Reactionary nationalism and museum controversies: The case of "Peace Osaka"

Using Peace Osaka (an exhibit facility known for its portrayal of the Japanese military's aggressions during the Asia-Pacific War) as a case study, this essay examines the shift in ways that the war has been portrayed in Japanese museums. Echoing the neo-revisionist turn, a trend that is increasingly apparent in various venues including cultural production and policy making, the exhibit at Peace Osaka will soon be changed in its entirety to erase any traces of aggressive behavior by the Japanese military. The essay argues that the recent shift to neo-revisionism is an example of "reactionary nationalism": a response to earlier acknowledgements of war responsibility that was not based on a historical understanding of the past.