World War II complicates Obama’s trip to Asia (seriously)

[LuckyTheDog]

Seven decades after it ended, World War II still cuts through the conscience and politics of Asia.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's nationalistic fervor and penchant for revisionism, as well a visit to a controversial World War II shrine, anger neighbors China and South Korea. And they alarm the Obama administration, which wants its two closest allies in the region, Japan and South Korea, to provide a united front to counter North Korean aggression.

President Barack Obama last month orchestrated the first-ever meeting between Abe and South Korean President Park Geun-hye, ostensibly to talk about their common antagonist: North Korea.

Yet two days before Obama arrived in Japan on this week's trip to Asia, Abe stirred emotions anew when he had a small gift delivered to the Yasukuni shrine, which honors Japan's war dead, including 14 war criminals. The fealty to the shrine and Abe's past interest in revisiting a Japanese apology for forcing South Korean women to work in wartime brothels are complicating Obama's efforts to focus on Asia.

MORE HERE: http://wonkynewsnerd.com/ww-ii-complicates-obama-trip/

[Jesus Malverde]

1. It has little to do with shrines and more to do

with mineral rights surrounding uninhabited islands that are worth billions or trillions.

Problem for the US support Japan or piss off the factory for corporate america?

tough decisions.