Historically speaking, this movie is set during the period in which Douglas MacArthur is the ruler of Japan, and the country is being forced to make a hard cultural break with the mindset and ideology of Imperial Japan. This cultural break was, in the long run, successful. Modern Japanese do not feel any kinship with the culture and ideology of Imperial Japan, and it is not uncommon to for modern Japanese to use the Imperial Japanese as outright villains in historical fiction. Calls to reinstate the ideology of Imperial Japan are met with ridicule.

The correct historical attitude of the Japanese at this time period is that they have turned their back on Imperial Japan, and in doing so, shed the responsibility for the war crimes Imperial Japan committed.

Imperial Japan is literally a different country to them.

I thank that is implied, but not implicitly discussed.

And yes, I am aware that the Chinese and Koreans from the war generation DO NOT absolve modern day Japan of its crimes.

I really love this movie, watched it with my wife in the theater. Watched it again recently on netflix, still really good. Man its like the best godzilla movie ever.

The DVD is due to arrive on Tuesday. I'm very much anticipating its arrival.

It's the first Godzilla movie in decades that makes the viewers actually truly care about the human cast.