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© 2013 AFPS Korea, China fault Japan on 'comfort women' at U.N.
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mikihouse
here we go again...drum up the beat to nationalistic sentiments but then Japan is increasingly becoming nationalistics too because of these unending issues. Japan realizes that nothing will be resolved with China nor South Korea. Abe's governent has started the proceedings to allow SDF to become a real army and is allowing a first strike policy in terms of real and present danger. This is no way to peace.
A Realist
Ah yes, the "comfort woman" issue. Well, it doesn't matter how much Japan apologizes, or "makes amends" or pays compensation, nor does it matter that the present generations in Japan had exactly nothing to do with "comfort women." Both China and Korea need an "outside enemy" for purposes of their own and nothing will ever change their minds, Japan is very convenient for them. Is there something in the Chinese and Korean psyche that dooms them to live in past and be unable to move on? Sure seems like it.
Jozabad Uruha
It's already over... Stop looking backwards....
sfjp330
South Korean goverment needs to define the 1965 agreement with Japan when Japan paid $500 million to South Korea to settle the WWII issue. Japan saids the agreement compensated the entire issue. Now South Korea is saying it has not. Somebody is not telling the entire story. In 1965, the Japanese goverment asked South Korea goverment to show the concrete number of conscripted workers and soldiers, dead and injured and how much unpaid wages were. At that time, South Korea didn't claim the compensation for the war time prostitutes. Why didn't they? It's because there was no abducted prostitute. Nobody said at the time in Korea, those prostitutes were abducted. Everyone knew there were many women who were so poor that they sold themselves to live and the Japan army didn't have to abduct Korean women. There were many Korean volunteers for Japan army at the time. Therefore Koreans didn't claim it at that time. It's the South Korea goverment's problem if they did not disclose the comfort women issue at the time. What did South Korea do with $500 million that Japan gave for the settlement?
issa1
China and Korea always playing the victim card. This is a shame, shame.
paulinusa
March 8th article in New Jersey, USA about a new "comfort women" monument being dedicated and the controversy generated. There is a high concentration of Korean-Americans living in the area(and some, but less Japanese-Americans also).
http://www.northjersey.com/cliffsidepark/Bergen_County_to_honor_WWII_comfort_women_for_suffering_at_hands_of_Japanese.html
paulinusa
http://www.northjersey.com/cliffsidepark/Bergen_County_to_honor_WWII_comfort_women_for_suffering_at_hands_of_Japanese.html
I think it pasted better this time.
Fugacis
When August comes round, remind me you said that. Japan plays the victim constantly. It acts like the whole of the Pacific War was just everyone being mean to poor old Japan for no reason, and the bombs were dropped on the pure and innocent people of Japan.
When it comes to this, too, Japanese war apologists start acting like it was just a petty little squabble that everyone should forgive and forget. They act like Japan is such a poor victim for being viewed with wary eyes by two neighbouring countries who suffered occupation, oppression, and horrific atrocities at its hands. It takes a woeful and deliberate and dishonest ignorance of history to suggest that this is something either should "move on" from - like it's for the perpetrator to dictate to their victims how they should feel about it!
Millions of Korean, and Chinese, and Vietnamese, and Filipinos, and Malaysians, and people of every other country in that region have terrible stories to tell. For the comfort women forced into sexual slavery by the Japan (and its quisling collaborators, indeed), this trauma is not just abstract, but personally real. It has scarred them right into their old age, and scarred generations of their families too, knowing that not so long ago Japan did this to them.
So when Abe-san starts getting up to beat the nationalist drums again, and seeks to rearm Japan, and to deny Japan's atrocities while calling all its victims liars, it starts to make people feel that, really, Japan hasn't changed at all. And it hasn't. Article 9, other constitutional safeguards, and a vigilant but beleaguered corps of resisters is all that stands between modern Japan and the Imperial Japan its political masters want to revive.
paulinusa
OK, search "comfort women" @ northjersey.com
Yubaru
Like Japan doesn't play it either? Gimmie a break, all three of these countries play the victim card when it suits their own purpose.
One can not turn back the clock and change history, but one CAN change the relationships in the future.
Japan, particularly the Emperor should get up, call a HUGE press conference, inviting all parties involved, and all foreign press, diplomats everything, make it an "event" and make a speech apologizing for the atrocities committed by the Japanese during WWII, and maybe bow down and press his head to the floor to make it even more sincere.....
ANd guess what....
Neither China nor Korea would believe him, nor say it was sincere. (Because there was no money attached) ANd even if there was, they still would find a reason to dis-believe.
Sometimes you just have to give up hating for hating's purposes and get on with life!
Ewan Huzarmy
I don't think an apology is valid, when the people behind it want to re-word it and edit text books.
sojherde
Why is it so difficult to admit, that one's own people did wrong things in the last war? Why desperately trying to uphold a wrong image that nobody believes is true?
