As North Korea heats up, South Korea and Japan should warm ties

[davidpdx]

Last edited Thu May 16, 2013, 03:29 AM - Edit history (1)

As General Dempsey knows all too well, strategic and military cooperation between the two neighbors is almost nonexistent, and what little there is usually takes place out of public sight. Only days before this speech, the South Korean foreign minister canceled a visit to Japan aimed at discussing joint measures to deal with North Korea. Last year, the South Korean government pulled back from an agreement with Japan to exchange military intelligence literally hours before the signing ceremony.

These tensions have their roots in a troubled history between the two countries – a history of Japanese annexation of the Korean Peninsula, of brutal colonial rule, and forced labor. This past includes the coercive recruitment, by some estimates, of more than 140,000 Korean “comfort women,” or virtual sex slaves, to work in brothels organized by Japan’s Imperial Army during World War II.

While all that came to an end with the defeat of the Japanese Empire in 1945, Koreans remain wounded by the periodic refusal of Japanese leaders to acknowledge that past and Japan’s responsibility. The problems over the past are also embedded in a minor territorial dispute over a small group of rocky islets, under South Korean control but claimed by Japan, which Koreans view as a symbol of liberation from Japanese colonial rule.

snip

This clash of historical perception has intensified with the return to power of the Japanese conservative Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) government last December under the leadership of Shinzo Abe. The prime minister was well known for his unrepentant view of wartime history, having run for office on the stated desire to reverse past conciliatory statements on the war, such as the official responsibility for recruiting the “comfort women.”

As prime minister, Mr. Abe has tried to reassure observers of his desire to improve relations with his neighbors. But his inner nationalism has resurfaced. Abe told the parliament last month that Japan’s actions in Asia could not be characterized as “aggression” or “invasion,” repudiating the language of a war apology issued in 1995.

http://news.yahoo.com/north-korea-heats-south-korea-japan-warm-ties-131602313.html

Edit: I should make a full disclosure I live in South Korea and have for 10 years but I think that's pretty well known among people and it is on my profile.

[Bonobo]

1. Abe did not say exactly that the actions couldn't be defined as aggression.

There is some spin in that.

What he said was
http://ajw.asahi.com/article/behind_news/politics/AJ201304240082

"The definition of what constitutes aggression has yet to be established in academia or in the international community," Abe said. "Things that happened between nations will look differently depending on which side you view them from."

[davidpdx]

4. So essentially what he's saying is because there is no definition of aggression

they can't be blamed for what they did. Hmm...yeah that's nice.

Of course things are going to look differently depending on which side you are on. I'm sure it looked different between the kamikaze pilots and the people who were bombed in Pearl Harbor.

[Bonobo]

5. For sure that's true.

I have always thought that the Pearl Harbor pilots were quite brave and I admire them for attacking a purely military target.

But as to PM Abe's statement, I only communicated what he said. He said what he said and I don't think that your interpretation that he is saying "so we can't be blamed" is anything more than invention.

He said there is no definition of aggression. That is what he said. All else is spin.

[davidpdx]

8. He is claiming because of a lack of a definition of aggression that it can't be called aggression

and he goes on to say that different nations see it in different ways. He is worming his way out of the apology made by Japan because of the lack of a definition.

If I took a swing at you giving you a black-eye and said, "what I did wasn't aggressive because there is no definition of what is aggressive" I think you might feel otherwise (besides the fact that you'd probably swing back at me by instinct).

[Bonobo]

11. I don't want to excuse what he said.

Because I don't agree with it. Japan WAS aggressive during WW2.

But I felt the need to include the ACTUAL quote which was not as bad as the way the OP originally framed it. He never specifically said there was no aggression.

[davidpdx]

12. I get where you are coming from

The thing is that he is conservative and they are much more hardline against any concessions having to do with WWII and Japan's actions. It really isn't too surprising. It's going to screw up an already tentative relationship with China and South Korea. If anything the three countries should be standing toe to toe to stop North Korea. The decisiveness is unfortunate.

[Bonobo]

13. The problem is that Korea, China and increasingly Japan

all use each other as "the bad guy" to divert attention from their own horrible past and present.

The Chinese govt. REGULARLY whips up anti-Japanese hysteria in order to support their own regime. Why mention 20 million killed by Mao when you can just say "Nanking"?

