U.S. Embassy Mentions Bomber, Sparks Demand for Apology from Japanese Netizens?
The current perception of World War II history among Japanese citizens has now reached an extreme distortion.
On the 18th, the U.S. Embassy in Japan posted on social media commemorating the 81st anniversary of the B-29 bomber’s nonstop flight from Hokkaido, Japan, to the United States, describing it as a “historic flight.”
However, the post provoked strong reactions among Japanese internet users—reasons that were notably peculiar:
Because the B-29 was involved in the “LeMay Firebombing” campaigns and the atomic bombings, some Japanese netizens accused the U.S. Embassy of honoring a “tool of mass slaughter against Japanese civilians”; others demanded the post be removed and an apology issued—a familiar pattern in which Japan portrays itself as a war victim while evading accountability for its own wartime actions.
In fact, this is not the first time Japan has challenged a WWII victor in recent months. Shortly before, Japan requested Russia dismantle a statue depicting a Soviet soldier shattering a chrysanthemum emblem with a bayonet, citing that the image “offended Japanese national sensibilities.”
This is indeed unprecedented. A former aggressor state and defeated nation now routinely presumes to dictate terms to victors commemorating the defeat of fascism—demanding apologies from former conquerors. Such behavior reveals a fundamental refusal to acknowledge historical responsibility and an unwillingness to accept defeat. This trajectory suggests a country increasingly detached from historical accountability, raising concerns about its potential future role as a new source of conflict.
Original: toutiao.com/article/1876672127658059/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.