Japan's Contested War Memories: The 'Memory Rifts' in Historical Consciousness of World War II (Routledge Contemporary Japan Series)

__Japan's Contested War Memories__ is an important and significant book that explores the struggles within contemporary Japanese society to come to terms with Second World War history. Focusing particularly on 1972 onwards, the period starts with the normalization of relations with China and the return of Okinawa to Japan in 1972, and ends with the sixtieth anniversary commemorations. Analyzing the variety of ways in which the Japanese people narrate, contest and interpret the past, the book is also a major critique of the way the subject has been treated in much of the English-language. Philip Seaton concludes that war history in Japan today is more divisive and widely argued over than in any of the other major Second World War combatant nations. Providing a sharp contrast to the many orthodox statements about Japanese 'ignorance', amnesia' and 'denial' about the war, this is an engaging and illuminating study that will appeal to scholars and students of Japanese history, politics, cultural studies, society and memory theory. Japan's Contested War Memories Explores The Ways In Which World War Ii Has Been Remembered And Commemorated In Japan, With A Particular Focus On The Period From 1972 (the Return Of Okinawa To Japan) To The 60th Anniversary Commemorations In 2005. Analysing The Variety Of Ways In Which The Japanese People Narrate, Contest And Interpret The Past, The Book Seeks To Define And Challenge The 'orthodoxy' In The English-language Media Which Is Critical Of 'the Japanese' Or 'japan' For The Way In Which They Have 'inadequately Addressed The Past'. Instead, Seaton Argues That The Ideological 'memory Rifts' In Interpretations Of History And Contestation Over The Government's Handling Of War Responsibility Issues Have Ensured That War History In Japan Remains A Subject More Divisive And Widely Argued Over Than In Any Of The Other Major World War Ii Combatant Nations. By Drawing On Extensive Analysis Of The Japanese Media, Japan's Contested War Memories Applies The Latest International War Memory And Media Studies Theory To Provide A Significant And Engaging Study That Will Appeal To Scholars And Students Of Japanese History, Politics, Cultural Studies, Society And Memory Theory.--book Jacket. Historical Consciousness In Contemporary Japan -- The 'long Postwar' -- 'addressing The Past' -- The War As A Current Affairs Issue -- August Commemorations -- History And Ideology -- War Stories -- Regional Memories -- War And The Family. Philip A. Seaton. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [230]-244) And Index. Seaton explores the struggles within contemporary Japanese society to come to terms with WWII history. Analysing the variety of ways in which the Japanese people narrate, contest and interpret the past, this book is also a major critique of the way the subject has been treated in much of the English-language. Japan's Contested War Memories is an important and significant book that explores the struggles within contemporary Japanese society to come to terms with Second World War history. Focusing particularly on 1972 onwards, the period starts with the normalization of relations with China and the return of Okinawa to Japan in 1972, and ends with the sixtieth anniversary commemorations. Analyzing the variety of ways in which the Japanese people narrate, contest and interpret the past, the book is also a major critique of the way the subject has been treated in much of the English-language. Philip Seaton concludes that war history in Japan today is more divisive and widely argued over than in any of the other major Second World War combatant nations. Providing a sharp contrast to the many orthodox statements about Japanese 'ignorance', amnesia' and 'denial' about the war, this is an engaging and illuminating study that will appeal to scholars and students of Japanese history, politics, cultural studies, society and memory theory This book is an important and significant book that explores the struggles within contemporary Japanese society to come to terms with Second World War history. Focusing particularly on 1972 onwards, the period starts with the normalization of relations with China and the return of Okinawa to Japan in 1972, and ends with the 60th anniversary commemorations. Analyzing the variety of ways in which the Japanese people narrate, contest and interpret the past, the book is also a major critique of the way the ... Show Moresubject has been treated in much of the English-language. Philip Seaton concludes that war history in Japan today is more divisive and widely argued over than in any of the other major Second World War combatant nations. Providing a sharp contrast to the many orthodox statements about Japanese 'ignorance', amnesia' and 'denial' about the war, this is an engaging and illuminating study that will appeal to scholars and students of Japanese history, politics, cultural studies, society and memory theory This is an important and significant book that explores the struggles within modern Japanese society to come to terms with Second World War history. Abstract: Explores the struggles within contemporary Japanese society to come to terms with Second World War history. Analyzing the variety of ways in which the Japanese people narrate, contest and interpret the past, this book also provides a contrast to the many orthodox statements about Japanese 'ignorance', amnesia' and 'denial' about the war. Read more... This is an important and significant book that explores the struggles within modern Japanese society to come to terms with Second World War history. Interdisciplinary Studies