War Memory and National Reconciliation: The Aggressor-Victim Dichotomy and Counter-Narratives in Japan and the Netherlands

The reconciliation processes in the Netherlands and Japan, shaped by their dual roles as aggressors and victims of war, reveal shared and divergent paths influenced by postcolonial legacies. This paper aims to explore these similarities and differences through a comparative analysis supported by existing scholarship. Both nations' reconciliation efforts were challenging, with national trauma narratives focusing on the suffering of the ethnic majority and reinforcing victim and hero myths, often excluding minority communities. The rise of diasporic ethnonationalism among the Moluccan community in the Netherlands and the Zainichi Korean community in Japan reflects responses to historical injustices and the lack of recognition for their suffering. These communities have gained broader societal recognition in the post-Cold War era, indicating some progress in reconciliation. Significant differences include the influence of ultranationalist revisionism on politics. In Japan, groups like...Show moreThe reconciliation processes in the Netherlands and Japan, shaped by their dual roles as aggressors and victims of war, reveal shared and divergent paths influenced by postcolonial legacies. This paper aims to explore these similarities and differences through a comparative analysis supported by existing scholarship. Both nations' reconciliation efforts were challenging, with national trauma narratives focusing on the suffering of the ethnic majority and reinforcing victim and hero myths, often excluding minority communities. The rise of diasporic ethnonationalism among the Moluccan community in the Netherlands and the Zainichi Korean community in Japan reflects responses to historical injustices and the lack of recognition for their suffering. These communities have gained broader societal recognition in the post-Cold War era, indicating some progress in reconciliation. Significant differences include the influence of ultranationalist revisionism on politics. In Japan, groups like Nippon Kaigi, with members in high political offices, significantly hinder reconciliation with neighboring countries such as South Korea and China. In contrast, right-wing populism in the Netherlands, while rising, lacks comparable political influence. Both the Netherlands and Japan have engaged in government-led investigations and issued formal apologies for wartime actions, though Japan's public discourse remains more constrained, particularly regarding the atomic bombings and issues like the comfort women. Unresolved grievances and historical revisionism continue to pose challenges today. The Netherlands' open critique and apologies mark steps towards reconciliation, while Japan's efforts are impeded by internal and external tensions, leaving full reconciliation uncertain. This comparative analysis underscores the complexities of national memory and the ongoing struggle for historical recognition and justice in postcolonial societies.Show less

Leiden University Student Repository

Documents

In Collections

War Memory and National Reconciliation: The Aggressor-Victim Dichotomy and Counter-Narratives in Japan and the Netherlands