Yubaru
Here's the problem, the "nobody" you imply here doesn't include Japan, so there are plenty of people who don't believe it's true and they are the one's being asked to give the apology.
Would you apologize AND pay compensation for something you didn't believe you were guilty of AND more importantly believe to have been dealt with AND compensated in the past?
smithinjapan
"But Japanese deputy ambassador Takashi Okada took the floor to counter the countries’ charges, saying his nation had already sought to make amends."
SEEKING to make amends, and truly making them, are not the same thing -- especially when you have the current government seeking to retract any apologies.
smithinjapan
"That apology remains passionately opposed by some Japanese conservatives who contend that the country did not directly coerce the women."
And what was that about seeking to make amends again?
KariHaruka
Holy crap give it a rest already Korea and China! You don't see Belgium, Poland, France, Finland etc etc harping on about what happened in WWII. Move on with the times already.
Fugacis
Were there to be a church honouring Nazi war criminals in Berlin that were attended by dozens of parliamentarians and cabinet members every year; were Angela Merkel to proclaim that the Holocaust never happened and it was really just Jews and Communists in a big conspiracy to be mean to poor Germany; were the German population to vigorously try to deny and suppress knowledge of the country's atrocities under Nazi rule - then yes, the people of Europe would righly "harp on" about what Germany did. Japan has done nowhere near the amount to learn from its mistakes that Germany has.
Nor do we forget about it. There are memorials to Nazi aggression and atrocities all throughout Europe, and funnily enough the Germans don't worry about how it might make them look bad and protest to have them removed.
You have to confront and acknowledge the past before you can move on. Japan wants its victims to just "move on", without even acknowledging that there was anything wrong done and condoning and even praising Japan's imperialist aggression.
cubic
I don't understand why the Japanese government doesn't just come out and say - "we paid reparations to the S.Korean government in the 60s; they didn't distribute it to the victims. The issue should be with your government."
They need to take a harder line or these repeated apology/compensation demands will never stop.
CH3CHO
sfjp330
Just read the treaty.
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/Agreement_Between_Japan_and_the_Republic_of_Korea_Concerning_the_Settlement_of_Problems_in_Regard_to_Property_and_Claims_and_Economic_Cooperation
It says all claims have been settled COMPLETELY and FINALLY. Both sides signed of their claims. If some claim is found after the sign off, it is too late and the claim is void.
Upgrayedd
This 100x
JerryL
Again? The comfort women? The Germans took French women in WWII. I never see the French running around Europe with little statues. Germany bombed the hell out of England. I don't hear the UK going on and on about Germany having to apologize over and over again. It's because it's not the same Germany. That Germany is gone. Those people are dead. Today's Germans are not responsible for what happened in their past so nobody keeps whining at them (or Italy). Those Japanese are dead. The Japanese people alive today had nothing to do with it. Why doesn't S Korea and China just use seances to complain to deceased Japanese spirits from that era? That even makes more sense.
And so here are the S Koreans and Chinese whining constantly about this. As if China doesn't have a long list of human rights violations they've committed.
I think S Korea ought to think more about their future and stop teaching their children to hate Japan. Shmucks.
viking68
SmithinJapan, I read "sought to make amends" to mean that amends could never be made because of the total harm caused. Of course, with different colored glasses, it can mean that they sought but never acted. Surely, Japan did do something.
Why attribute the words of a few conservatives/right wingers to the whole population? The population cares, but they get mad every time this is brought up.
If Korea and China wanted to keep the issue alive, they shouldn't have accepted the money or rejected the many apologies given.
At this rate, there will never be amends for Korea, China and Japan because Korea and China will always use this to badger Japan. No apology or payment is enough when these countries envy and despise Japan.
Bartholomew Harte
I guess China & Korea will never rest until the entire japanese race commits mass seppuku! Imperial Japan has not existed for decades and it's unfair to keep blaming the current japanese for what MILTARY Japan did- it's Over , Reparations were duly made , Move On!
cierzo98
The matter of the 'comfort women' is a serious issue and not to be tretaed lightly, but that's not why China and Korea have suddenly joined forces and whinged to the UN about a wrong that was done about 80 years ago. It's clear that they don't actually care a damn abou those women. What havbe they done for them? They are just using them as a point scoring exercise.
The disputed island issue isn't getting as much support internationally as China hoped and so two not so pally states join hands and and go running to the teacher to tell about something else a 'bad boy has done' to them as well, in order to drum up sympathy. They (mostly China) are so transparent and the fact that they think the rest of the world can't see though their strategies is ridiculous to the point of being an insult to other nations' intelligence.
Yubaru
But with Germany it wasn't state sponsored brothels staffed by unwilling participants.
nath
I apologize to all readers for being a jackass.
Yubaru
Lol...I can't accept your apology without a few beers of compensation!
