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The overdramatic nature of Korean protest against Japan

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Too long to read
You see Chinese nowadays no longer hate that much on Japan
Because China is powerful enough to treat things in a normal way.
No need to use hate as an excuse.
While Korea will be still much weaker than Japan for quite long time.
It is national competition, history and other problems like territory issue can be all used as excuse..

Is the continuation of hate justified? Considering how much money Japan has poured into Korea during the colonial days, during post war Korea ? Japan gave the blue prints to our industrial sectors to Korea . And even provided post war payment. It seems no matter what Japan does, there will be continued inherent Korean angst towards Japan's policy.

So it begs one to introspect, how much more must Japan give in to Korea? The Korean media makes it seem as if Japanese still consider or view Koreans as 'former colony' with negative connotation. When that is simply not the issue at all. Tell me, is it natural ?

Or do you believe that there is a Korean media policy of continually portraying Japan as the antagonist. Be objective with me, my friend.







@sicsheep ---- so you will know that these ultranationalists (Uyoko Dantai) are a fringe group in Japan, there is even a common movement now in Japan where average Japanese show their 'disapproval' for Uyoko Dantai. Please take time to read this article:



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Japanese Raise Their Middle Finger to Right-Wing Anti-Korean Protesters in Tokyo


Despite the enormous popularity of K-Pop, Korean food and beauty products, relations between Japan and South Korea have been strained for quite some time. In recent months, however, right wing groups have become increasingly vocal, with anti-Korean protests occurring more and more frequently, especially in areas where many Koreans congregate and live.

On 31 March in Shin-Ōkubo — a town situated just a couple of minutes away from Shinjuku on Tokyo’s Yamanote line and the location of a large Korean ethnic neighbourhood — hundreds of anti-Korean protesters marched through the streets carrying signs reading “Go back to Korea!” and labeling Koreans in Japan “cockroaches”. Thankfully, equally large numbers of liberally-minded Japanese also showed up to protest the protest.


“You are the shame of this country!” “You’re the ones who need to go home!” “Get back to the Internet where you belong!”

Just some of the anti-anti-Korean slogans shouted and written on placards by the people lining the streets of Shin-Ōkubo amid the protests on Sunday, hoping to protect and show support for the Koreans living there.

anti-protest-scuffle-e1364876503407.jpg


On numerous occasions, tempers frayed as pro-Koreans gave middle-finger salutes to anti-Korean protesters, who were often seen to lunge as if to intending to throw punches, with police struggling to keep the groups apart. The streets of the town — ordinary a place that attracts thousands of tourists and Japanese seeking delicious Korean food — quickly became a sea of people and angry voices, with protesters, riot police and everyday people caught up in the chaos.

Nationalistic netouyo (coming from ネット netto meaning Internet and 右翼 uyoku meaning right wing) groups are becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the Japanese government’s decisions and are known for making long, angry posts on Internet message boards. Often pointing to the failings of the government and the fact that Japan is losing what once made it a strong, proud nation thanks to the invasion of foreign culture and ideas, netouyo are often critical of Koreans in particular, suggesting that their presence in the country is harmful to Japan. For this reason, the anti-protesters seen on the streets of Shin-Ōkubo last weekend repeated the phrase “go home to the Internet” in between singing anti-racism songs.



Hundreds of Japanese Raise Their Middle Finger to Right-Wing Anti-Korean Protesters in Tokyo | RocketNews24





A perfect article. Let me endorse it for you and other interested parties.



-----------------------


Japan-South Korea Relations: Time to Open Both Eyes


Japan-South Korea (ROK) relations: "Forget the past and lose an eye; dwell on the past and lose both eyes!" The Japanese, it would appear, are eager to forget the past, while the Koreans seem unable to see beyond it. It is time now for the United States' two most important Northeast Asian allies to work toward a better future with both eyes open.
In some instances the flare-ups in and between Japan and South Korea represent mere political opera with little real substance at stake. But the latest cause for tension—the ROK government's cancellation of both the June 29 signing of the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) and its plan to pursue an equally sensitive (but sensible) military Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) with Japan—has serious national security implications and affects Washington's relations with both nations. It also cost South Korea one of its more forward-thinking strategists, Senior Presidential Secretary for National Security Strategy Kim Tae-hyo, who lost his job. His "sin"? Putting Korea's national interests ahead of public opinion.

