted to sanitize my brain with bleach after watching that poor kid get eviscerated. Ugh!

There was quite a bit of controversy when that film came out, that the director actually threw a live cat into a pit of starving rats and filmed it being torn to shreds. Of course, he denied it years later.

There have been on set photos of the cat scene showing that the cat was drugged and covered in fake blood. An actual cat was not killed. The director didn't want to comment because he didn't like the fact that some people focused on that particular scene as opposed to depictions of torture and murder that he accurately shown.

The Imperial Japanese Army were pretty fucked up. All kinds of fucked up incidents have been documented including one prison camp in the pacific islands where the Japanese in charge partook in cannibalism.

 

[Chichikov]

Is it too late in the day to blame MacArthur? Nah, if it weren't for that nincompoop MacArthur, the Japanese war crimes would have as much exposure as the Nazi ones, and this would all be water under the bridge.

It's never too late in the day to shit on that Popeye wannabe. Fucker got a medal of honor and half a million dollars for abandoning his troops.

Good thing Truman bitchslapped his ass.

 

[lupinko]

Takeuchi better hope that no one makes a movie about what Japan did to the Phillipines, or cannabalism will be the least of his worries.

They've made those movies before, but not by Hollywood.

 

[Toa TAK]

Man, Japan is such a stark contrast to Germany in accepting the actions of World War 2.

Seriously.

I don't care what upsets Japan here, they refuse to acknowledge Nanking.

 

[GYODX]

I'm not sure who I trust less to give us the facts of a story, Japanese right wingers or Hollywood.

You obviously haven't been exposed to many Japanese right-wingers.

They make our racists look tame.

 

[Ratrat]

You obviously haven't been exposed to many Japanese right-wingers.

They make our racists look tame.

Your racists? Do you mean the ones killing black people?

 

[GYODX]

Your racists? Do you mean the ones killing black people?

Because we all know those outnumber the ones who don't go around killing anybody.

 

[Ratrat]

Because we all know those outnumber the ones who don't go around killing anybody.

Just answering a broad statement in a likewise manner. I dont want to derail the thread.

 

[GYODX]

Just answering a broad statement in a likewise manner. I dont want to derail the thread.

Of course, I only meant that as far as the rhetoric is concerned. It might just be a matter of opinion, but the kind of stuff I've seen the ネトウヨ and the like hurl at Koreans and Chinese seems a lot more hateful and mean-spirited than what the majority of modern-day American racists have to say. Then there's the whole matter of trying to deny or outright justify the killing and rape of hundreds of thousands of civilians.

 

[Ratrat]

Of course, I only meant that as far as the rhetoric is concerned. It might just be a matter of opinion, but the kind of stuff I've seen the ネトウヨ and the like hurl at Koreans and Chinese seems a lot more hateful and mean-spirited than what the majority of modern-day American racists have to say.

I have no idea why you would read that...it genuinely baffles me. I also think its naive to think its different than whats written anywhere else.

 

[GYODX]

I have no idea why you would read that...it genuinely baffles me. I also think its naive to think its different than whats written anywhere else.

Why's that? You're bound to run into them if you do any amount of reading on the Japanese Internet. And it's not like that sort of thing is entirely relegated to places like 2ch. I've even seen a couple of Japanese on Lang-8 preach a lite version of the same thing.

 

[Deleted member 17706]

Why's that? You're bound to run into them if you do any amount of reading on the Japanese Internet. And it's not like that sort of thing is entirely relegated to places like 2ch. I've even seen a couple of Japanese on Lang-8 preach a lite version of the same thing.

Have you ever "read the comments?" Or any anonymous forum in English?

Not sure why you're trying to make one look worse than another, when both are awful. Probably just a case of over-representation in the places you view on the Japanese 'net.

 

[Ratrat]

Why's that? You're bound to run into them if you do any amount of reading on the Japanese Internet. And it's not like that sort of thing is entirely relegated to places like 2ch. I've even seen a couple of Japanese on Lang-8 preach a lite version of the same thing.

Exactly. Anything with a comment section is full of that spam. It's not worth reading.

 

[GYODX]

Have you ever "read the comments?" Or any anonymous forum in English?

Not sure why you're trying to make one look worse than another, when both are awful. Probably just a case of over-representation in the places you view on the Japanese 'net.

I guess what stands out to me is that it's not off-the-cuff racism the kind you see on most comments sections or 4chan; it's almost as if it's Stormfront levels of insanity on every comments section.

But like I said, matter of opinion.

 

[pants]

I'm not sure who I trust less to give us the facts of a story, Japanese right wingers or Hollywood.

Just presume a fictionalized narrative either way.

.

 

[Messofanego]

So the cannibalism was for real? Damn.

Similarly, they reject historical studies that show women from several Asian countries, especially Korea, were forced into prostitution by the Japanese military. Some oppose the term "sex slave," which the U.N. uses, preferring the euphemistic "comfort women."

*scratches head*

 

[Spineker]

I'm not sure who I trust less to give us the facts of a story, Japanese right wingers or Hollywood.

You seem to suggest that either are trustworthy

 

[Riposte]

Jolie and her husband Brad Pitt, who have reputations as Japan lovers.

Weeaboos?

 

[kingkitty]

lol fuck these right-wingers.

 

[Messofanego]

Can someone point out the pages and specific chapters where the book mentions cannibalism by the Japanese?

Is it the mention on page 315?

EDIT: Found it.

In its rampage over the east, Japan had brought atrocity and death on a scale that staggers the imagination. In the midst of it were the prisoners of war. Japan held some 132,000 POWs from America, Britain, Canada, New Zealand, Holland, and Australia. Of those, nearly 36,000 died, more than one in every four. Americans fared particularly badly; of the 34,648 Americans held by Japan, 12,935—more than 37 percent—died. By comparison, only 1 percent of Americans held by the Nazis and Italians died. Japan murdered thousands of POWs on death marches, and worked thousands of others to death in slavery, including some 16,000 POWs who died alongside as many as 100,000 Asian laborers forced to build the Burma-Siam Railway. Thousands of other POWs were beaten, burned, stabbed, or clubbed to death, shot, beheaded, killed during medical experiments, or eaten alive in ritual acts of cannibalism. And as a result of being fed grossly inadequate and befouled food and water, thousands more died of starvation and easily preventable diseases. Of the 2,500 POWs at Borneo’s Sandakan camp, only 6, all escapees, made it to September 1945 alive. Left out of the numbing statistics are untold numbers of men who were captured and killed on the spot or dragged to places like Kwajalein, to be murdered without the world ever learning their fate.

 

[macfoshizzle]

hmm.. same reason why they don't teach japan's ruthless acts in the war in their schools. they did some ruthless shit to china and korea.