Disillusioned
Yeah, Japan has made a few apologies and has paid compensation, but then you have the likes of Abe and his right-wing cronies that want to downplay this atrocity and state that nobody was forced into it. Of course, China, Korea and The Philippines are gonna be peeved. Time and time again we see Japan pooping in its Asian neighbors. But, then again, history shows that Japan has always been the selfish little brat in the Asian playground that could not play with others. They went so far as to lock everyone out for 200 years. Stop playing the brat Japan before the other kids in the playground give you a good belting!
viking68
Nice try, the French who suffered under Germany would disagree with whatever supposed distinction you are trying to make. But I have never heard the French complaining like China or Korea.
Sure, Germany was better at acknowledging its past, and Japan would be better off passing laws making it a crime to say these things didn't happen, similar to what Germany has done. I would support that. But so what if it never happens. Apologies and reparations have already been made.
Kabukilover
Japan can help clean up the mess it made by teaching the truth about is crimes against humanity in its schools. That's what the Germans are doing.
Kabukilover
In relation to my above statement read Mariko Oi's "What Japanese history lessons leave out", BBC online, 14 March 2013 <http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21226068>
Mitsuo Matsuyama
It seems to me that the Chinese and Korean government is doing such thing as a way to distract people from domestical issues.
Mitsuo Matsuyama
Unfortunatelly China and South Korea' s government is doing such thing only to distract their people from domestical issues.
Nobody really cares about what happened in the past, especially, the young generation who just want to promote peace and friendship with other people.
Mitsuo Matsuyama
Actually, most Chinese and Koreans dont know about their own dark history.
Thats is why they cant understand those issues.
Japan paid such compesation to Koreans in 1965 as a part of the agreement that both countries did in 1965.
However, the SK´s goverment decided to use this money to invest on their own country and not to give to individuals.
This is the reason why the Japanese government dont feel the need to pay to those victims such compesation.
It is a very regreetable thing that those Korean women passed by this painful experience; however,
once Japan have already paid such compesation she does'nt have to do it again.
The Chinese, same thing.
Upgrayedd
If S Korea wants Japan to admit more guilt maybe they should quit being so outrageously dogmatic about the historical facts surrounding the comfort women issue.
Mitsuo Matsuyama
Yes, they love their grandparents as I do.
However, none of them really want to talk about this subject.
Many of them are here in Japan for long time, and they are used to Japanese way of life.
Some of them dont want go back to their country.
smithinjapan
KariHaruka: "Holy crap give it a rest already Korea and China! You don't see Belgium, Poland, France, Finland etc etc harping on about what happened in WWII. Move on with the times already."
Because unlike Japan, who denies history and simply 'wants to move on' (as though nothing happened), Germany has MORE than made amends, and continues to apologize, with former Chancellors having visited the Auscwitz Museum and begged for apology, etc. Japan's leadership? "It never happened!" "They were prostitutes!" "WE are the victims!" "We ALREADY apologized... and are going to take the apology back!"
If anyone needs to give it a rest, it's the deniers -- stop the denial, stop trying to change history and lie about what happened, and stop white-washing the texts. Make HONEST amends, and THEN people will gladly work together with Japan to move on. As it is, who do you think EVERY nation in the UN sides with on this issue? Certainly not Japan. When Japan is the ONLY nation saying everyone else is wrong, who do you think that makes the liar?
sveinnyves
just plain simple china and korea basically just saying 'we want more money' to japan.
Seems like this is where the difference lies in the mind set of east asians and south east asians, women who has become victims in south east asian get married, led a respectible life and want to die peacefully living their last moments with children and grandchildren who they have come to accept as her own regardless of mix of blood. Digging up the past to expose themselves as sex victims will not just destroy their renewed honour, it just brings back sad memories and negativity in the family and the society. But in east asia, materialistic is part of the culture, money money money, even if it will exhume their violent dark past and risk smearing their honour. I believe both china and korean government has hidden agenda for fueling this fire. Just stop it. Stop dwelling in the past. Its the new young generation now to live in all 3 countries, let them have a peaceful and prosperous era!.
We study history to be enlightened, not to be dark individuals!.
thywillbedone
Germany is often held up as an example of a remorseful and contrite country, and thus the other European countries don't harp on Germany. That's a laugh - Euro history is so convoluted, with so much blame shared by all sides, that anyone thinking such a thing is embarrassingly naive and stupid about modern European history. Japan is right to just ignore this whole "comfort women" non-sense.
smithinjapan
Anyway, I'm glad they bring this kind of thing up at the UN, and hope they continue to do so at other World meeting venues -- the only way to get Japan to admit/stop denying things and actually perhaps act towards the better good of everyone is to embarrass them on the world stage. They can run back home and say it's a domestic issue here behind the black trucks, but when proclaiming themselves champions of human rights and deserving of world events like the Olympics and what not, they can't hide as easily.
thywillbedone
Smithinjapan - Japan cannot be embarrassed by this, because everyone else on the world stage thinks the Chinese and Koreans are suffering from an inferiority complex for constantly bringing up a dead issue. Everyone else sees this.