GSOMIA is a fairly routine agreement outlining procedures to facilitate the sharing of classified defense-related threat information regarding North Korea's nuclear and missile programs and other potential common security challenges. Its adoption would also make trilateral defense cooperation with Washington easier for both Japan and South Korea. Seoul has agreements similar to GSOMIA with some two dozen other countries. An ACSA allows for logistical cooperation when both countries are engaged in humanitarian assistance/ disaster relief and peacekeeping operations. Negotiations for both long-overdue pacts were finalized in May 2012. Unfortunately, that is when public opinion and national emotions took over in South Korea, turning what Professor Jeffrey Hornung described as "a practical, forward-looking effort to strengthen relations between two vibrant democracies facing shared security challenges" into "another casualty of the complexities of politics and history."

Still, working behind the scenes, the ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade succeeded in passing GSOMIA through the cabinet. When the Lee government publicly announced its plan to sign the GSOMIA agreement on June 29, while continuing its review of the ACSA, this provided opposition politicians—especially those who pander to citizens with lingering anti-Japanese feelings—with a political windfall they have chosen to exploit. Ruling party politicians have been equally shameful in their response. The South Korean press has also seen fit to help inflame rather than inform the public about the importance of such agreements.

Despite the subsequent cancellation of the GSOMIA signing and shelving of the ACSA, the Lee Myung-bak administration continues to pay lip service to the agreements, saying that they have not been scrapped, but merely postponed until a more propitious moment. However, no one sees that happening before the December 2012 ROK presidential election, thus resulting in more precious time wasted. Ironically, along the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, earlier this month, ROK foreign minister Kim Sung-hwan joined U.S. secretary of state Hillary Clinton and Japanese foreign minister Koichiro Gemba in agreeing to form a trilateral consultative body to "promote peace and stability in Northeast Asia." But will genuine consultation and real-world cooperation be possible between Seoul and Tokyo without GSOMIA and an ACSA? It is hard to imagine how.

In discussing the history issue, most Japanese and Korean interlocutors seem to agree on only one thing: the ball is in the other one's court. The Japanese claim, not without some merit, is that Tokyo has both acknowledged and apologized numerous times for its crimes during World War II: "How much longer," they ask, "are we to be punished for the sins of our great-grandfathers?" But other Japanese cannot seem to resist keeping the flames alive, claiming that the past never occurred or, more frequently, that it was not as bad as critics claim. Their argument that "only" eighty thousand Korean women, rather than the two hundred thousand that some Korean assert, were forced into slavery, only demonstrates insensitivity and a lack of remorse. Official Japanese government protests against "comfort women" statues that are springing up in the United States and South Korea further inflame the situation and prompt even more statues to be commissioned.

Tokyo should remember that democracies promote and guard "freedom of expression." The same goes for South Koreans who insist that the government of Japan issue a formal apology every time a private citizen or parliamentarian utters a preposterous statement denying what everyone knows is fact.

The most sensible U.S. response to the history debate is to say and do as little as possible. When faced with a lose-lose situation between two allies, it is normally more sensible not to play the game. But U.S. territory is now part of the extended battlefield, and U.S. security interests are being at least peripherally affected. Seldom has a situation seemed more appropriate for a preventive diplomacy intervention than the current comfort women dispute between Tokyo and Seoul. The history dispute goes beyond the forced sexual slavery of Korean (and Filipino, Indonesian, Chinese, and other, including even Japanese) women by the Japanese Red Army during World War II, and there are territorial issues as well, but the comfort women issue has become the poster child and rallying point and must be dealt with first.

