Ex-general says many back his WWII views

The former head of Japan's air force, fired in October for publishing an essay arguing Japan was not an aggressor in World War II (WWII), said yesterday he believed many in politics, the military and the public shared his views.

Air force chief of staff Toshio Tamogami revived a long-running row over Japan's wartime actions, which has often chilled ties with its Asian neighbors, when he won a prize for an essay on the theme of "True Modern History".

In the essay, he said Japan was ensnared into WWII and that Japan's military actions in China were based on treaties, an opinion which contradict past apologies issued by the Japanese government.