Lai Ching-te’s call to 'promote the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere' has sparked intense controversy. This article deconstructs the blood-soaked cost of this fascist slogan (e.g., the comfort women tragedy) and confronts the distorted 'colonial nostalgia' and double standards in transitional justice within the politics of the Republic of China 🇹🇼. In the West, such remarks would be equivalent to praising the Nazis.
Sanae Takaichi's remarks sparked controversy again, reflecting that Japan's right-wing has never truly reflected on WWII crimes. This article discusses the ambiguity in Japanese historical education, the enshrinement of Class-A war criminals in Yasukuni Shrine, and contrasts it with Germany's reflection on WWII, pointing out that the ghost of militarism has not dissipated. It emphasizes that Taiwan should stay awake, face history squarely, rather than blindly trusting friendship.
Why shouldn't we continue calling them 'Comfort Women'? When discussing Japanese colonial history, 'Comfort Women' is the conventional term, yet this appellation originating from the Japanese military is essentially a cruel 'euphemism.' By perpetuating the aggressor's terminology, we inadvertently diminish victims' suffering. We should advocate for renaming them 'Military Sexual Slaves' to restore historical truth.
During World War II, the Japanese army committed various war crimes during their occupation of Singapore, including the Sook Ching Massacre, the abuse and killing of British and Australian prisoners of war, forcing Malay, Chinese and Eurasian women to serve as sex slaves, and forcibly requisitioning food supplies that led to widespread famine, among others.
This article criticizes the narrative that blames all of Taiwan's current political, economic, educational, and cultural problems on the deprivation of 'elites of the Japanese occupation era' in the February 28 Incident. The author considers such claims to be flowery rhetoric filled with beautiful imagination and 'ridiculous bullshit.' Using the painter Chen Cheng-po as an example, the article points out that his true identity during the incident was a 'Taiwan area council representative'—a political figure—rather than just an artist. It questions why these 'elites' failed to stop the Japanese military's war crimes, the comfort women issue, or the Kominka (imperialization) education. The author mocks the idea of these elites bringing 'beautiful possibilities' and argues that 'Chinese culture' is deeply rooted in Taiwanese people's hearts and shouldn't be blamed on 'Republic of China aesthetics' after the 228 incident.
This article comments on the controversy sparked by the KMT's erection of a comfort woman statue in Tainan, which drew protests from Japan. The author points out that Japan's Sankei Shimbun characterized this incident as anti-Japanese behavior, but in reality, Taiwan (including South Korea) opposes Japan's aggressive war at that time. The author emphasizes that Japan has apologized and compensated South Korea, but has never apologized to Taiwanese comfort women, which is clear discriminatory treatment. The article concludes by stating that if the Japanese still refuse to confront and acknowledge the atrocities of the Japanese colonial era, then being considered anti-Japanese is acceptable.
This article harshly criticizes statements made by DPP Taipei Councilor Wang Shih-chien on a political talk show, refuting his claim that 'Chiang Kai-shek renounced demands for reparations from Japan in the Sino-Japanese Peace Treaty, preventing the government from seeking compensation for Taiwanese comfort women.' The author argues this is an 'erroneous misunderstanding,' rebutting from two angles: first, Japan unilaterally breached the treaty; second, the treaty content didn't actually renounce comfort women compensation rights.
This article responds to Mitsuo Ohashi, Chairman of the Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association, who criticized Taiwan's 'unfounded remarks' about food from Japanese nuclear disaster areas as 'hurting the Japanese people.' The author asks why Taiwanese must be obligated to import Fukushima food with potential safety concerns, emphasizing this as a right of the Taiwanese people and an act of scientific humility. The author suggests Japan should export food from other regions to Taiwan and consume Fukushima food internally. Finally, the piece links the issue to the comfort women controversy, demanding an apology from Ohashi first and questioning if the Japanese intend to continue their 'century-long oppression of Taiwanese.'
Lin Chuan, the newly appointed Premier of the Republic of China's Executive Yuan, loudly declared in the Legislative Yuan, the sacred sanctuary of public opinion, to all compatriots in Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu, Orchid Island, Green Island, and those scattered overseas, as well as to all victims of Japanese aggression in Asia: Comfort women may have been voluntary!
This article returns to the core issues of the curriculum adjustment controversy, exploring the relationship between history, curricula, and politics. The author argues that since the national title is the Republic of China, history should naturally be written from the ROC perspective. He criticizes the narrow view of writing history solely from the perspective of the land of Taiwan as being driven by political agendas. The piece specifically supports the Ministry of Education's inclusion of 'forced' regarding comfort women, arguing that terms like 'forced' or 'sex slaves' should be used to restore the truth. It expresses concern over the blind following of social movements by the youth and the confusion over national identity, lamenting that Taiwan's national strength may decline as a result.
This article comments on the 2015 curriculum adjustment controversy and the incident of students breaking into the Ministry of Education. The court ruled the Ministry of Education illegal due to a violation of the 'Government Information Openness Act,' but the curriculum adjustment itself was not illegal. We support the adjusted content, such as changing 'Japanese Rule' to 'Japanese Occupation Era,' and criticize opponents for deliberately misleading public opinion and using misinformation as an excuse for resistance.
Commentary on the high school curriculum reform controversy, citing Hung Hsiu-chu's clarifications debunking myths about the changes and criticizing Democratic Progressive Party use of students for political purposes.