As an ally and trusted friend of both Japan and South Korea, the United States is well situated to play the mediator role, assuming both sides ask for the intervention—the first rule of preventive diplomacy is that outside assistance is voluntarily sought and accepted. President Obama should privately offer to provide an impartial mediator to help craft a statement that both sides can accept, in order to finally settle or at least depoliticize this issue, such as former president Bill Clinton or former national security adviser Brent Scowcroft.

President Lee, along with his Japanese counterpart Prime Minister Noda Yoshihiko, has a golden opportunity to help Koreans and Japanese face the future with both eyes open by seeking and accepting outside mediation to put this cancerous issue behind for the sake of both nations. Or he, and the people of Korea, can remain consumed and blinded by their tragic past.

Though public sentiment in a democracy is important, one should keep in mind the comments attributed to a former U.S. president who, when reportedly asked if he knew what the American people really thought about a particular issue, replied, "I know what they damn well ought to think about it." It is this type of leadership that is needed most in Japan and South Korea right now to get beyond the past.



Reference:
http://www.cfr.org/south-korea/japan-south-korea-relations-time-open-both-eyes/p28736
 
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Chosen , was sacred Japanese soil in those days. The province of Chosen was as Japanese as Hokkaido, Okinawa, Kanagawa, Shimizu and any other areas of Japan. Funds in Government were equally distributed to the development of Korea, the service provision of Nihonjin living in Korea (note that Koreans were considered as Japanese in those days).

The same for the policy regarding Taiwan. In fact, Taiwan was far more developed than even many parts of Japan as it was an Imperial Crown Colony and significant resources were sent to modernize, develop the island, as well as to educate and assimilate the Taiwanese (Han).




Chosen and Japan were One. There was no such thing as 'Korea', 'Taiwan'. They were all sacred Japanese soil when they were part of the Imperial Japanese Empire.

not really much to appreciate that what you had doing in this thread. I can relate what the Korean feel with our feelings

Me as Indonesian, feel it was the Netherlands who shape the boundary of modern Indonesia today, it was them who shape the Indonesian today as a Nation directly or indirectly, it was them who introduce much of modern technology and capability to our very country namely, tram, railway, telephone line, post office, banks, modern plantation, modern government system with parliament, political party, representative system and so on. But taking it into your hearts, as an ex Colony country it's no matter what they had done to us in the past good or bad, it still an a shame to our very heart and been a wound for our pride we had been colonized and to be ruled over against our will and consent by foreigner..... And if we are talking about Korea, a country who had been a long history of independence and had sovereignty ruler who rules over their subjects, for good or for bad, but it was a government who represent Korean as a Nation and as a people who had their own culture. It will greatly wound their pride if some Japanese talk about the era when the Japanese trying to eliminate Korea as people and nation and subdue them into Japanese own culture.
 
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If my little tiny home is robbed by one bandit , my only thought is kill the bandit no matther how Luxury the bandit decorates it.

But Japan did not rob Chosen. Korea's population doubled from 12 million to over 25 million in less than 40 years under Japanese rule. Koreans , in general, attained a literacy rate of over 90% under Japanese rule. Japan built thousands of schools, universities, technical schools in Korea, developed thousands of kms worth of railway in the country, connecting and industrializing every single town, city in Korea. So good that even today's Korea's railwaysystems are built on the very original tracks that Japan built over a century ago. I would not think that this was 'robbery'.

It is as if people nowadays fail to see this. Why is it that only the bad is focused , never the good.

You understand or see my point? Or at least try to see the Japanese view.
 
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This kind of philosophy does not work...
Most colonized countries will not thank the invader, even they do develop much better after being invaded...
What you built is the country, while it is the people that hate the invader.

But Japan did not rob Chosen. Korea's population doubled from 12 million to over 25 million in less than 40 years under Japanese rule. Koreans , in general, attained a literacy rate of over 90% under Japanese rule. Japan built thousands of schools, universities, technical schools in Korea, developed thousands of kms worth of railway in the country, connecting and industrializing every single town, city in Korea. So good that even today's Korea's railwaysystems are built on the very original tracks that Japan built over a century ago. I would not think that this was 'robbery'.

