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good job should express "disgust" instead of "regret" really poor decision by the Japanese PM... now even USA also not happy liao

I chanced upon an interesting read, but do to take it with a pinch of salt, for these SPI groups seemed more like kids with lots of time to spare in some photo narrations An excerpt from the the story: The Stranger Who Knows So Much Ki immediately corrected me "You are wrong, Kenny San. We destroyed it, not the Britons." "How do you know?" I said so in a somewhat challenging tone as the media reported that the shrine was destroyed by the Britons. I supposed that the media has reliable historical records that shouldn't be wrong. "Of course I know!" somehow Ki seemed provoked. "My father was in charge of the shrine project from supervising the POWs building it to we finally demolishing it." "We blew it up because we don't want this almighty sacred force fall on the dirty British hands." "Wait, excuse me, but I don't think the Britons will appreciate and make use of the shrine. The westerners have a different religion. I thought the shrine destruction is more for preventing a Japanese key landmark to be humiliated by the enemy than adding value to them?" "Ha Ha Ha, partly you are right, but not fully," Ki was a bit drunk and he continued, "I tell you a secret. The shrine is more than a symbolic place. You know that when the British at first lost the war, they blew up the installation of cannons in Sentosa and Changi because they didn't want a powerful weapon to fall on our hands. It is not for preventing their creation to be humiliated by us. Likewise for the shrine, it is more than a worship place I assure you. You never know what power that lies underneath it." Suddenly I sensed some catch in his last sentence. I only kept quiet, threw him some inquiring eye sights, hoping he will tell me more. We were silent for about a minute. Ki was busy gulping down the sake. May be I was too anxious to know the secret. I broke the silence and said, with a somewhat appeasing tone: "I respect the spirit of Japanese army, their culture, discipline, commitment, courage and loyalty to the emperor that are unparallel to other military in the world. They are brave enough to self sacrifice in protecting whatever of value to their nation from the enemy." Suddenly banging down his sake cup on the table, Ki responded loudly and firmly, "Yes, of course. We sacrificed at all costs even our lives to protect our nation and our treasures." "Come over here, I tell you a big difference between us and the hairy barbarians." Ki signaled me to sit beside him against the wall. "We are a united nation, they are of a monkey society - everyone wants to have his own fun, his own so-called freedom and care for the benefit for himself. For example, when we write our postal address on an envelop, we start with the name of our country, city, street and lastly our name in order. But they put their names first and the country name last." "I can tell you, my father was a senior in the infantry unit with a divine duty to supervise the construction and protect the shrine. Upon the emperor's surrender, many from the unit suicide because they cannot stand a disgrace surrender especially when they were so close to the victory with the invincible seed of Amatsu Tatara finally installed in Syonan Jinja." "What is Amatsu Tatara?" I asked. Ki was looking at me but I could see that his eyes were not focusing on my face. Rather he was in some kind of daze, or drunkenness to be precise. He continued his talk "My father was an elite warrior. I heard that he was the first honored one leading the seppuku outside Syonan Jinja. Many soldiers followed him, either to shoot themselves or cut open their abdomens by daggers. At the blink of their death, they still did not want to believe they have failed. They have put so much faith on the seed of Amatsu Tatara that will bring them a swift victory in a very short time. They died by seppuku to plead the emperor change his mind." Read more from here: http://www.spi.com.sg/spi_files/shinto_shrine/maebashi.htm