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[Stuart2007]

The infamous australian hospital ship.

Sunk by japanese torpedo, despite being clearly marked as non-comative hospital ship

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/asia-pacific/8450511.stm

[Jammy]

The discovery of this vessel is great news, always lovely to see an old steamer again. Even if she is at the bottom of the sea.... Her case is even more mysterious than the HMHS Britannic, never heard of this one but still interesting.

The Australians believe the ship was attacked without warning, the BBC's Nick Bryant in Sydney reports, which the acting premier of Queensland, Paul Lucas, has called barbaric and senseless.
He has demanded an apology from the Japanese government, but a statement from the country's embassy in Canberra said the details surrounding the sinking were inconclusive.

I'm curious to why the Japanese should need to apologise for the actions of a corrupted government from over 60 years ago?

[Stuart2007]

It's the modern way of doing things... Apologising for everything.

Britain had to apologise for slavery (despite being the pioneer of its abolition). Germany has had to apologise for murdering millions of Jews and starting WW2 (despite now being a force for good).

America and Britain undoubtedly will have to apologise for Iraqistan.... It is just posturing by modern day politicians. An apology means diddlysquat, where as better conduct does...

That said, Japan refused all recognition of protocols of Geneva Convention and this was a medical ship, so...

[Jammy]

Well it will be interesting to see if the Japanese government ever do apologise to the sinking of a ship. Cough cough. 

[Stuart2007]

I am curious as to other peoples thoughts on this.

Is it a good thing for Nations to apologise for things that have happened in the past (ie at least one generation). CAN we keep this a reasoned discussion though, without any offence...? I hope so.

[mvsmith]

If one, for instance, lets a door slam in someone’s face, an apology is in order.
But to apologize for the enslavement or murder of millions of people is to trivialize that offence and reduce it to the level of a social gaffe.

Acknowledge, yes, but apologize?

Apologizing for something you neither did nor caused, or allowed to happen is meaningless. Apologizing on behalf of someone long dead is also meaningless unless you are certain that he would do so if he could.

 

[Stuart2007]

Marty,

I don't think in the history of this forum I have agreed with you so much on something.  'Trivialise'- yes, I think that sums it up perfectly.

They recently had a similar situation with Germany wanting to apologise to Poland for WW2- the Poles didn't seem to keen on it and gave similar sentiments to you.

[Sjoerd92]

Well it will be interesting to see if the Japanese government ever do apologise to the sinking of a ship. Cough cough. 

haha i get it

They would never do that

[Stuart2007]

They HAVE apologised for things before... The Burma railway.

Yet, I do agree with MVSmith... Actions speak louder than words.