It is as if people nowadays fail to see this. Why is it that only the bad is focused , never the good.

You understand or see my point? Or at least try to see the Japanese view.
 
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But Japan did not rob Chosen. Korea's population doubled from 12 million to over 25 million in less than 40 years under Japanese rule. Koreans , in general, attained a literacy rate of over 90% under Japanese rule. Japan built thousands of schools, universities, technical schools in Korea, developed thousands of kms worth of railway in the country, connecting and industrializing every single town, city in Korea. So good that even today's Korea's railwaysystems are built on the very original tracks that Japan built over a century ago. I would not think that this was 'robbery'.

It is as if people nowadays fail to see this. Why is it that only the bad is focused , never the good.

You understand or see my point? Or at least try to see the Japanese view.

Japan buildt the railway in order to rob the mine and wood more efficiently .
Korea's population doubled , so Japan used them as cannon fodder and cooly.
Japan built thousands of schools /universities but do not allow koera people to study their mother tongue.

And try to see the Japanese view ? We Asian people are the victims , why we need to see the japanese view ?
 
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But Japan did not rob Chosen. Korea's population doubled from 12 million to over 25 million in less than 40 years under Japanese rule. Koreans , in general, attained a literacy rate of over 90% under Japanese rule. Japan built thousands of schools, universities, technical schools in Korea, developed thousands of kms worth of railway in the country, connecting and industrializing every single town, city in Korea. So good that even today's Korea's railwaysystems are built on the very original tracks that Japan built over a century ago. I would not think that this was 'robbery'.

It is as if people nowadays fail to see this. Why is it that only the bad is focused , never the good.

You understand or see my point? Or at least try to see the Japanese view.

A very interesting and unfortunate dynamic that has been playing out for too long. Hatred is a byproduct of any age few today have lived, all but the oldest of these nation's citizens shouldn't feel. They weren't part of the wars and conflicts, they're just being conditioned to continue them for the sake of petty rivalry. They should be forgiving for the sake of prosperity. Fortunately, we can always count on young people to not let someone else's thoughts and opinions get in the way of their own, hence why we see young people have more favorable views on traditional enemies (Like US youngster having favorable views of China)

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Can I offer a bit of history of my own, on my nation's relations with its former ruler (one of them) and why it doesn't see the dynamic now plaguing China, Japan and South/North Korea?

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The Norway-Sweden Separation:

Once upon a time, many years ago Sweden and Norway were unified - for the second time after the dissolution of the Kalmar Republic and after our stand-alone union with Denmark. It was a happy and fruitful marriage, but it ran its course, it couldn't last as both partners strove for greatness and their ambitions were being constrained.

Storing (the Norwegian parliament which was left intact during the Norway-Sweden Union) had a referendum, asking the now nation-hungry people of what would again become Norway to decide their fate

7 June, 1905 the people spoke; Norway declared its independence, and yet we see no historical hatred between either nation. No, Sweden's leader, ever prudent and red-headed they be realized the best course of action was to let Norway go. It was a tense and almost mess breakup.

A few months of tensions, some preparation for war, but Sweden declared Norway an independent Constitutional Monarch on 26 October, 1905. A peaceful, if not tense, separation of two great nations.

Prince Karl of Denmark - who became Haakon VII of Norway became the first king of an independent Norway in 586 years. We really liked our unions. We also liked declaring Danes as our leaders.

Unfortunately Asia's history is a bit less compromising. Its history of empires more bloody, its memories more painful.

===

Maybe there's a lesson here, maybe there isn't - I certainly wasn't offering one. I just wanted to share my nations history (part of it) and why we and our former union-mates don't feel the same enmity.

===

Oh, and if anyone posits that Japan's wartime actions are the cause of the continued problems, well, China and Korea aren't the only nations wronged by their neighbors. Norway too suffered at the hands of its. We forgave, we moved on.

The US and Mexico fought a war, Germany and Poland, France and all of Europe, Russia and just about everyone it borders, the Balkans were once in flames, Turkey and Greece - time heals wounds, its time for South Korea, Japan and China to let theirs mend as other have.

