Toshiyuki Mimaki, a leader of the Nihon Hidankyo organisation that represents survivors of the US attack, compared the two after the group was announced as the recepient of the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday.

“I thought for sure it would be the people working so hard in Gaza, as we’ve seen," he told reporters in Tokyo after the announcement. In Gaza, bleeding children are being held by their parents. It’s like in Japan 80 years ago.”

In response, Israel's ambassador to Japan attacked the comparison as "outrageous and baseless", and said such comparisons "distort history and dishonor the victims".

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[–] Mighty@lemmy.world 210 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Imagine saying "it dishonours the victims" to one of the actual victims

[–] actually@lemmy.world 39 points 8 months ago (1 children)

It keeps happening in history: people using horror suffered in the past to give cover to their own crimes. Attacking others in the name of their own holy dead.

Sharing stories or pictures of a previous genocide to make others overlook a current genocide. Accusing others of being enemies to their religion and ethnicity when voices raise in protest.

Over a hundred times in the world, in the last few thousand years. It’s just particularly galling to me to see this, now, in my name.

[–] SirSamuel@lemmy.world 28 points 8 months ago

Every society needs a cry like that, but only in a very few do they come out with the complete, unvarnished version, which is “Remember-The-Atrocity-Committed-Against-Us-Last-Time-That-Will-Excuse-The-Atrocity-That-We’re-About-To-Commit-Today! And So On! Hurrah!

Thief of Time, Terry Pratchett

[–] cyborganism@lemmy.ca 130 points 8 months ago

Maybe don't do a fucking Holocaust if you don't want to be criticized for doing a Holocaust.

[–] jaggedrobotpubes@lemmy.world 51 points 8 months ago

What's worse, committing genocide, or somebody correctly pointing out you're committing genocide???1? really makes you think

[–] AtomicHotSauce@lemmy.world 29 points 8 months ago

Who gives a shit if they're mad? Genocidal maniacs don't matter.

[–] Psiczar@aussie.zone 20 points 8 months ago

If it looks like a duck, swims like a duck, and quacks like a duck…

[–] NoneOfUrBusiness@fedia.io 14 points 8 months ago

At first I thought the comparison was sacrificing relevancy for Japan-centricity but now that I think about it what Israel is doing is exactly that: (genocidal levels of) terror bombing.

[–] Maultasche@lemmy.world 13 points 8 months ago (1 children)

What are they going to do? Serve the Japanese desserts in shoes again?

[–] ryannathans@aussie.zone 13 points 8 months ago (1 children)

Sorry what

[–] Maultasche@lemmy.world 11 points 8 months ago (1 children)

https://globalnews.ca/news/4192931/shinzo-abe-shoe-dessert-japan-israel-netanyahu/

[–] toast@retrolemmy.com 3 points 8 months ago

WTF!