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| Japan air force chief faces sack | |
| (31 minutes later) | |
| The head of the Japanese air force is to be sacked after saying the country was not an aggressor in World War II, Japan's defence minister said. | |
| Yasukazu Hamada said Gen Toshio Tamogami's views, written in an essay, ran counter to the government's position on the war. | |
| "Therefore it is inappropriate for him to remain in this position," he told a news conference. | "Therefore it is inappropriate for him to remain in this position," he told a news conference. |
| The general's views are likely to anger many of Japan's neighbours. | The general's views are likely to anger many of Japan's neighbours. |
| China, North and South Korea and other Asian nations still have traumatic memories of Japan's aggression and colonial rule. | |
| "What he said was inappropriate for an air chief of staff," said Mr Hamada. | |
| "He should not remain in the job." | |
| Gen Tamogami, 60, is chief of staff of Japan's Air Self-Defence Force. | |
| In his essay on the theme of "true views of modern history", he wrote: "Even now, there are many people who think that our country's 'aggression' caused unbearable suffering to the countries of Asia during the Greater East Asia War. | |
| "But we need to realise that many Asian countries take a positive view of the Greater East Asia War. | |
| "It is certainly a false accusation to say that our country was an aggressor nation." | |
| World War II in the Asia-Pacific region is referred to as the Greater East Asia War by those who saw it as Asian nations seeking independence from Western powers. |