[davidpdx]

15. I remember hearing the story about the Chinese smashing cars made by Japan

You are exactly right, all three do that. The decisiveness hurts the region economically, politically, and strategically.

Could you imagine what would happen if they actually all got along? I think it would literally rain cats and dogs.

[Yo_Mama]

2. Well, Hashimoto ain't helping the cause

http://www.cnn.com/2013/05/14/world/asia/japan-hashimoto-comfort-women

[DevonRex]

3. Yup. Koreans have damned good reason not to

like what happened then. And the very fact that Hashimoto could get elected as mayor of a city that size does not speak well for Japan. Not at all. Abe is also further to the right than he should be. Republic of Korea, OTOH, is making progress. They have a woman at the helm, while that ass Hashimoto thinks "comfort women" (enslaved Korean and Chinese women who were forced into providing sex) were necessary for Japanese troops so they could get their "rest."

[davidpdx]

6. About President Park I am conflicted

On the one hand I am glad to see another woman reach a high elected office in Asia (I believe there is/has been others so she is not the first), and on the other hand dislike her because she is a conservative. The social policies in terms of things like health care are very good here and I worry they will get dismantled.

There is a very "nationalistic" rivalry between Korea, Japan, and China that is fueled by the history between the three. As I said above I live in South Korea, but I also was in China for 10 months. The Chinese claim parts of Korea are part of their "territory" (and I am talking about mainland Korea not the islands, which is a totally different mess). Korea still feels very much threatened by both.

[Wounded Bear]

7. Korea has been the Asian equivalent of Poland....

Sandwiched between two large nations whose opinion of them is not very high, so to speak.

[davidpdx]

9. Korea the Poland of Asia

I'm not sure they'd like that very much. lol

[Wounded Bear]

10. Probably not....

but, like Poland, there was also a time when they preyed on their neighbors IIRC. My Asian history is not good, but didn't Korea have an empire at one time I know Poland actually had a fairly large empire at one time. Western european history kind of ignores that part of the region. Much like Korea is ignored when it comes to Asian history some times.

The geographic corollary is accurate IMO.

[davidpdx]

14. Yes, but my knowledge about history prior to the contemporary period is not good

I've been looking around for a good book to read about the history prior to 1900, but never had a chance to find one. I keep swearing I'm going to do it and am so swamped with my doctoral studies. There are about 10-12 novels on my bookshelf that I've never read because I just don't have time. I miss that.

[DevonRex]

16. Are you Korean?

My son lives there! I'm sad because I think he will live there permanently. He loves it and the people. The health care system there is unbelievable. He has visited Japan, too. Took a ferry over. He liked it too. It was very expensive, though.

I know about the dispute regarding the islands. But I didn't know about the disputed territory on the mainland that China claims. It is all so very interesting. I'm going there this winter. It will be cold, I know.

Is Park so much more conservative than previous leaders there? The society as a whole seems to be fairly conservative in some ways yet liberal in others, like health care. The students work so very hard, and much is expected of them. Higher education is relatively inexpensive there, too.

I'm really excited to be going. I can't explain it very well but it feels like the culture is an amazing kaleidescope of beautiful, ancient traditions and racing modernity.

[davidpdx]

17. No, I'm an American married to a Korean

The previous president was a conservative, so I'd say only slightly more. If you are coming here this winter, make sure to pack really warm clothes. In January it stays below freezing most of the time.

[DevonRex]

18. I will.

It looks like November is the month I'll get there. Can't wait!

[davidpdx]

19. November is the month where it starts to get cold,

but it's not quite as bad as December, January, and February. Even March and April were still pretty cool. We had the second coolest April on record. We hit the 70s-1 time, 60s-11 times. I'm not sure what part of the US you are in, but we get nasty humidity during the summer. My least favorite months are December, January, February, June, July and August.

April probably would have been one of the better months because of the cherry blossoms.

[Art_from_Ark]

20. Hashimoto was elected mayor of Osaka in December 2011

The remarks about the "comfort women" were made just a few days ago.

Osaka is one of Japan's most political cities. For example, it is one of the few places in Japan where the Japanese Communist Party has major support. While Hashimoto had 61% approval as mayor not too long ago, national support for his right-wing political party has been dropping dramatically, going from 3.3% in February to 1.5% in April. So don't judge all of Japan by what one foot-in-mouth mayor says.