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S Korean, Japanese students share summer house, deepen understanding

23 Comments
By Kentaro Okasaka

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MilesTag

I don't stick myself to the comments board, so it seems I have missed a few posts already. I just leave a message. Comparing Japan against Germany is simply meaningless.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

MilesTag.......we in the west consistently throw Japan and Germany's pasts in their faces, and to be fair they did do some pretty horrible stuff.......although Germany has moved on Japan hasn't. A huge factor in this is that they were made to look at exactly what their Nazi government had done.....the Japanese weren't due to the American's needing a friendly foothold in Asia to combat the "red threat" that was growing there. This is why it continues to this day. BUT this is all because "we" were the victors.........if you look at British history, it is littered with crimes against humanity, mass murders, enslavement, pillage.....how many British school children really understand what the empire era was like? Not many. They are taught a rose-tinted version of a benevolent Britain going around the world and happily bringing civilisation to the brown and yellow, native masses.....with everyone singing Rule Britannia and having a rare old time....nothing could be further from the truth. I don't see Britain apologising to India for the rape and pillage of it's people and possessions....or Kenya, or Malaysia, or or or or.......

Then the American-led wars of aggression......the west is just as bad as aggressors....if not worse.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

MilesTag

Like I said, you don't have to forget the facts. Just like Asia-Africa Conference in 1955 celebrating the independence of Asian/African countries from the West invited Japan to the celebration and told to the Japanese delegation

"We got our independence because Japan fought against the West."

1 ( +4 / -3 )

Compensation in the billions......SK never helped Taiwan

Peanut reparations, much of it tied loans, ensuring Japan itself benefited even after its 35 years of exploitation came to an end; dwarfed by that which split in two Germany paid and which, in a spirit of contrition and generosity, never begrudged renegotiating. No sight either of those lovers of freedom fighting alongside Koreans against communism in Vietnam. To have been a fly on the wall in that share house when our humble hosts shared their profound light of Asia wisdom with their no nonsense interlocutors.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

Children are okay but the problem was politicians. So, children should teach their politicians to how to get along with their neighbour.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

KennyG:

if you think my calling out Japan and Nazi Germany for starting wars of aggression, committing atrocities, then getting tired of dealing with their legacies afterwards, makes me pro North Korean, then you must surely hate it when Jews never forget about the Holocaust.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

This can be applied to nearly every country that has tension with another country. It’s governments that hate other countries and they try to influence their populations through propaganda to also hate their enemies, so they will go to war for them.

Maybe country leaders can all spend next summer living together and the world can move its energy and money to more important things, like avoiding human extinction.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@MilesTegToday  04:51 pm JST

That you would use an expression such as 'bent over' as if this were an inappropriate response from Japan sums up your attitude on Korea. Japan was the aggressor, invaded, and killed millions.

Is this about the peninsula? How had the Int'l consensus defined this treaty-based annexation without force?

Did you happen to know the biggest political party asked for it?

It goes without saying that they should 'bend over'. If this angers you, direct your anger to your own government, military, and citizens who started and supported WWII.

How did the annexation start World War? How did Japan start world-wide war? Did it trigger the battle in Europe?

56 apologies? By who? When? Care to provide any evidence? From what I understand financial compensation was one time from the 1965 treaty: $300mil with an additional $400mil in.....loans. In 2015, $8mil was provided for Comfort Women.

Care to google search? Let's set aside the questions on what those apologies were for, or were really needed.

I do agree that continual requests for compensation and official apologies needs to stop from South Korea's side. They're taking it too far and it never ends. It has to stop and it makes them look ridiculous.

Of course, South Korea should seriously consider how it could patch up a big fence in front of the scandals about Chong Dae-Hyup and all those lies built up. South Korean youth are not too stupid to believe fake narratives.

Having said that, unofficially and not related to the government, Japan as a nation as well as its citizens have to acknowledge that many Asian nations including South Korea will never forget what Japan did. There is no moratorium on these feelings and it can only subside over time with sincere dialogue between people not governments.

Do you mean the statute of limitation? on these feelings? You don't have to forget the facts but should graduate from the fabricated brainwashing horror stories.

But when we see those who continue to deny and violently oppose the issue of Comfort Women even outside Japan and visit sites like Yasukuni Shrine, thee is a sense that nothing heart-felt, genuine, and sincere comes from Japan about WWII.

You know there're movements going on within South Korea, denying completely your N.Korean-flavored dogma on Comfort women and war-time labors. Try to listen to what they are saying, you could be released from the cult.

3 ( +6 / -3 )

These exchange type situations have been on-going for years informally.

Any familiar with ancient history (i.e. the Kofun keyhole tombs, or who built the structures in the temples in Nara, for example Horyu-ji) knows Japan and Korea share a whole lot more than just close geographical proximity to each other.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

ReasonandWisdomNipponToday  09:18 am JST

Japan has always wanted better relations with South Korea.

That's the reason Japan bent over so many times on the Korea Issue. So many apologies, with so many compensations.

South Korea has Won dozens of times, Only ones in Asia to be on White list of Privilege Countries. It was S.Korea. 56 apologies. Compensation in the Billions.

We even let S.Korea manage our Island in the hopes of better relations. Nothing works.

South Korea=Can Hate Japan 100% but expects Japan to help them directly or support USA to help against another North Korean attack backed by CCP China.