Sentiments
One more reason why this issue is coming up again could be that Japan has stirred the political play board in the region by trying to get their economical growth back. The falling yen and japans growing export is disturbing both China and S K. Thus it seems one more smear campaign is in order again. The individual tragedies of war is no laughing matter but I seriously doubt that this blame game is genuine. Its a political agenda behind the war victims outcries. By the way blaming Japans current population for being like imperial japan 70 years ago is complete nonsense. Point the criticism to the revisionists, not the population.
Maitake
Japan doesn't know how to be humble and admit to their own wrongdoing... especially the bureaucrats. Meanwhile Jgov send government puppets to the US and try to coerce people into removing small monuments commemorating the poor Korean women forced to be sex slaves for the despicable japanese soldiers. You people are missing the point. It's not so much about moving on, rather, they would much prefer to have the world forget, and have their sins and atrocities erased from history. They would prefer to the truth to be altered and/or forgotten. That is as clear as day."
Maitake
@Mitsuo
Because you've been conditioned not to care.
Gerard van Schip
One would think that carpet bombing Japan followed by two nukes was good punishment. The war was horrible and every country involved did horrible things.
I would rather see people join forces for a better tomorrow than dwell on the past.
Yubaru
Go back and read what I was quoting before you make more of a fool out of yourself please. There is no difference.
viking68
Yubaru, Well, fools abound.
Here is your quote of another and your response:
I understood perfectly what was written and what you intended.
To say that there is a distinction between state sponsored comfort women and Germans using duress and the threat of an easy death to get what they want. Both were atrocities with no way to differentiate the end result.
So, you cannot say that Germany is clean on this and Japan isn't just because one side openly sponsored these acts and the other sanctioned it by not preventing it.
The original poster you are trying to put down was correct. Only China and Korea (and you) are whining for political gain. Unlike the Chinese and Koreans, the French have not forgotten history, but they have moved on to live their lives. China, Korea and you should do the same.
UnserSchicksal
The "comfort women" were employed by the Japanese govt under an open contract during the war. Japanese govt decided to license the Korean pimps in order to protect its own soldiers from sexually transmitted diseases that could be brought in by ramdom Korean prostitutes who had already been running the business around the Japanese stationed areas.
According to a recruiting ad printed by the Japanese govt, a prostitute's salary was over 20 times higher than that of an average Japanese soldier.
Korean pimps took most part of the Japan money but the women still could save worth 20+ residential houses within a few years. Those licensed prostitutes were already paid - hugely. If they still demand more money, they will have to ask their pimps. It was a dirty concession that exclusively benefited a large number of Koreans prostitutes around the Japanese governmental business.
Sentiments
Maitake, please note that when you speak of a whole population as having the wrong values and norms you are using the arguments that marks most of the imperialist developments over history. Not much different from "its my way or the highway". If you cant accept the other, then who are you?
hsien90210
Here is a good BBC piece on why Japan has bad relations with its neighboring countries and how Japanese were brainwashed by their educational system -
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21226068
nath
“But this should not become a political issue,”
Why not? If history was not to be an issue against Japan from China or South Korea...then why Mr Abe defending WW2 Japanese war atrocities in his political statement?
nath
Never expect any compassion in east asia, there is the 'mean street' like Sarajevo! I agree both China and south Korea were over blown the issue but if Mr Abe was 'wise' enough not to side with those 'rightists' the situation shall never get ugly! Japan might ignoring this but this is exactly not her interest!
nath
That apology remains passionately opposed by some Japanese conservatives who contend that the country did not directly coerce the women.
That is what Mr Abe is doing and he is now the PM of Japan! Thats why the fights from all over again!
Asianhometown
Did Japan really apologize. Japanese actions does not reflect it. For example Japanese politicians traveled to New Jersey USA demanding the comfort women memorial be taken down. They claimed that the comfort women were never forced into sexual slavery by the Japanese government. Second Abe and the right wingers are trying to revise history by denying the women were forced into sexual slavery. So yes Japanese politicians are the ones who continue to deny history. Once Japanese politicians put this issue to bed then the whole issue will go away.
Yubaru
Never said it either, READ what I wrote. Germany did not have state authorized or sponsored whore houses staffed by unwilling women.
No matter how hard you try to justify your point you can not come to the same conclusions purely based upon the fact the German soldiers raped French women, oh btw some soldiers from ALL sides raped women during the war, it isnt even close to being the same.
Chin4Sailor
@Realist
The REAL issue here isn't whether or not Japan issued any apology 15 or 20 years ago.. It's this ongoing, say one thing, do another! Then you've got people like Abe here, saying one thing to the country's face then, turning around at home and saying, "Oh, that, that was just a bunch of BS!, I don't really believe we did any of that stuff!" Time and again... Then you've got a whole generation of Japanese that were NEVER schooled on exactly what Japan did during WW2, so they are talking 109 degrees of ignorant, "We're only innocent victims smack..."
