Weekly Writing 4

The film "YASUKUNI", which focus on the controversial topic of Yasukuni Shrine, was prohibited to seen in most of movie theaters. Many controverses were rised over this issue. While one position think the film should be seen in any movie theater, the other side strongly disagree. This "Yasukuni" controversy, whether it should be screen or not, is not just about the movie. The controversy contains some political aspects, human right aspect, as well as historical aspect.

Here is one of the numerous arguments about "YASUKUNI" film controversy, made by Asahi newspaper.

(1)Claim of degree: Shutting out the film "Yasukuni" is wrong action.
(2) Support: It will dangers our freedom of speech.
(3) Warrant: We knew that the world without Freedom of Speech are really bad society. Also, the author specifically aim to the Japanese people by using the commonplace: Japanese history of during the war where no freedom of speech was. The author speak to the audience directly by saying that we all experienced how painful it is to live in the society where no freedom of speech exist.


When it comes to the issue which "Yasukuni" film is being shut out, one of major Japanese newspaper, Asahi criticized this goverment and theater's action. Unlike Director Li Ying, Asahi did not touch on the film's contents which calls a lot of controversy for wether it is anti-Japanese or not. Rather, Asahi talked about the importance of freedom of speech and abuse of power in its argument. First, Asahi argued that their action is wrong because it violates people's Freedom of speech. This argument makes sense because we all know film is one of the forms to express our opinion. As the film were prohibited to be screened, so is one's freedom of speech.

Asahi pointed out what is like to live in the society which no Freedom of Speech exists. This aimed at the audience's shared belief; the belif that all Japanese people have. Ruled by dictatorship, Japanese people had no Freedom of Speech during the war. They were not allow to say anything that critisize goverment or war. After its loss, Japan turned into democracy where treasure Freedom of Speech. At the same time, people's belif on previous society without Freedom of Speech tured into negative (something evil, and something they dont believe at all, and something it would never gona happen)
If the government ordered, people could say nothing, but obeied.


The argument also appealed to audience emotion. Asahi said, "We knew how much stuffy to live in the society where you can't say or practice anything as you want to do. And we know how corrupted that kind of society would be- because of our (something that you wish you didn't experienced) experience 60 years ago". This line appeals to audience' emotion by recalling the painful experience they had.

Overall, I would say that the Asahi did good job in terms of using rhetorics. Shutting out the film "Yasukuni" is wrong because it violates the freedom of speech---Asahi's argument was shown persuasive because it aimed at audience's shared belifs as it appeals to their emotion.






Now, here is an argument from Horiuchi, the editor of Bunshu Weekly Magazine as well as the author of known book"Yasukuni". While Asahi supports the film to be screened, Horiuchi does not clearly state his position on it. However, he clearly criticize the film saying "in some degree, 'YASUKUNI' operates mind control by using fault information and the description which could mislead audience" (Bungei Syunsyu vol 86, 208). To support the claim, he uses questionable senses from "YASUKUNI" film, and pointed out their mistake. For example, Horiuchi argud that the sprit of the shrine described as "Katana (Japanese particular sord)" in the film is actually sord according to the history of Yasukuni shrine. When people see the documents which contains too many mistakes, they don't trust the information. Like this, Horiuchi persuade the audience to not trust the film "YASUKUNI" by listing series of misinformation in it. Also, Horiuchi empathize his long-time research and experience on Yasukuni shrine. Here he is trying to establish ethos, the credibility of himself. Audiences easily believe if the sourses was credible, knowledgeble and had many experience on the topic. That is why sick people believe what doctor says more than what little kids say. Horiuchi also described his discomfort when he actually watched the film. He discribed that he felt somewhat out of space at the very beggining of the film. Horiuchi's argued that "YASUKUNI" operates mind control is achieved by listing a lot of falt information in the film, telling his discomfort on watching the film, and his showing credibility. His credibility and discomfort implyies that he could notice the disconfort because he has knowledge on Yasukuni more than ordinal people. That means, that ordinal people are most likely mind controlled by watching the film.


Claim: "YASUKUNI" is mind controlling film.
Support: It contains many misleading information. His experience of discomfort when he first saw the film. Statistic and facts about himself, and which explain he has knowledge on Yasukuni shrine more than ordinal people.
Warrant: Documents with many fault information is not reliable. It is more easy to believe sayings of one with a lot of experience and knowledge than sayings of one with nothing. Knowledgeble person can reveal hidden secret behind the screen while ordinal people can't.

Personally, I think Horiuchi's argument is not so persuasible. Some warrants does not make sense. For example, "knowledgeble person can reveal truth while ordinal people can't"- this warrant is not nessesary right. I think it varies depends on situation. For instance, in the high level field of study such as medicine, ordinal people might not able to reveal the truth because midecine is far away from our everyday life. However, like wathcing movie is part of our daily life. We all had education and learning as we grow up. That said, it is not hard for ordinal people to reveal weather it is mind controlling or not. Most of the time, people can notice when somebody is trying to mind control on you. I think Horiuch's argument is simply implying we are damm.