Norge and Sverige Flags through the years

640px-Flaggsirkul%C3%A6re_1899.jpg
 
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It is complete different in east Asia..
In east Asia, people are united under the mighty emperor for very long time..
So it is not easy to separate...


A very interesting and unfortunate dynamic that has been playing out for too long. Hatred is a byproduct of any age few today have lived, all but the oldest of these nation's citizens shouldn't feel. They weren't part of the wars and conflicts, they're just being conditioned to continue them for the sake of petty rivalry. They should be forgiving for the sake of prosperity. Fortunately, we can always count on young people to not let someone else's thoughts and opinions get in the way of their own, hence why we see young people have more favorable views on traditional enemies (Like US youngster have favorable views of China)

===

Can I offer a bit of history of my own, on my nation's relations with its former ruler and why it doesn't see the dynamic now plaguing China, Japan and South + North Korea?

===

The Norway-Sweden Separation:

Once upon a time, many years ago Sweden and Norway were unified - for the second time after the dissolution of the Kalmar Republic and after our stand-alone union with Denmark. It was a happy and fruitful marriage, but it ran its course, it couldn't last as both partners strove for greatness and their ambitions were being constrained.

Storing (the Norwegian parliament which was left intact during the Norway-Sweden Union) had a referendum, asking the now nation-hungry people of what would again become Norway to decide their fate

7 June, 1905 the people spoke; Norway declared its independence, and yet we see not historical hatred between either nation. No, Sweden's leader, ever prudent and red-headed they be realized the best course of action was to let Norway go. It was a tension and almost mess breakup

A few months of tensions, some preparation for war, but Sweden declared Norway an independent Constitutional Monarch on 26 October, 1905. A peaceful, if not tense, separation of two great nations.

Prince Karl of Denmark - who became Haakon VII of Norway became the first king of an independent Norway in 586 years. We really liked our unions.

Unfortunately Asia's history is a bit less compromising. Its history of empires more bloody, its memories more painful.

===

Maybe there's a lesson here, maybe there isn't. I just wanted to share my nations history (part of it) and why we and our former union-mates don't feel the same enmity.

===

Oh, and if anyone posits that Japan's wartime actions are the cause of the continued problems, well, China and Korea aren't the only nations wronged by their neighbors. Norway too suffered at the hands of its. We forgave, we moved on.
 
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Is the continuation of hate justified? Considering how much money Japan has poured into Korea during the colonial days, during post war Korea ? Japan gave the blue prints to our industrial sectors to Korea . And even provided post war payment. It seems no matter what Japan does, there will be continued inherent Korean angst towards Japan's policy.

So it begs one to introspect, how much more must Japan give in to Korea? The Korean media makes it seem as if Japanese still consider or view Koreans as 'former colony' with negative connotation. When that is simply not the issue at all. Tell me, is it natural ?

Or do you believe that there is a Korean media policy of continually portraying Japan as the antagonist. Be objective with me, my friend.







@sicsheep ---- so you will know that these ultranationalists (Uyoko Dantai) are a fringe group in Japan, there is even a common movement now in Japan where average Japanese show their 'disapproval' for Uyoko Dantai. Please take time to read this article:



-------------------------------------------------


Japanese Raise Their Middle Finger to Right-Wing Anti-Korean Protesters in Tokyo


Despite the enormous popularity of K-Pop, Korean food and beauty products, relations between Japan and South Korea have been strained for quite some time. In recent months, however, right wing groups have become increasingly vocal, with anti-Korean protests occurring more and more frequently, especially in areas where many Koreans congregate and live.

On 31 March in Shin-Ōkubo — a town situated just a couple of minutes away from Shinjuku on Tokyo’s Yamanote line and the location of a large Korean ethnic neighbourhood — hundreds of anti-Korean protesters marched through the streets carrying signs reading “Go back to Korea!” and labeling Koreans in Japan “cockroaches”. Thankfully, equally large numbers of liberally-minded Japanese also showed up to protest the protest.