Get you're straight, ONE Story, Either You Did or Didn't commit all those Atrocities and stick to it... This tell China, Korea, and the other Asian nations one thing, then go home and tell your fellow country-men it was all BS is just too much...
UnserSchicksal
@letsberealistic
I thought you guys were talking about the war and one of the military systems under the warfare.
I am not sure what to say about individual criminals among Japanese and Korean human-traffickers who were cheating the Japanese expenditure bureau on the prostitution budget.
Remember it was common in Asian countries, including China, Korea and Japan, for many families to sell girls in order to avoid starvation of entire families. Not only Koreans but probably also Chinese and Japanese joined the traditional practice via the modernized prostitution once it was established as a safer and promised method under the Japanese government.
The imperial govt prohibited minors from the prostitution business. It was the private pimps protected by the govt license, who abused the privilege. Since the prostitutes were not directly employed by the govt, they were under the contracts with the recruiting entities run by both Japanese and Koreans.
UnserSchicksal
You will always be misled if you separate people into Koreans and Japanese as angels and demons.
As far as attempting to clarify the situation, you should have a view to separate people into criminals and their victims, instead.
I'm not trying to defend the Japanese govt's prostitution business. I personally believe selling and buying prostitutes are sin and crime. Amsterdam and Las Vegas are doing it under the local government today.
However, the point is the Japanese government were already paying a lot of wages and compensations to the pimps and the prostitutes from the national budget.
Abductions or human-trafficking were sad facts of reality just like we were experiencing from the abduction business by the North Korea these years.
The abusers of prostitution license during the war should be punished but it would be quite difficult to accuse the Japanese government with the same subject, who were officially prohibiting minor prostitutes.
UnserSchicksal
Whether you are Chinese, Japanese, Korean, British or American, you are inevitably brain-washed by respective government's educational system and the media.
The media in a country is conveying "history" written by its own government or by an aggregation of governments sharing a specific bias. None can 'see' the world without a solid bias. That's why teaching history is equivalent to teaching religious faith. There is no "bare truth" we can see because humans cannot see the world with "naked eyes".
Primary sources, like the recruiting ads for the licensed prostitution by the Japanese govt along with health check system for the Korean prostitutes, have been deliberately suppressed or maliciously misinterpreted for political purposes in some countries maybe because of the language barrier. How many English-speakers could read what the prostitution ad said and calculate their salaries from the ad?
Since 1945, Japan has been fast rebuilt from ashes. It became one of the centers of the global currency inflation under the fractional reserve banking. Madness of the inflation was proportionate to that of the US dollar -- but not any more. The dishonest money, especially prime currencies, are about to die. Those were the days. Japanese govt is NOT a permanent ATM. Too bad.
If you wanted a lot of quick cash, just mugging Japanese government was the best bet. Inherently, Japanese cabinets have been wishy-washy milk toast toward Chinese and Korean governments. Japan has given away huge amount of money to China and Korea from the Japanese tax payers every single year since 1954 without a reason (well, the "official reason" was "Official Development Assistance" or ODA).
CH3CHO
Chin4Sailor
So, this is what Chinese communist party tells you to believe. Do not believe in CCP. Japanese students know WW2 much better than Chinese youth who knows almost nothing about inconvenient truth during WW2.
EastAsiaForeigner
"Whether you are Chinese, Japanese, Korean, British or American, you are inevitably brain-washed by respective government's educational system and the media."
Lol wut. Ok I love to make fun of the US government as much as any other fellow american but brainwash really? When 911 happened, there were people criticitizing what we were doing a country where no weapons of mass destruction were found. We know about the slavery (punishment by castration) and all those gruesome and barbaric details.
Don't put our education on the same level as the japanese education system on history. It isn't the same as totally omitting or whitewashing the event. The japanese still have trouble coming to terms with their past atrocities. Like downplaying and insulting the comfort women of asia by calling them common prostitutes. That's not right.
I'm not even gonna get into the issue with the Uyoku Dantai. On topic, in order to move forward, Japan needs to settle these issues. These issues are only gonna grow as Korea and China rise in international status and power. What then? China will always side with Korea over Japan. Earnest steps need to be shown so that East Asia grows and helps each other out. There's the threat of Mt. Fuji. Japan needs the support of its neighbors. This is how negative sentiments turn to hatred. Please don't feed it. =(
Saketown
UnserSchicksal - You Are 100% CORRECT!! I couldn't have stated it better myself.
Besides, what more does the Communist Regime of China & South Korea want? How Much is Enough?
What are they expecting The U.N. & The U.S. to do? Go Door to Door in Japan with FBI Agents, interview every Old Jiji over 90 Years Old who served in WWII, Wire them to a Polygraph, and ask them if they Actually Paid that Hooker 68 Years Ago? Otherwise, we'll have to charge them with engaging in "Women Comforting"? Is there a Penal Code for that?
