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Japanese, S Koreans see each other more favorably, poll shows

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GillislowTierSep. 2  03:07 pm JST

The average person tends to harbor no ill will towards a random person or country but those easily swayed by other people tend to be if someone tells them to be.

see people all over who go between both countries with favorable opinions, but whatever ire between the dying dinosaurs in office try to stir up tends to not bother people with brains of their own.

be a person and think for yourself… and hate spiders

After the Communist regime of Yugoslavia stepped down in January 1990, the loudmouth Slobodan Milosevic was stirring up ethnic hatred with his Hitleresque Wah stories about how 'Serbs were being persecuted' and in the Bosnian War he the past incidents from 800-900 years before when the Ottoman Turks conquered and ruled the Balkans as an EXCUSE to cause a (smaller) holocaust against late 20th century Muslims. Soon enough the whole Yugoslavia disintegrated violently into the 7 nations that are there now.

The best thing to do of course IS to think for yourself and don't let these poopheads tell you who or what to hate. Some of the 'other' people may be (and sometimes are) indistinguishable from yourself. And as for spiders, if I run across one, color it DEAD.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Awa no GaijinSep. 2  02:05 pm JST

Why compare the S Korean military to the Japanese military.

Japan attacked korea many times .

Japan attacked Korea twice, in 1592 and 1598 with the intent of invading Ming (China).

Korea, together with Mongols and Chinese attacked Japan twice in 1274 and 1278.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

My Japanese friends are astonished how the British and the French can tease each other in a mock-aggressive way, bringing up all kinds of awkward historical references. The problem with Asia is the total lack of humour, and the countries of China, Japan and N/S Korea seem doomed to eternal enmity because of their insistence that they are right and the other side is wrong. There is zero self-awareness and no willingness to admit fault of any kind. A good example is the Comfort Women issue. The Japanese are worried that South Korea is winning the worldwide propaganda war over this issue because there's some statue or something in a European city. The truth is NO ONE knows anything about it outside Japan and Korea. Shocking to both countries, no doubt, but true. The same goes for the Northern Territories issue, which was artificially created by the USA during the Cold War to keep Japan in its orbit.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

@kennyG

* if **Japan and South Korea could possibly and normally get along with each other*

That's not possible as long as Japan claims the Liancourt Rocks. Until then, Korea must keep investing SLBM submarines launching ballistic missiles to strike Tokyo from the Pacific Ocean, Mach 3 supersonic antiship missiles to defeat Aegis defense to prepare for that day Japan decides to take military action on Liancourt Rocks, which according to LDP doesn't violate the Article 9.

If Japan renounces its claims on the Liancourt Rocks, then all other things are possible, but not until then.

-4 ( +1 / -5 )

Off top of my head, I say, ...K-Pop, K-Drama/Movie are great stuffs, ...(although I would puke seeing all those young male K-stars' makeups especially with lipsticks)... so many Korean visitors preferring to visit Japan( As it's cheap) , especially for powder snow in winter, Onsen, epicure tours, and they return home with a kinda reverse-culture shock against anti-Japan education... meaning a kinda intuitive facts they realize right when they deal with local Japanese.... what else... a quite number of fellow Koreans realized lies piled up on lies under Anti-Japan tribalism and now making efforts to rescue this brainwashed nation. For Korean side, it seems said their increasing anti-Chinese sentiment is pushing anti-Japan sentiment a bit down... which I don't know for sure....Oh Japan side is too less. New President's attitude and his statements could help a bit...

Don't forget, If and only if Japan and South Korea could possibly and normally get along with each other, it is not just a dream for both to become more powerful democratic pair to face CCP China without help of Western nations. We have to deal with North Korea and Korea inside Japan first of all to clear all things up FIRST of all. You know how they have been trying to split Japan and SK, they are everywhere you know.

Over all I don't trust this kind of polls anyway.

1 ( +2 / -1 )

Seth MToday  04:15 pm JST

South Korea, sandwiched between China and Japan, having a gun pointing to its head from the north, finally has realized it is in no position to challenge anyone.

Let's hope they don't elect another nationalist idiot next time, or things won't be pretty for them

South Korea has had to deal with North Korea's sabre-rattling for over 70yrs. That gun hasn't been loaded for a long time so I doubt they worry about it that much nowadays. As for Japan, militarily South Korea could hold its own against them. Not that it would ever come to that.

Maybe Japan should stop electing right wing nationalists who end up giving money to South Korea through the Unification Church, LOL!

