The Ghosts of Nanking
Part two of a Special Multi-part series about the Forgotten Holocaust of WWII
Part two
By Jesse Horn
Exclusives with Yasuhisa Kawamura, Deputy Press Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, and Dr. Peter Stanek, President of the Global Alliance for Preserving the History of WW II in Asia.
12-16-09

In the history of our planet there is little that can compare to the level of intentional destruction and loss of human life as that of World War II. Of the 2.3 billion people living on earth in 1937, 60,000,000 of them would perish by 1945. This would come at a heavy price for generations of people all across the globe and dramatically change many aspects of our culture today. Some of the most difficult elements of this change stem from atrocities committed by various groups ranging from those lashing out vindication on societies who oppressed and traumatized them, to those who sought to unleash their desires of supremacy upon people who could not stand in defense.
In this continuing special series we are delving into the many aspects to what has been referred to as the Forgotten Holocaust of World War II. This culminates from the abominations inflicted by the Japanese Imperial Army during the infamous Rape of Nanking, the helpless city that was the former capital of the Republic of China. The intensity of this dark event began on December 9, 1937, and slowly started to subside approximately six weeks later. During that time the unspeakable events which were inflicted upon the defenseless citizens were unimaginable. They came in the unbelievable form of 20-80 thousand rapes, hundreds of thousands of murders, the desecration of people and bodies, and even cannibalism. Now 72 years and generations later we look to see if there are answers, not only as to how this event could have happened, but what if anything has been done about it, and the suffering of a culture.
There are many who believe that Japanese leaders have held policies of denial and have refused to acknowledge responsibility for the crimes against humanity inflicted by the Japanese Imperial Armed Forces.  In order to gain complete understanding of where things currently stand with the Japanese Government, we contacted Deputy Press Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, Mr. Yasuhisa Kawamura.
“For half a century,” explained Mr. Kawamura from Tokyo, “since 1952 when Japan signed the San Francisco Peace Treaty, Japan achieved reconciliation, as a nation, with many countries, including the UK, the Netherlands and Australia whose scars from the war still run deep.  Japan normalized diplomatic relations with China in 1972 and since then Japanese government and its people have exerted efforts over the last decades for their reconciliation with the people.  It is disappointing to hear the view that reconciliation between Japan and those countries has not been satisfactory.  But Japan will continue its efforts for international reconciliation."
On September 4, 1951, 50 countries sent delegates to San Francisco to negotiate a treaty (SFPT) with Japan to settle WW II issues.  This became the "San Francisco Peace Treaty" which was signed on September 8, 1951, by 48 countries.
“The SFPT was controversial from the very start,” explained Dr. Peter Stanek, President of the Global Alliance for Preserving the History of WW II in Asia, “and remains so today.  Neither the Republic of China (Taiwan) nor the People's Republic of China (mainland China) were invited to the San Francisco Peace Conference, and neither state was ever party to the SFPT.  The Republic of China (Taiwan) concluded a separate Treaty of Peace with Japan in 1952, (known as the "Taipei Peace Treaty", TPT) without representation or participation by the People's Republic of China (mainland China).” Dr. Stanek continued by explaining that the Japanese Government had annexed and occupied Formosa (Taiwan) since 1895 by the terms of the treaty ending the first Sino Japanese war.  In 1910 Japan invaded, annexed, and occupied Korea.  During the Pacific War, 1931-45, Japan had conscripted native Formosans to serve in the Japanese Imperial Army, much to their disgust.  
“Japan went so far as to move the bodies and artifacts of Formosans killed in the war to Japan,” Dr Stanek stated, “where they were placed in the infamous Japanese military shrine at Yasukuni.  Native Formosans have ever since demanded return of their remains, demonstrating loudly at Yasukuni, ‘We are not Japanese.’”
The 1952 TPT, and the 1972 Joint Communique (JC), restoring diplomatic relations between the Peoples Republic of China and Japan, and recognizing the Peoples Republic of China as representing all of China is ultimately in conflict.  Since the 1972 JC is the later agreement, the 1952 TPT was made valid after 1972.  
“In any case,” Dr. Stanek continued, “at the time TPT was signed it had limited application.  As defined in an official exchange document attached to the Treaty, TPT could only apply to territory actually controlled by the Republic of China then and in the future. Therefore TPT has established itself as not applicable to the People’s Republic of China. Arguing that TPT speaks for the whole of the Chinese people is factually incorrect.”
In next week’s continuing coverage of the 72 Anniversary of the Massacre and Rape of Nanking, we continue the conversation with Dr. Peter Stanek and Deputy Press Secretary Yasuhisa Kawamura in an attempt to understand not only where the Japanese Government feels it has made reconciliation, and as to where many feel this has come short. We will learn what the Japanese Government’s official stance on the event currently is and has been throughout its leadership, as well as inconsistencies that have led to doubt about sincerity and acknowledgement. As this six part series continues bare in mind that those who had to live through this horror have at this point been under siege for only a week. There have already been unspeakable events that would traumatize not only a nation and its people, but the generations to follow.