Are they planning to accuse the Next Generation of Japanese over WWII atrocities? Hell, this Generation of Japanese hardly understands what went on in WWII because THEY WERE NOT EVEN BORN THEN!!!! All they care about is SMAP SMAP, Ike Men, Pancakes, and Groovey Fashion.
BTW: China has No Place on The World Stage to be lecturing any country about "Human Rights". They'd better Clean Up their Human Rights Violations before Lecturing anyone else and for Gods Sake China needs to Clean Up their Filthy Air.
A Realist
In every war ever fought by every army everywhere in the world; near any military base anywhere there were and are always lots of prostitutes. Only Korea and China have ever called them "comfort women" (and only where the Japanese army was concerned); not where their own soldiers were concerned of course. Even if everything China and Korea says is true (and the chances of that are very small indeed) the issue was settled long ago when ties were "normalized" between China and Japan and Korea and Japan. Why do China and Korea feel compelled to play the perpetual vicitm and why are those two countries unable to put the past behind them like every other country in the world?
Why don't Korea and China come clean and admit why they insist on living in the past and go to such great lengths to keep old wounds open? There are various reasons, some of which are very complex being rooted in their culture, but mostly it is because of a gigantic inferiority complex that both countries suffer from, envy, jealousy and a need to deflect from the sorry performances of their own goverments. Very convenient to have an outside enemy to blame all your troubles on, even though WWII was over long ago. China and Korea act like it is still being fought.
isoducky
Why does this feel like another Senkaku issue? South Korea brings up 'comfort women', China backs them, Phillpeans has no choice but to chime in. Japan repeats their '93 apology, news is made. Then the inter webs becomes a big argument. Oh and in the mean time, NOTHING IS RESOLVED..... This will always be an issue with a conservative PM and the current need for the 4 dragons to compare balloons.
My personal 'educated' opinion, Japan needs to mention more about the war at the higher end of their mandatory education system (read Jr. High). It doesn't have to be an apology, thus making every Japanese feel responsible for their grandfathers actions, BUT it should be mentioned for historical accuracy. This is a wish because no country likes to mention their 'war crimes' in mass education systems, but Japan's proximity and primarily export economy makes this a special case.
Tony Ew
Does the Japanese textbooks clearly mention about Comfort Women and most importantly states Japan had issued sincere apologies for the crime? This is very important so younger Japanese understand their own history without any whitewashing. And make sure it is not just a one liner but a full page to give prominence to the horrific crimes. That will be a good start to give S Korea and other countries no reason to make this an issue again.
But will Japan ever be this sincere? I sincerely doubt it!
Pontepilate
@smithinjapan, your comments on questions raised in article are more than pertinent...in many ways, Japan actually sees self as a victim during the Second World War
UnserSchicksal
@EastAsiaForeigner
First off, no humans and no Japanese would like to be insulted with words like "criminals" over and over and over again, for something he/she never committed sometime over 70 years ago.
If you are talking about the Japanese government, instead of individuals, the government has repeatedly officially sent letters of apology to Korean presidents even though there was not a prostitute being systematically abused by the Japanese government. You should find out the criminals, not the government's systems.
Those apologies were made only for political "appeasement". The apologies fell onto Koreans' deaf ears. Their national media simply ignored the events. Major Japanese media also ignore them because Japanese media themselves are inherently anti-Japanese.
How many more times should Japanese govt apologize? 7 times? or 70 x 7 times? or Koreans just stubbornly keeps their hatred and sense of victimization forever? There may not be any forgiveness from Koreans even after the world war III or IV, I'm afraid.
The US govt has been happy to see such a masochistic apologies because they think Japan deserved endless apologies only because they were forever nasty Japanese. Is this type of American hatred and xenophobia still being brewed somewhere in the US? In gitmo? Probably. I want the US media to stop their hate speech against Japan over the "comfort women" business which is simply non-existent.
You need to find out who the Korean prostitute brokers were, and punish them. They were the kidnappers in the Korean peninsula, not the government, not someone who has nothing to do with the war or such crimes today.
melonbarmonster
Claiming you'v apologized for something you deny you did seems to be some sort Japanese magic trick. Koreans, Chinese, Jews whining about war atrocities. If that's shocking to you, you have problems.
SamuraiBlue
Pontepilate
No, not really back stabed after the 1965 agreement yes but victim, no.
msmahumane@gmail.com
A Realist says: "nor does it matter that the present generations in Japan had exactly nothing to do with "comfort women". If this is the reasoning, then the present generation of Americans would not have apologized to Japanese for WWII internment, African Americans for slavery nor the Germans would still apologize for the holocaust.
Saketown
@UnserSchicksal It doesn't matter how many times someone apologises if it is insincere and not backed up with genuinely felt remorse. Japan has never achieved this, and likely never will. this is where the whole problem arises - a lack of emotional maturity and humbleness.