-1 ( +2 / -3 )

This survey was probably done before the cult issue arose.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

South Korea, sandwiched between China and Japan, having a gun pointing to its head from the north, finally has realized it is in no position to challenge anyone.

Let's hope they don't elect another nationalist idiot next time, or things won't be pretty for them

0 ( +1 / -1 )

The average person tends to harbor no ill will towards a random person or country but those easily swayed by other people tend to be if someone tells them to be.

see people all over who go between both countries with favorable opinions, but whatever ire between the dying dinosaurs in office try to stir up tends to not bother people with brains of their own.

be a person and think for yourself… and hate spiders

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Awa no GaijinToday  10:16 am JST

See each other more favorably

The Japanese think tank and media are trying to falsely claim the animosity between Korea and Japan is getting less.

It's not true !

The animosity has always been more political, between governments and in general hasn't affected the general population. Millions of Koreans visit Japan every year and a high number of Japanese also go to Korea. Korean dramas have been very popular among Japanese for a long time and now Korean pop groups are becoming equally as popular in Japan. Manga and anime are incredibly popular in Korea, If the situation were as bad as you think, there should be regular attacks on Japanese visiting Korean and vice versa. Yet there isn't. Japanese and Koreans would be shunning each others' media and entertainment if they truly hated each other so much but on the contrary, their popularity is consistent or in some cases even growing.

Leave it to governments to constantly stir things up and the usual suspects who believe their crap propaganda.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

@Yubaru

Where do you get this from? 

https://www.excite.co.jp/news/article/Recordchina_898692/

記事は「日米韓の安全保障協力は順調に進んでいるように見えるが、実情は違う」と指摘している。日本の海上自衛隊はRIMPACで、韓国海軍准将が遠征講習団長を務める訓練に参加しなかったという。

遠征講習団長はほとんど米軍が務めており、韓国海軍が務めるのは今回が始めてだった。参加国中、訓練への参加規模が米国の次に大きいとの理由で選ばれたという。

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

I hope it lasts and improves.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Yes, you are not mistaken. Korean generals command US troops during wartime because Korea will have the OPCON control.

Where do you get this from? The reality is that the US has overall command of all forces, Korean, UN, US and any others in Korea, in the case of war or otherwise, if I am not mistaken.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_Command#Commander

Also this:

https://www.unc.mil/

0 ( +1 / -1 )

because they refuse to accept a Korean general's order unlike their USMC peers.

"Peer's" is highly debatable.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

I see some of those K pop idol groups in an exceedingly positive light!

-3 ( +0 / -3 )

Keep politicians and wing-nuts out of the discussion and Japanese and Korean's get along just fine!

5 ( +5 / -0 )

@OssanJapan

Any military conflict between China and the US will invariably give North Korea the green light to "unify" the Korean Penninsula. 

Kim has no such illusion. In fact, Kim insists on having nukes to deter the ROK invasion as prescribed in OPLAN 5015, whose vanguard mechanized corps can reach outskirt of Pyongyang in 19th hour and complete the takeover of North Korea in 2 weeks.

https://www.economist.com/asia/2022/08/18/america-and-south-korea-restart-their-big-military-drills

America and South Korea restart their big military drills

> On August 22nd the two armed forces will start their first full-scale drills since 2017.

Led by South Korean generals, tens of thousands of both countries’ troops will be put through their paces until the end of the month, rehearsing scenarios such as responding to the bombing of a nuclear power plant. Such exercises test officers’ decision-making skills and soldiers’ effectiveness in the field in case of an attack from the North. The aim is to drill forces until they know their missions instinctively, says Chun In-bum, a retired South Korean lieutenant-general who has been involved in over 50 joint exercises.

Yes, you are not mistaken. Korean generals command US troops during wartime because Korea will have the OPCON control.

Japanese SDF generals commanding US troops is unheard of in Japan, but Korean generals regularly do that.

In fact, a Korean marine general was the supreme commander of all marine forces during the RIMPAC 2022 landing drill, but Japanese SDF troops walked out of the landing drill because they refuse to accept a Korean general's order unlike their USMC peers.

-4 ( +2 / -6 )

Good, now lets see what happens the next time a Korean/Japanese influential politician needs a scapegoat for some national problem

0 ( +0 / -0 )

While not particularly unique, I have a Korean friend who constantly checks out various forums, Facebook posts, and so on which only serve to feed his fears. He won’t travel very far from his apartment or workplace and he prefers being in groups of Japanese in which he can blend in over groups that have foreigners which might draw attention. He tells me how Koreans are discriminated against by various shops, areas of japan, the police, etc and he is afraid.