“You are the shame of this country!” “You’re the ones who need to go home!” “Get back to the Internet where you belong!”

Just some of the anti-anti-Korean slogans shouted and written on placards by the people lining the streets of Shin-Ōkubo amid the protests on Sunday, hoping to protect and show support for the Koreans living there.

anti-protest-scuffle-e1364876503407.jpg


On numerous occasions, tempers frayed as pro-Koreans gave middle-finger salutes to anti-Korean protesters, who were often seen to lunge as if to intending to throw punches, with police struggling to keep the groups apart. The streets of the town — ordinary a place that attracts thousands of tourists and Japanese seeking delicious Korean food — quickly became a sea of people and angry voices, with protesters, riot police and everyday people caught up in the chaos.

Nationalistic netouyo (coming from ネット netto meaning Internet and 右翼 uyoku meaning right wing) groups are becoming increasingly dissatisfied with the Japanese government’s decisions and are known for making long, angry posts on Internet message boards. Often pointing to the failings of the government and the fact that Japan is losing what once made it a strong, proud nation thanks to the invasion of foreign culture and ideas, netouyo are often critical of Koreans in particular, suggesting that their presence in the country is harmful to Japan. For this reason, the anti-protesters seen on the streets of Shin-Ōkubo last weekend repeated the phrase “go home to the Internet” in between singing anti-racism songs.



Hundreds of Japanese Raise Their Middle Finger to Right-Wing Anti-Korean Protesters in Tokyo | RocketNews24





A perfect article. Let me endorse it for you and other interested parties.



-----------------------


Japan-South Korea Relations: Time to Open Both Eyes


Japan-South Korea (ROK) relations: "Forget the past and lose an eye; dwell on the past and lose both eyes!" The Japanese, it would appear, are eager to forget the past, while the Koreans seem unable to see beyond it. It is time now for the United States' two most important Northeast Asian allies to work toward a better future with both eyes open.
In some instances the flare-ups in and between Japan and South Korea represent mere political opera with little real substance at stake. But the latest cause for tension—the ROK government's cancellation of both the June 29 signing of the General Security of Military Information Agreement (GSOMIA) and its plan to pursue an equally sensitive (but sensible) military Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement (ACSA) with Japan—has serious national security implications and affects Washington's relations with both nations. It also cost South Korea one of its more forward-thinking strategists, Senior Presidential Secretary for National Security Strategy Kim Tae-hyo, who lost his job. His "sin"? Putting Korea's national interests ahead of public opinion.

GSOMIA is a fairly routine agreement outlining procedures to facilitate the sharing of classified defense-related threat information regarding North Korea's nuclear and missile programs and other potential common security challenges. Its adoption would also make trilateral defense cooperation with Washington easier for both Japan and South Korea. Seoul has agreements similar to GSOMIA with some two dozen other countries. An ACSA allows for logistical cooperation when both countries are engaged in humanitarian assistance/ disaster relief and peacekeeping operations. Negotiations for both long-overdue pacts were finalized in May 2012. Unfortunately, that is when public opinion and national emotions took over in South Korea, turning what Professor Jeffrey Hornung described as "a practical, forward-looking effort to strengthen relations between two vibrant democracies facing shared security challenges" into "another casualty of the complexities of politics and history."

Still, working behind the scenes, the ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade succeeded in passing GSOMIA through the cabinet. When the Lee government publicly announced its plan to sign the GSOMIA agreement on June 29, while continuing its review of the ACSA, this provided opposition politicians—especially those who pander to citizens with lingering anti-Japanese feelings—with a political windfall they have chosen to exploit. Ruling party politicians have been equally shameful in their response. The South Korean press has also seen fit to help inflame rather than inform the public about the importance of such agreements.