Ah come on...Japan has been Very Humble after World War 2. I don't understand why people think they havn't been.
Was there ever an insurgency in Japan towards U.S. Forces? Nope. Have the Japanese compesated Communist China, North and South Korea? Yes. Japan even compensated Americans, Phillipino's, and Austrailians for the Bataan Death March.
Japan has repeatedly apologized for all their Sins during World War 2 and they have been Forgiven...at least by the U.S. and that's most Important...right? Because we are their current occupiers.
gelendestrasse
The US payments to the interred Japanese-Americans happened years ago when many of the WWII generation was still alive. The issue really hasn't made the press all that much since then - apology accepted and forgiveness given? The Germans aren't still apologizing for the Holocaust but they are making sure it doesn't happen again - at least as conducted by Germans. But if you look at the recent history of Europe and the ethnic cleansing during the breakup of Yogoslavia you'll see that other Europeans haven't learned their lesson. And that's about where China and Korea are at right now as prostitution and human trafficing of women from China and Korea becomes a problem.
http://www.humantrafficking.org/countries/china
If you google "human trafficing of chinese women" you'll turn up a large number of scary articles. Shame!
The Japanese have apologized and made repartations. This was settled years ago when most of the Japanese WWII generation was still alive. The Chinese and Korean governments accepted the apology. But they trot the issue out any time it suits them. Guess there's no forgivness then.
For the Koreans and especially the Chinese to castigate Japan for this history while carrying out the same crimes in the here-and-now is really hypocrisy at it's worst.
I'm sure that there are present-day Japanese who deserve to go to jail for the same. But the issue of the WWII comfort women is being used as a hammer to beat the Japanese at the UN. The Japanese are no more guilty than the Chinese or Koreans in the here-and-now. Maybe less so.
This is one issue where Mao got it right - he had the pimps shot and tried to get the women into a better life. Guess that won't happen today, will it, President Xi?
Saketown
gelendestrasse & letsberealistic:
Thank You both for the links. I did read them in detail.
I was just shocked to read that China hasn't followed even the most "Minimum" standards to combat Human Trafficking and that alone stands out as a Cry for Humanity in China. I was floored at China's stubbornness (and I still am).
As far as Japan's History Books missing "Amplification Data" regarding Nanjing and Comfort Women or the lack thereof; let me tell ya this: We (The U.S.) NUKED Hiroshima & Nagasaki to the Ground. We incinerated Thousands of Japanese in the Blink of Gods Eye! And Not only Horoshima & Nagasaki but we also Bombed (Conventionally) with incendiary bombs, Tokyo in May of 1945 trapping Hundreds of Thousands of Japanese Citizens within the Burning City - Burning them Alive!
We Hanged those War Criminals for their Sins against Humanity. How the Japanese decided to remember their War Dead (Yasukuni) and War Victims, we let them decide for themselves.
The War was over 68 Years Ago. Sooner or Later China and the Koreas are going to have to face that reality OR take the Region to the Brink of War - Again.
It's up to them to decide: Hold a Grudge or Let it go and live for the Next Generation.
Freedom, Democracy, Humanity, and Peace should be China & the Koreas only Vision Going Forward...the flip side - Bloody Hell War.
nath
Because South Korea never ever branded itself as a destination of sexual tourism in the 60s and 70s. Nope. And treaties with Japan only matter now, just dusty old things, really. Why think about them at all.
A Realist
Chin4SailorMar. 15, 2013 - 08:17PM JST
@Realist
Ah yes, the "comfort woman" issue. Well, it doesn't matter how much Japan apologizes, or "makes amends" or pays compensation, nor does it matter that the present generations in Japan had exactly nothing to do with "comfort women."The REAL issue here isn't whether or not Japan issued any apology 15 or 20 years ago.. It's this ongoing, say one thing, do another! Then you've got people like Abe here, saying one thing to the country's face then, turning around at home and saying, "Oh, that, that was just a bunch of BS!, I don't really believe we did any of that stuff!" Time and again... Then you've got a whole generation of Japanese that were NEVER schooled on exactly what Japan did during WW2, so they are talking 109 degrees of ignorant, "We're only innocent victims smack..."
Get you're straight, ONE Story, Either You Did or Didn't commit all those Atrocities and stick to it... This tell China, Korea, and the other Asian nations one thing, then go home and tell your fellow country-men it was all BS is just too much...
And you know the "real story," do you? As you may know, the history of war is written by the winners. No doubt there were lots of atrocities in WWII as there was in every war since the beginning of time, and maybe there were even more atrocities by the Japanese than anybody else, which is kind of doubtful Maybe there were no atrocities at all by the winners, which is even more doubtful. And maybe there were no collaborators, traitors, turncoats or criminals in Korea or China then either, which is not doubtful, but unbelievable. Just as unbelievable as those so-called "comfort women" all being innocent maidens forced into prositution. Tell me, what about all the prostitutes in Korea during th Korean War, were they 'comfort women,' or prostitutes or what? How about the ones working today?
