동경재판이 초래한 전후 일본사회 전쟁 책임의식 결여－A급 전범 면책문제를 중심으로－

The Lack of War Responsibility resulted from the Tokyo Trial －Focusing on the Immunity of Class-A War Criminals－ Kang, Kyung-Ja This paper aims at finding a way to achieve a historical reconciliation for the East Asian regional peace building process based on a hypothesis that the lack of war responsibility in Japanese society was resulted from issues related to the Tokyo trial and politics surrounding the immunity of class-A war criminals. The Tokyo trial was prejudicial. Its treaty, the appointment of a judge, a presiding judge and a chief prosecutor, and even the change and reduction of court’s rulings, were all possible by the involvement of the General McArthur. Moreover, the Tokyo trial, dominated by western colonial rulers and the General McArthur, could not thoroughly investigate and judge crimes and damage of Asian victim countries. Politically sensitive class-A war criminals and their immunity led to the result that Japanese conservative leaders never let go of their solid imperialism. Most sensitive diplomatic issues infringing the trust-based Northeast Asian peace building are related to the Tokyo trial. For example, the Tokyo trial and its treaty ignored Japans’ colonial ruling and refusal to return colonial counties’ land, the forcefully demanded abandonment of a war indemnity, and class-A war criminals’ Yasukuni Shrine issues. Therefore, for the sake of a historical reconciliation for the Northeast Asia peace, research and discussion should be enhanced to address war responsibility by facing the reality of the Japanese invasion and criticizing politics behind the Tokyo trial and the San Francisco treaty. Northeast Asia can only enjoy universal values-based human rights and human rights-based peace when imperialistic crimes on Asian colonies as well as war crimes are actively discussed and criticized.