Recently, a colleague tried to obtain footage of Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi entering the Yakusuni Shrine in Tokyo. He was refused.

Yakusuni Shrine, for those who don't know, is the place where the spirits of Japanese war dead are enshrined and worshipped as gods. Tojo Hikeki, who, as Japan's war-time prime minister, ordered the attack on Pearl Habor, is one of the spirits installed at Yakusuni.

Since the war, Yakasuni has been the center of Japan's growing nationalist resurgency. Until the 1980's, no Prime Minister visited the Shrine officially, since doing so would enrage the anti-war elements of Japanese society and damage relations abroad, especially with Asian countries like China that has suffered at the hands of Japanese invaders.

All of that has since changed, and now, Japanese ministers and members of government routinely visit the Shrine. On August 15, the date of the Japanse surrender in 1945, even the Prime Minister visits and pays homage. Thus the question: can video footage of the current Prime Minister visiting the Shrine on August 15 be obtained?

Apparently not. The government-ownded TV station, NHK, refuses to provide it, calling it"too sensitive." We can understand why. Over the years, Japan has carefully cultivated an image of itself as a modern and peaceful democracy. What would the world say if people could see Koizumi marching in and out of Yakasuni where WWII kamakazi pilots are glorified?

The fault is not with NHK or the Japanese government. Their motives are obvious. But how is that the United States remains in the dark about resurgent Japanese nationalism? For the answer, I highly recommend Ivan Hall's recent book,"Bamboozled!"