It is sad to see again an attempt to justify what the Imperial Japanese Army did before 1945. The most difficult aspect of the essay written by former Air Self-Defense Force chief Toshio Tamogami is that his view is uchimuki (inward-looking) -- only from the Japanese side. Japanese must think of the people who were invaded or colonized.
I recall a booklet written by Yuko Tojo, the granddaughter of wartime Prime Minister Gen. Hideki Tojo. Tamogami's opinion appears to be the same as Gen. Tojo's.
I wonder if Tamogami believes in "civilian control" of the Self-Defense Forces. Tamogami, who went to a prestigious high school in Koriyama City, Fukushima Prefecture, should relearn Japanese history. We are surprised that he will receive full retirement benefits worth ¥60 million!