relationships goes both ways. sure there are groups looking to take advantage but you cannot expect SK or china to improve relationships when japan, for instance, complains about SK/China erecting statues of its heroes.
Plans to erect a monument to a Korean independence hero are indicative of closer ties between Beijing and Seoul, and have riled Tokyo
world.time.com
the dude shot a japanese governor of korea when japan occupied korea(ie: a real, actual, freedom fighter) and Japan goes to describe him as a criminal and complains about it?
this is literally like if Great Britain complains about the US having statues of its revolutionary war heroes because they were technically criminals under british rule.
and you think its korean propagandists fault relationships are not the greatest? japan isn't at fault here, even a little bit??
how about the fact, Japan keeps electing people to its government that keeps denying japanese war crimes?
""There has been debate over the question of whether there was coercion . . . but the fact is, there was no evidence to prove there was coercion as initially suggested," - Shinzo Abe on korean sex slaves
" "People say that the Japanese made a holocaust but that is not true. It is a story made up by the Chinese. It has tarnished the image of Japan, but it is a lie." -
Ishihara Shintarō on the nanjing massacre
You know, Germany literally has laws against denying the holocaust, a no germany politician could possibly have a career after publicly denying the holocaust - if they don't end up in jail. but apparently in Japan you can deny all of Japan's crimes, then go on to be mayors and even the prime minister.
But sure, it's all china and korean propagandists fault that the relations aren't great.
also what about the chinese historical narrative?
china has never denied it was poor and backwards, nor has it denied that imperial powers other than japan was taking advantage, no chinese has forgotten about the unequal treaties,not just with japan but the europeans.
but former european advances on china does not excuses the fact that japan invaded and massacred millions and to this day elects politicians who deny these facts.
Japan weakening the KMT and indirectly leading to a communist takeover of china, does not mean the rape of nanjing was okay.
and to this day Japan still interferes in an unfinished chinese civil war.