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Yoshinori Kobayashi

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Yoshinori Kobayashi (Penname: 小林 よしのり, Real name: 小林 善範; Kobayashi Yoshinori, born in Fukuoka, Japan, August 31 1953) is a bestselling Japanese conservative author and mangaka.

Kobayashi's publications include more than two hundred books/comics, but he is most famous for his controversial political commentary comics Gōmanism Sengen (ゴーマニズム宣言, roughly translated as "My arrogant declaration" or "Haughtiness Manifesto"). Among these, the book Neo Gomanism Manifesto Special - On War attracted overseas attention, including from newspapers The New York Times and Le Monde. His nickname is "Yoshirin" (よしりん, derived from the first two syllables of his given name plus the On reading of the Kanji 林), after which his staff team, Yoshirin Productions (Yoshirin Kikaku, よしりん企画) is named. He graduated from Fukuoka University with a major in French literature. He gained prominence for his intentionally provocative style in the politically delicate topics in Japan such as World War II revisionism, denial of the Nanking Massacre and other Japanese war crimes, praise for the Kamikaze, and anti-Americanism.

His first publication as a comic artist was Tōdai Itchokusen (東大一直線, Beeline to Tokyo U) (1976), published when he was a student at Fukuoka University. Another of his early manga, Obocchama-kun (おぼっちゃまくん, Little Princeling) (1986), which won the Shogakukan Manga Award in 1989, is a satire about a haughty rich kid rising in the heyday of Japan's bubble economy. These long running series helped to establish his reputation as a mangaka. An anime adaptation of the series was produced, as well as Famicom and PC Engine video game adaptations.

He became one of the most well known conservative author/commentators among the young generation in Japan after a series of publication of Gomanism Sengen since 1992. Gomanism is well known for its covering of broad ranges of social and political issues such as worship at Yasukuni Shrine, Korean comfort women, the Nanking Massacre, Taiwan's independence from China, Japanese military independence from the US, Aum Shinrikyo, and revision of Japanese history textbooks. He is also a founder and editor-in-chief of the political magazine "Wascism" (わしズム, Washizumu, a coinage consisting of washi, a colloquial word for "I", and -ism, roughly translated as "My own principle") which offers the opinion space for other young conservative thinkers in Japan.

He often appears on political debate programs on Japanese TV, such as Asamade Namatelevi (朝まで生テレビ, Live Until The Morning).

In response to harsh criticism of the Aum Supreme Truth cult, a failed assassination attempt was made on his life by cult members. Kobayashi addresses the incident in later issues of Gomanism.

Summary of political viewpoints

His writings are considered controversial both inside and outside Japan. (some criticism/debunking/parody books have also been released). Many regard him as a far-right pundit. Some of his positions, such as his staunch anti-Americanism, are supported by leftists. Some of his points include:

  • Franklin Roosevelt knew about the Pearl Harbor attack in advance, as Japanese code was cracked by US intelligence.
  • The Nanking Massacre did not occur. It was created by political demagogue and diplomatic strategy by the US government and the Communist Party of China to label Japan as a dangerous military power which was out of control. At the end of the war, this was supposedly brought up, among other alleged Japanese war crimes to downplay the true crime of the US atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
  • The young generation of Japanese should not denounce the kamikaze, but should honor their altruistic spirit of selflessness which modern society lacks.
  • Japan’s involvement in WWII was not a result of fascism or imperialism. Its mission statement was to free Asian nations and other nations that consisted of “colored people” from the European colonial powers.
  • Many atrocities such as the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki during WWII committed by US forces can be traced to their fundamental racism against Japanese people, including Franklin D. Roosevelt’s strong racism against the Japanese race.
  • The Japanese government never enforced Korean comfort women to serve the Japanese military. Rather, they simply recruited for volunteering from poor villagers.
  • The Japanese annexation of Korea was not motivated by Japanese imperialism. Japan had to help Korea to modernize the nation in order to protect them from colonization by European powers.
  • Japan should assist Taiwan independence from China.
  • Japanese politicians, including Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, should not listen to the protest from other Asian nations regarding domestic issues such as the visiting of Yasukuni Shrine by Japanese politicians.
  • As long as the US’s policy is controlled by neoconservative politicians, 9/11-type terrorism will not cease. The US will eventually lose its global prominence.
  • The Japanese government should not support the US's Iraq War.

Work

Although On Taiwan has been translated into Traditional Chinese and released in Taiwan (ISBN 957-801-279-9) (where it aroused controversy and outcry) there are no planned translations of this or Kobayashi's other works into English or any other language.

  • Tōdai Itchokusen (東大一直線, Beeline to Tokyo U) (1976)
  • Obocchama-kun (おぼっちゃまくん, Little Princeling) (1986)
  • Gōmanism Sengen (ゴーマニズム宣言), vol 1-9
  • Gōmanism Sengen Extra 1 (ゴーマニズム宣言EXTRA 1) ISBN 4-344-00659-3
  • Gō-Gai! (ゴー外!, Gōmanism Supplement/Side Story) ISBN 4-7762-0188-7
  • Gōmanism Sengen Sabetsu Ron Special (ゴーマニズム宣言差別論スペシャル, On Discrimination) (1995) ISBN 4-7592-6031-5
  • Shin Gōmanism Sengen (新・ゴーマニズム宣言) vol 1-14
  • Shin Gōmanism Sengen Special - Datsu Seigi Ron (新・ゴーマニズム宣言SPECIAL 脱正義論, On Escaping Correctness) (1996) ISBN 4-87728-128-2
  • Shin Gōmanism Sengen Special - Sensō Ron (新・ゴーマニズム宣言SPECIAL 戦争論, On War) (1998), volumes 1-3 (Vol 1: ISBN 4-87728-243-2, Vol 2: ISBN 4-344-00131-1, Vol 3: ISBN 4-344-00356-X)
  • Sabetsu Ron Special - Gōmanism Sengen (差別論スペシャル―ゴーマニズム宣言) (1998) ISBN 4-87728-622-5
  • Shin Gōmanism Sengen Special - "Ko to Ōyake" Ron (新・ゴーマニズム宣言SPECIAL 「個と公」論, On the "Individual" and the "Public") (2000) ISBN 4-87728-955-0
  • Shin Gōmanism Sengen Special - Taiwan Ron (新・ゴーマニズム宣言SPECIAL 台湾論, On Taiwan) (2000) ISBN 4-09-389051-X
  • Gōmanism Sengen Special - Yoshirin Senki (ゴーマニズム宣言スペシャル よしりん戦記, Record of the Yoshirin War) (2003) ISBN 4-09-389054-4
  • Shin Gōmanism Sengen Special - Okinawa Ron (新・ゴーマニズム宣言SPECIAL 沖縄論, On Okinawa) (2005) ISBN 4-09-389055-2
  • Shin Gōmanism Sengen Special - Yasukuni Ron (新・ゴーマニズム宣言SPECIAL 靖國論, On Yasukuni) (2005) ISBN 4-344-01023-X
  • Shin Gōmanism Sengen Special - Chōsen-teki Heiwa Ron (新・ゴーマニズム宣言SPECIAL 挑戦的平和論, A Defiant Discussion On Peace), vol 1-2
  • Wascism (わしズム, Washizumu)
  • Honjitsu no Zatsudan (本日の雑談, Today's Chat)

See also

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