On March 15th in the luxurious media lounge of the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan (FCCJ), Tokyo, the International Shinto Foundation (ISF) hosted a special colloquium on Yasukuni Shrine given by noted expert, Dr. John Breen. Attended by a diverse selection of guests, including dignitaries such as the ambassadors of Israel, Eritrea, and Cameroon, university professors, journalists, researchers, and representatives from a host of other countries, the seminar promised a serious, thought provoking, and yet enjoyable atmosphere. And after the audience had settled in and enjoyed a delightful three course meal (one that thankfully catered to vegetarians also) proceedings were set underway by moderator Mr. Naotada Osaki and the promise was fulfilled.
        In a considered presentation Dr. Breen, a professor at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London, imparted his views on three distinct elements of Yasukuni Shrine that have received little or no consideration in the relevant literature to date. Whilst being careful not to rehearse the recurrent arguments involved with the Yasukuni mondai (problem), as he likes to call it, the professor discussed the shrine as a ritual site, as a site of memory, and also as a contested site.
        Conscious of time limitations the seminar unfortunately could not delve deeper into many of the elements brought up by the professor and had to be drawn to a close. In doing this Dr. Breen concluded by stating that Yasukuni must be seen as a ritual site. However, it is about much more than the noble act of mourning the dead. It recreates an un-nuanced past that is imperial and only has heroes, no victims or evildoers. It is also a complex and contested site from within and without. His personal opinion is that an alternative site for honoring the war dead, a non-religious commemorative war site, would solve many contentious problems and allow everybody to remember the war for what it really was. And here the lecture ended.
        But that was not all; microphones were then passed out to members of the audience for a brief but lively Q&A session. The questions ranged from the controversy of the site overseas, the enshrining of war criminals, whether Prime Minister Koizumi can visit in a private capacity, the general publics views of the site, the status of the Imperial Family as symbolized in Yasukuni, the theological implications of constructing a new site, education, and so on. In answering Dr. Breen provided well-thought out replies and demonstrated his experience in handling what can be a very emotionally charged issue. And if it were not for the ever-present considerations of time the questions could have continued well into the night.
        Although the seminar was revealing in many ways, there was a feeling that more in depth research and reportage in both the mainstream press and academic circles still needs to be made to fully understand the complexities of Yasukuni Shrine. Dr. Breen's demeanor, professionalism, and knowledge with what is undoubtedly a controversial and emotional issue for many, provides a solid foundation from which to begin this journey. And on this front he seems to have a more than able accomplice in Professor Umeda and the ISF. In fact, when Professor Umeda, with a playful smile, prudently suggested purchasing publications offered by the ISF in closing the seminar he hopefully prompted many audience members to seek this higher level of knowledge and consequently peace in Japan and the world at large.
        All in all I left with a smile on my face, a full stomach, and an abundance of new ideas to contemplate. But most of all I was grateful to the ISF for providing the English speaking community in Japan with a path to greater understanding of Shinto and issues within the country.