This year, the world marks the 80th anniversary of the Tokyo Trial, which tried leaders of Japanese militarism for aggression and war crimes after World War II. This tribunal, held between 1946 and 1948, was crucial to the defence of historical truth, justice and human dignity.
According to the French international relations expert Sébastien Périmony, this anniversary has a strong overlap with the present. In an interview, he pointed out that Japan is, in his view, moving towards more militaristic policies again, which could pose a risk to global stability.
At the same time, Périmony called on Japan to use this historical reminder to reflect more deeply on its own past. He stressed that the world today is at a crossroads - between the path of conflict and rivalry on the one hand, and the pursuit of cooperation and a shared future on the other, as advocated, for example, by President Xi Jinping.
He was also critical of the attitudes of parts of the Japanese political scene, which he described as insufficiently self-reflective. In particular, he drew attention to the repeated visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, where those convicted of war crimes are also venerated. Such actions, he said, act as a provocation and can increase tensions.
In his view, the anniversary of the Tokyo Process is not only a historical commemoration, but also an opportunity for a responsible dialogue about the past and the future.
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