South Korea is not part of Quad Alliace to balance China. Keep them in check.

South Korea never declared their support for Taiwan the same way Japan has. Japan is expected to defend another democratic country while S. Korea watches. Focus on their GDP.

More should be expected from South Korea. Instead of giving them a pass on everything while also hating Japan on top of it.

That you would use an expression such as 'bent over' as if this were an inappropriate response from Japan sums up your attitude on Korea. Japan was the aggressor, invaded, and killed millions. It goes without saying that they should 'bend over'. If this angers you, direct your anger to your own government, military, and citizens who started and supported WWII.

56 apologies? By who? When? Care to provide any evidence? From what I understand financial compensation was one time from the 1965 treaty: $300mil with an additional $400mil in.....loans. In 2015, $8mil was provided for Comfort Women.

I do agree that continual requests for compensation and official apologies needs to stop from South Korea's side. They're taking it too far and it never ends. It has to stop and it makes them look ridiculous.

Having said that, unofficially and not related to the government, Japan as a nation as well as its citizens have to acknowledge that many Asian nations including South Korea will never forget what Japan did. There is no moratorium on these feelings and it can only subside over time with sincere dialogue between people not governments. But when we see those who continue to deny and violently oppose the issue of Comfort Women even outside Japan and visit sites like Yasukuni Shrine, thee is a sense that nothing heart-felt, genuine, and sincere comes from Japan about WWII.

-5 ( +3 / -8 )

@Bart Fargo

I'm surprised at how many Japanese people I meet that don't even know they are supposed to dislike South Korea.

Lol what? Why should they? It's not as if Japan spent several decades under Korean occupation

-8 ( +2 / -10 )

They bonded by binge-watching Squid Game

-2 ( +3 / -5 )

Park Eon Ri, a 25-year-old South Korean student, compared the two countries to a couple having a lovers' tiff. "At times they fight and at other times they get along well, and now seems to be the time that they fight. And 36 year old Park Chang Young lamented on his slow studies to finally graduate but overcame his apprehension boldly.

Fabulous progressive students I think.

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Most young people do not have any animosity. It is fueled by propaganda and journalism. Met many Koreans coming here and happy to be in Japan. I would like to know how it is really in South Korea but I am quite sure that like in every countries, the more educated, the less animosity between young people.

As for soccer, my Japanese coworkers are also happy when Korea does loose. Pride first.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

".....Years ago I went back to the UK for a few years and was teaching in a language school. The World Cup was on, and each night the students' lounge was set up to watch the games. Anyhow, one night, Japan was playing someone or other, I can't remember now, a South American team I think, and some Japanese students went down to thr lounge to watch. They found the room packed with pretty much every Korean student in the school, plus their friends, there to support the South American team. The small group of Japanese students were confused, shocked, and most of them left, some in tears. I'll never forget it...."

I do the same when England play......A.B.E

-5 ( +2 / -7 )

In this ‘spin’ of the popular “Terrace House”, the J students will refuse to acknowledge they “once occupied” the S. Korean students’ rooms, and that some were perhaps, “voluntarily“ forced into doing some allegedly compensated ‘work’, against their will?

Maybe an agreement will be reached ONLY when it’s conceded the J students “were not the only ones doing it”, at the time ?

“But the relationship will get better as more South Koreans become fond of Japanese culture, and more people come to think that Japan isn't the only one at fault," Park said.

Tune in next week when some of the pedigree J students take a field trip to Yasakuni Shrine and the roommate arguments start anew!

-8 ( +1 / -9 )

Japan has always wanted better relations with South Korea.

That's the reason Japan bent over so many times on the Korea Issue. So many apologies, with so many compensations.

South Korea has Won dozens of times, Only ones in Asia to be on White list of Privilege Countries. It was S.Korea. 56 apologies. Compensation in the Billions.

We even let S.Korea manage our Island in the hopes of better relations. Nothing works.

South Korea=Can Hate Japan 100% but expects Japan to help them directly or support USA to help against another North Korean attack backed by CCP China.

South Korea is not part of Quad Alliace to balance China. Keep them in check.

South Korea never declared their support for Taiwan the same way Japan has. Japan is expected to defend another democratic country while S. Korea watches. Focus on their GDP.

More should be expected from South Korea. Instead of giving them a pass on everything while also hating Japan on top of it.

2 ( +10 / -8 )

Japanese youth, by and large, have no idea about the historical aspects and why the Koreans have so much animosity towards Japan; And Korean youth are fed anti Japanese propaganda from birth. Yeah Japan did horrible things to Korea but Korea keeps fanning the flames for domestic political purposes.

7 ( +14 / -7 )

I wish the article provided more details on the students' ideas for moving forward in bilateral relations instead of just a kumbaya moment. It's a good idea, and hopefully will not happen in a vacuum but expand and next time perhaps add Chinese and Taiwanese students to the mix.

4 ( +6 / -2 )

I'm surprised at how many Japanese people I meet that don't even know they are supposed to dislike South Korea.

7 ( +13 / -6 )

In my experience living in both Japan and South Korea, the younger generations do not have the same level of animosity towards each other as the older ones. Forgive and forget seems to be working the farther we get into the 21st century. At some point, all of the anger and hate left over from WWII needs to be left where it is...in the past. Do not forget the past, but don't let the mistakes of yesteryear control the future. You can't walk forward if you spend all of your time looking backward.

14 ( +17 / -3 )

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