They were known as the divine wind - the suicide pilots called "kamikaze". More than anything
else, they came to symbolise all that was feared about the military might of Imperial
Japan.
Sixty years on, those young men are being immortalised.
This is the set of a new film being made about the kamikaze. It's called "I Go to Die for
You". The movie's director says it's a tribute to a generation that was prepared to lay down
its life for the country. Of course, war is not good. I'm not admiring
the war as an event but it is a historical fact that there was
a group of young people between 18 and 20 years old, who died. I want viewers to think
about them. Japan is now enjoying peace because of those people.
Victims of Japanese aggression in Asia, would argue with that
sentiment but the fact that the kamikaze are being glorified, is evidence of a new wind
blowing through Japan.
After World War II, reeling from the atomic bomb attacks and under American occupation,
Japan turned to pacifism. Its Imperial military was dismantled, a new constitution imposed
to enshrine peace. But the Cold War changed that. Fears of communism inspired the United
States to help Japan to set up the SDF.
"At dawn the Sea of Sagami reflects the twilight glow..."
It looks a lot like a military force but technically
it's not. This is Japan's Ground Self Defence Force, military-light, legally restricted
to never fire in anger, only ever in self-defence.
My friends were surprised when I said I wanted
to join the SDF. Of course, they thought I would go to university, study hard, and go
to work at an ordinary company. When they found out I wanted to join the SDF where I
would drive myself relentlessly, they were surprised and worried about me.
Eighteen year-old Takuma Matsu joined up after finishing high school last year.
For many years a life in the force was a fairly
unattractive career. Today it's turning away recruits.
Some join for the regular pay and
comfortable conditions. For others, the idea of serving the country has never gone away.
I liked the SDF, because my two grandfathers were in the military. Its well regulated life
and purpose of duty are very noble, defending the country.
Since being set up, the SDF has served more as a natural disaster cleanup squad but change
is coming so that by the time these trainees earn their stripes, they may be soldiers instead
of public servants in uniform. "Of course I am ready. To die is not an easy
matter but if that kind of situation happened to me I wouldn't hesitate to offer my life
in order to defend what I should protect."
I'm visiting one of Japan's Aegis destroyers, one of the world's most advanced fighting
ships. Showing me around the Kirishima is the man in charge of its advanced weapons
systems, Haruhiko Kannaka. "This ship is the most critical ship in the
fleet. If we don't survive the first strike our side won't be able to fight off the enemy.
We need to prevail to defend the country at the front line.
The Kirishima is a measure of how well equipped Japan's military is. A ship like this is worth
nearly two billion dollars. These two are Spy-One radar. They can search,
detect and identify targets. This warship detects all targets in the air.
There are four like it in the Japanese fleet. Only the US Navy has more.
This is the VLS -- Vertical Lunch System. The anti-air missiles or torpedoes are stored
and launched from here. The Kirishima and ships like it will form
part of a controversial US plan known as the missile defence shield. It will use missiles
launched by America's allies around the world to shoot down missiles from other countries
that threaten the western alliance. Things are not heading in a positive direction.
Terrorism can be found in every country in the world. I think things are heading in a
bad direction. Under the current circumstances we have to have practical power to avoid the threats."
Those threats, perceived or real, are being
used to persuade Japanese citizens of the merits of a re-militarised Japan.
Fortunately or unfortunately, the international situation has changed drastically. Of course
the terrorism is everywhere. In our case, North Korea is kidnapping people - people
know that - and they shoot missiles towards our territory. So now people are getting more
and more concerned about the national security."
Those discussions are becoming more robust.
If fuelling is completed at the launching pad and if we can confirm the target is Japan
it's possible for us to attack their missile base.
Japan will not attack, will it?" MP Yoichi Masuzoe is leading the Government's push for change.
The target is Article Nine of the Constitution,
which prohibits the use of war and the existence of the military. "Having won a commanding majority
in Parliament, the Government is well placed to push ahead with a referendum to change
it. As an independent sovereign country it's not
normal that we heavily depend on our national security on other countries.
Japan has already tested the limits of Article Nine in Iraq. Its troops are about to finish
up there after their first deployment to a war zone in sixty years. They've served as
part of the US led Coalition, providing humanitarian aid projects but having to rely on Australian
and British soldiers for their security. It's very frustrating and embarrassing, so
that's why people want to change. But the fact is that if you are attacked by
terrorists the Americans, or Australians or British will come to help us. But we cannot go.
That's really... that's not sane."
While the political debate goes on, the defence
force is trying to win hearts and minds. The generations growing up since World War II
have been kept ignorant of Japan's military attacks in Asia in the 1930s and '40s.
These young women are on a weekend trip to experience life in the Self Defence Force.
For the next 40 minutes I want to beat this into your heads. I want you to march beautifully.
If people understand us more we think we can achieve our aims.
As I said before, the Defence Agency and the Self Defence Force belong to the people.
We want the people to think of us as being theirs."
This is a country where consumerism and kitsch
are bywords for modern culture. Even the name of this tour -- the Parsley Chan tour -- comes
from the name of the female half of the SDF's cartoon mascots. The soldiers don't always
have such an appreciative audience. Just a little exposure to the military, has got some
of these women thinking.
"At first I thought our military forces in Japan were strange.
But then I suddenly thought Japan should revise Article 9 of the constitution
...and even introduce the draft."
That's the kind of radical notion that highlights
the changes in Japanese society.
The generation that experienced Japan's last war, finds itself
on the fringes of the debate.
"Opposing the constitution has become a very radical issue
I mean, ten years ago it was very normal. Now, opposing the revision of
the constitution has become a very radical issue.
Makoto Oda is a veteran of Japan's anti-war movement, a novelist and poet, Oda is one
of the founding members of the Article Nine Association -- a group of old rabblerousers
trying to rally the nation to resist the push for constitutional change.
What do you fear for Japan if it goes down the path of changing the constitution?
It's very simple. At the same time they're losing independence, in a sense because the
United States wants a change of the constitution of Japan now, to open up a way to make a kind
of pax Americana all over the world. So I think this is a very important moment now
for us to oppose the change of the constitution. So what I'm really saying is, we lose our
independence completely if we change. The defenders of pacifism are finding themselves
marginalised, a trend that's been accelerating over the past decade.
The only possible way for Japan to survive is to keep following the peaceful ways. This
is mostly idealistic, but at the same time it is mostly realistic.
It's parade day for the sergeants training course. The best and brightest of the Ground
Self-Defence force are on display.
Takuma Matsu's unit is showing off its skills in martial arts.
In the crowd is his family. His mother admits she didn't really like the
idea of him joining up. Compared to before, he's becoming stronger.
He used to be a gentle type of person.
I didn't know what the SDF were really doing
and I didn't have a lot of respect for them.
But now I can understand them.
They train every day, pushing their mental and physical limits -- and training to help people
in an emergency -- I think the way I felt before was very rude.
People like Takuma Matsu believe it's time to ditch the shame of the past, for Japan
to contribute more to the world and to be assertive.
I think as long as we are Japanese,
it is important to love Japan and make much of Japanese culture and history.
I always think we should be aware of ourselves as being Japanese.
Those thoughts are shared by ever more Japanese who don't want their future to be defined
by the past.