[Initial Moment] The Land of Gentlemen

[Image source= AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Byunghee Park] The Land of Shrines.

This is one of the expressions used to describe Japan. It is known that there are at least 80,000 shrines in Japan. Why are there so many shrines?

Shrines are facilities related to Shinto, Japan’s indigenous religion and culture. Japanese people believe that every natural object contains a spirit and worship these spirits as gods. Since they believe that every natural object has a god, there are many gods. It is said that Shinto worships as many as 8 million gods. Shrines are places where these countless gods are enshrined and rituals are performed for them.

After hearing the news on the 13th that the Japanese government decided to release contaminated water from the Fukushima nuclear power plant into the Pacific Ocean, I had a somewhat irreverent thought about shrines. Could it be that the many shrines serve as a kind of indulgence...? Although my understanding of shrine culture is shallow, isn’t the very idea of dumping nuclear-contaminated water into the Pacific Ocean an act of disrespect to the world?

Considering that Japan still maintains the Tenn? system, meaning the Emperor as the Heavenly Sovereign, in the 21st century, Japan’s view of gods certainly has unique aspects. Perhaps the blind faith in gods is the basis for such reckless decisions.

Since the Meiji Restoration in 1868, Japan adopted the Tenn? system as a state ideology based on Shinto. Through Shinto, the foundation for worshiping the Emperor was established. Shinto was Japan’s state religion until its defeat in World War II, and the Emperor was worshiped as a living god (Arahitogami). Therefore, under the pretext of serving the gods, it might have been possible to force blind and reckless sacrifices on its own people, like the Kamikaze special attack units.

Looking closely, the Kamikaze also originated from blind faith in gods.

The Kamikaze, a symbol of Japanese militarism, means “divine wind.” The Mongol army, which built the largest empire in human history, attempted to invade Japan in 1274. About 30,000 troops of the Yuan-Mongol allied forces arrived at Hakata Bay in northern Kyushu but suffered heavy damage from a typhoon and retreated. In 1281, the Mongols launched a second invasion with nearly 140,000 troops, about five times the size of the first, but again encountered a typhoon, suffered damage, and were defeated by the Japanese army. This was the first external invasion Japan faced since it established its ancient state system. After winning this war, Japan regarded itself as a land chosen by the gods. It came to be seen as a country protected by the sacred wind called Kamikaze, and the Tenn?, who ruled that land, was worshiped as a being entrusted with the divine mandate of the sun god.

Kazutoshi Hando, a Japanese historical novelist who passed away this January, strongly criticized Japanese militarism during his lifetime. In his book Showa-shi, he criticized political and military figures who led Japan into war, writing, “Japanese people like abstract idealism very much in times of crisis and do not consider concrete and rational methodologies at all.”

Forcing ahead with the Tokyo Olympics, which more than 70% of Japanese citizens oppose, also seems reckless. No matter how thoroughly preparations are made, it seems difficult to prevent the spread of COVID-19, and more sacrifices from Japanese citizens are expected. Since overseas spectators will not be allowed, economic benefits are also unlikely. Japanese political leaders say they want to send a message of overcoming a great disaster by calling it the “Reconstruction Olympics.” Are they, captivated by abstract ideals, forcing sacrifices on their people once again...? Do they believe that the gods will protect the Tokyo Olympics and the Japanese people from COVID-19?