Despite the subsequent cancellation of the GSOMIA signing and shelving of the ACSA, the Lee Myung-bak administration continues to pay lip service to the agreements, saying that they have not been scrapped, but merely postponed until a more propitious moment. However, no one sees that happening before the December 2012 ROK presidential election, thus resulting in more precious time wasted. Ironically, along the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, earlier this month, ROK foreign minister Kim Sung-hwan joined U.S. secretary of state Hillary Clinton and Japanese foreign minister Koichiro Gemba in agreeing to form a trilateral consultative body to "promote peace and stability in Northeast Asia." But will genuine consultation and real-world cooperation be possible between Seoul and Tokyo without GSOMIA and an ACSA? It is hard to imagine how.

In discussing the history issue, most Japanese and Korean interlocutors seem to agree on only one thing: the ball is in the other one's court. The Japanese claim, not without some merit, is that Tokyo has both acknowledged and apologized numerous times for its crimes during World War II: "How much longer," they ask, "are we to be punished for the sins of our great-grandfathers?" But other Japanese cannot seem to resist keeping the flames alive, claiming that the past never occurred or, more frequently, that it was not as bad as critics claim. Their argument that "only" eighty thousand Korean women, rather than the two hundred thousand that some Korean assert, were forced into slavery, only demonstrates insensitivity and a lack of remorse. Official Japanese government protests against "comfort women" statues that are springing up in the United States and South Korea further inflame the situation and prompt even more statues to be commissioned.

Tokyo should remember that democracies promote and guard "freedom of expression." The same goes for South Koreans who insist that the government of Japan issue a formal apology every time a private citizen or parliamentarian utters a preposterous statement denying what everyone knows is fact.

The most sensible U.S. response to the history debate is to say and do as little as possible. When faced with a lose-lose situation between two allies, it is normally more sensible not to play the game. But U.S. territory is now part of the extended battlefield, and U.S. security interests are being at least peripherally affected. Seldom has a situation seemed more appropriate for a preventive diplomacy intervention than the current comfort women dispute between Tokyo and Seoul. The history dispute goes beyond the forced sexual slavery of Korean (and Filipino, Indonesian, Chinese, and other, including even Japanese) women by the Japanese Red Army during World War II, and there are territorial issues as well, but the comfort women issue has become the poster child and rallying point and must be dealt with first.

As an ally and trusted friend of both Japan and South Korea, the United States is well situated to play the mediator role, assuming both sides ask for the intervention—the first rule of preventive diplomacy is that outside assistance is voluntarily sought and accepted. President Obama should privately offer to provide an impartial mediator to help craft a statement that both sides can accept, in order to finally settle or at least depoliticize this issue, such as former president Bill Clinton or former national security adviser Brent Scowcroft.

President Lee, along with his Japanese counterpart Prime Minister Noda Yoshihiko, has a golden opportunity to help Koreans and Japanese face the future with both eyes open by seeking and accepting outside mediation to put this cancerous issue behind for the sake of both nations. Or he, and the people of Korea, can remain consumed and blinded by their tragic past.

Though public sentiment in a democracy is important, one should keep in mind the comments attributed to a former U.S. president who, when reportedly asked if he knew what the American people really thought about a particular issue, replied, "I know what they damn well ought to think about it." It is this type of leadership that is needed most in Japan and South Korea right now to get beyond the past.



Reference:
http://www.cfr.org/south-korea/japan-south-korea-relations-time-open-both-eyes/p28736
Justified. B.C. all Japanese forefathers did on Koreans soil was for Japanese immigrants for the propos of being new Japanese province. Koreans are forced extinction. All those facilities are intended for Japanese persons, not for Koreans
 
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Why don't the Japanese apologise for the evil they committed against other Asian nations during World War II?

Why do the Japanese people fee so proud of honouring Class A War Criminals at that infamous shrine? It's so shameful.
 
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Wah, the Japanese think that what they did is good for the other nation, and they should thank Japan?

With that kind of logic, how will we know that Japan would not start or justify the same act again?

That has cause the death of millions for NOTHING?

If one day China become far more advance than Japan, can China come and occupy Japan militarily, move Chinese into Japanese territory, subjugate and treat Japanese as low class, and force them to adapt Chinese name, Chinese culture and custom? Would Japanese welcome that? We promise we would develop infrastructure in Japan for China benefit too.
 