While I am aware that discrimination exists, I do think that if one actively looks for evidence that you’re at risk, you will find it. It is sad, cause I have watched him descend into this pit of fear over the years and there’s not much anyone can say as the word of his countrymen holds so much weight.

I wonder how many other Koreans who move to Japan end up becoming this afraid.

0 ( +1 / -1 )

(edited)

/how many South Koreans read manga, watch anime and play Japanese video games(?);

1 ( +1 / -0 )

*two things: politics and *pop culture; it’s time for politicians to stop (political propaganda and brainwashing) infecting the minds of ordinary people. / “ The Japanese think tank attributed the slight improvements to the fact that the two countries are both democratic countries allying with the United States on the back of intensifying tensions between Washington and Beijing. “ – not only that but, imo pop culture is also playing a role in this: it brings people closer to each other, it unites them; (these days) how many Japanese watch k-dramas and listen to k-pop(?)/how many South Koreans read manga and play Japanese video games(?); the beautiful thing about pop culture, arts, sports and entertainment is that it feels like they’re from a parallel Universe, but one without hate and violence; it’s a special kind of power and it’s a power that politics and history can’t mess with.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The AvengerToday  09:53 am JST

I think how Koreans feel about Japanese people is different than how they feel toward Japan as a nation. Which is to say, they generally don't dislike individual Japanese people, but they do dislike the Japanese government. It seems like this article doesn't distinguish between the two.

That's really the attitude that we should all have, in a way. As a military veteran, am I supposed to hate Russians, Serbians, Iraqis, Libyans, Iranians, Syrians, Chinese, Haitians, Somalians, Afghans? I don't. But (now) Putin, Milosevic, Saddam Hussein, the Ayatollahs, Hassad, Xi, al-Qaida, ISIS, Taliban and whoever's been ruling Haiti, and the Mad Max bandits marauding Somalia are scumpots. Hate the enemy government and leaders, not the people themselves. To do so is bigoted and dumb.

4 ( +4 / -0 )

Won't last very long, Yoon is just 1% 's edge of leading, he might be in trouble and downfall if there is a scandal about him and his clique!

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Year after year of lies, broken promises and insults as well as endless demand for money have completely alienated Japanese people from Koreans. The sad fact is that South Korea is rapidly becoming irrelevant in today’s rapidly changing world and Koreans are not aware of it.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

To the extent that things are improving, that’s a good thing and should be encouraged. Japan and S. Korea face very similar security risks in the region.

Unfortunately, if history is any guide, Aso will say something stupid (he does that as often as he dyes his hair), and the good will of the S. Korean administration will last right up until it gets in a domestic political jam and then it will reset to its default setting of “blame Japan.”

3 ( +3 / -0 )

I think how Koreans feel about Japanese people is different than how they feel toward Japan as a nation. Which is to say, they generally don't dislike individual Japanese people, but they do dislike the Japanese government. It seems like this article doesn't distinguish between the two.

7 ( +8 / -1 )

A small step. but moving in the right direction. With Covid, the economic impact. Russian invasion of Ukraine, China's outspoken support for Russia and it's continued threat of invading Taiwan, the world is a much more dangerous place than it was in 2019. Any military conflict between China and the US will invariably give North Korea the green light to "unify" the Korean Penninsula. President Yoon sees this threat to his country and recognizes the need to put this perpetual self-defeating anti-Japan posture to and end. Moon made this task difficult, and the anti-JP faction in SK will resist, but the future of South Korea relies on taking hte right steps and undoing previous mistakes.

7 ( +10 / -3 )

"Public sentiment is beginning to change, but government-to-government relations remain stagnant," Yasushi Kudo, the head of the think tank, said at a press conference in Tokyo, urging Tokyo and Seoul to take specific steps to improve ties.

Their public opinions are volatile and unreliable. Don't forget that state-led (and failed) NO JAPAN boycott campaigns.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

They see each other more favorably because Covid sidetracked all the regular political rhetoric for the last two and a half years.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

BigPToday  07:23 am JST

Just stop screwing around with history.

It's time to let bygones be bygones. The fascist Japan of 80 years ago is gone. It's another day. Time to bury the hatchet for good.

9 ( +12 / -3 )

When is this garbage gonna stop?

we don’t like them, they don’t like us, we love BTS, we love Yua Mikami, we think they don’t like us, we think we hate

them, do we like us? Do they like them?

WHO CARES!???

How about both countries shut it, and do other things already? All this crap and anger is just a waste of time.

2 ( +6 / -4 )

Just stop screwing around with history.

6 ( +9 / -3 )

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