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A very interesting and unfortunate dynamic that has been playing out for too long. Hatred is a byproduct of any age few today have lived, all but the oldest of these nation's citizens shouldn't feel. They weren't part of the wars and conflicts, they're just being conditioned to continue them for the sake of petty rivalry. They should be forgiving for the sake of prosperity. Fortunately, we can always count on young people to not let someone else's thoughts and opinions get in the way of their own, hence why we see young people have more favorable views on traditional enemies (Like US youngster having favorable views of China)

===

Can I offer a bit of history of my own, on my nation's relations with its former ruler (one of them) and why it doesn't see the dynamic now plaguing China, Japan and South/North Korea?

===

The Norway-Sweden Separation:

Once upon a time, many years ago Sweden and Norway were unified - for the second time after the dissolution of the Kalmar Republic and after our stand-alone union with Denmark. It was a happy and fruitful marriage, but it ran its course, it couldn't last as both partners strove for greatness and their ambitions were being constrained.

Storing (the Norwegian parliament which was left intact during the Norway-Sweden Union) had a referendum, asking the now nation-hungry people of what would again become Norway to decide their fate

7 June, 1905 the people spoke; Norway declared its independence, and yet we see no historical hatred between either nation. No, Sweden's leader, ever prudent and red-headed they be realized the best course of action was to let Norway go. It was a tense and almost mess breakup.

A few months of tensions, some preparation for war, but Sweden declared Norway an independent Constitutional Monarch on 26 October, 1905. A peaceful, if not tense, separation of two great nations.

Prince Karl of Denmark - who became Haakon VII of Norway became the first king of an independent Norway in 586 years. We really liked our unions. We also liked declaring Danes as our leaders.

Unfortunately Asia's history is a bit less compromising. Its history of empires more bloody, its memories more painful.

===

Maybe there's a lesson here, maybe there isn't - I certainly wasn't offering one. I just wanted to share my nations history (part of it) and why we and our former union-mates don't feel the same enmity.

===

Oh, and if anyone posits that Japan's wartime actions are the cause of the continued problems, well, China and Korea aren't the only nations wronged by their neighbors. Norway too suffered at the hands of its. We forgave, we moved on.

The US and Mexico fought a war, Germany and Poland, France and all of Europe, Russia and just about everyone it borders, the Balkans were once in flames, Turkey and Greece - time heals wounds, its time for South Korea, Japan and China to let theirs mend as other have.

Norge and Sverige Flags through the years

640px-Flaggsirkul%C3%A6re_1899.jpg

In respect of what Japan has done in ww2 and now it still appears not to show sincerity in the present years, the experience between you and your former coloniser is a huge difference. I wont put forward presenting it as an analogy if I were you just like I thought the troll @mike2000 is back has said the European colonization of the whole world plus the 2 world wars are on the same moral grounds as compared to China and Vietnam in which @Grand Historian has helped explain the difference brilliantly.

What the Japanese OP has demonstrated his choice of words trying to mitigate the immense gravity of the wrong doings of the Japanese during ww2.

Has Sweden done anything to Norway like the "Massacre of Nanjing"? "the comfort women"? "unit 731"? Claiming lands and territories that do not belong to the defeated Japan under the force of Internationally signed and witnessed Declarations? Presenting themselves as the "victim" of ww2 blaming squarely on what the America has done on their people and cities while downplaying their barbaric roles in the war on the Asians and other suffering people of the world by rewriting textbooks and twisting words in their public statements for their atrocities? Paying regular homage to the shrine which houses the class A (most heinous) war criminals? Revival of the belligerent Right Wings and in attempt to extend their military reaches far beyond their borders through abandoning of the "Pacifist" constitution?

And what is more that the internaional media have failed to cover are these:

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currencies used under the rule of imperial japan now tons over tons of these become waste paper

Where is the Japanese claim of responsibilty to honour these bills when they created the paper during the massacres, the rapes, the enormous sufferings of millions of families, plunders and the war?
 
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