BS, yes certainly, from all sides. The thing is, those things were settled as they are after every war when a peace trieaty is signed. Why do Korea and China bring those things up over and over again when the present generation had exactly nothing to do with it? What is the rationale of those countries which insist on fighting the same old battles over and over again and being the perpetual victim? WWII was over 67 years ago! History cannot be changed, and people who live in the past and are unable to put it behind them are doomed to repeat the same mistakes over and over again.
A Realist
1 Good Bad
PontepilateMar. 15, 2013 - 11:06PM JST
@smithinjapan, your comments on questions raised in article are more than pertinent...in many ways, Japan actually sees self as a victim during the Second World War
But Japan was also a victim during the Second World War. By any definition in the Geneva Conventions, the atomic bombings of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the carpet bombing of Tokyo and Yokohama were war crimes of extraordinary magnitude because they deliberately targeted civilians. What would the verdict of history be had Japan dropped atomic bombs on say, San Francisco and San Diego? The real problem is just that Japan does not have as good public relations shills and propaganda as the USA, China and Korea, and they have too much pride to play the perpetual victim like China and Korea, who have raised that particular skill to an art.
sfjp330
A Realist Mar. 16, 2013 - 06:18AM JST Get you're straight, ONE Story, Either You Did or Didn't commit all those Atrocities and stick to it... This tell China, Korea, and the other Asian nations one thing, then go home and tell your fellow country-men it was all BS is just too much...
Here we go again. Japan paid to South Korea $500 million to settle the WWII case with South Korea in 1965. The South Korea Japan agreement covers the entire atrocities that Japan committed during that time. Now, if you are a South Korean goverment, and you won the case, and settled for $500 million, are you going to ask Japan almost 50 years later and say "well, we didn't cover everything, and you need to pay more"? Why don't the Japan goverment step and and say the case was settled, signed, sealed, and delivered and no mas. Maybe there is more to this story.
CH3CHOMar. 15, 2013 - 09:55AM JST sfjp330
Japan saids the agreement compensated the entire issue. Now South Korea is saying it has not. Somebody is not telling the entire story.
Just read the treaty.
http://en.wikisource.org/wiki/AgreementBetweenJapanandtheRepublicofKoreaConcerningtheSettlementofProblemsinRegardtoPropertyandClaimsandEconomic_Cooperation
Article II 1 The High Contracting Parties confirm that the problems concerning property, rights, and interests of the two High Contracting Parties and their peoples (including juridical persons) and the claims between the High Contracting Parties and between their peoples, including those stipulated in Article IV(a) of the Peace Treaty with Japan signed at the city of San Francisco on September 8, 1951, have been settled completely and finally.
It says all claims have been settled COMPLETELY and FINALLY. Both sides signed of their claims. If some claim is found after the sign off, it is too late and the claim is void.
Chin4Sailor
@viking68
That's Because Germany Came Entirely CLEAN, with everything they did.... They Erected Memorials, Museums, and Monuments to their Victims... (NOT To Themselves! Like Japan!)
Matter of Fact, Abe, Isehara and half these JN Politicians would be in Jail if they lived in Germany... WHY...? Because Denying History is a CRIME in Germany! They put you in jail...
You are comparing Apples and Oranges...
Here's what you need to do Japan, if you want to be treated like Germany, Erect Memorials, Museums and Monuments to ALL Your victims, Make it a Crime to Deny these Atrocities Occurred... That would be a GOOD start!
MAR. 15, 2013 - 08:30PM JST
Kyle Alpert
Japan & Germany, and the Truth, are the real victims here. After CENTURIES of abuse and oppression by the 'Allies' & their financiers, two tiny countries rose up from NOTHING to challenge & bring-down a system that had enslaved the entire world for CENTURIES.
Following WW2, the world saw an unprecedented amount of prosperity and liberation, supported by the industriousness of Japan & Germany. Every last drop of American ingenuity up until the Internet was based on the misappropriated technology & know-how of the Axis Powers.
This modern era of prosperity, which is quickly being eroded by the same Clowns that brought us 500 years of slavery, surfdom, and genocidal wars & poverty, would not have happened without the industriousness of Japan & Germany.
THAT is the reason for the perpetual vilification of Japan & Germany and the constant reminders of WW2: those who would enslave us all (AGAIN, and in perpetuity) want us to ignore the CONTEXT. There would have been no Imperial Japan, had the West not sought to plunder a tiny, isolated island nation. There would have been no Nazi Germany, had the West not sought to plunder & oppress a group of tiny, secluded principalities.
This WW2 shaming is all smoke & mirrors meant to keep us all distracted, as the 'victims' of WW2 recreate the circumstances that made it inevitable. 1919, prior to any major Japanese aggression, Japan offered one amendment to the League of Nations charter: that racial discrimination, both domestic & international, be criminalized.
And the World, lead by America, laughed in Japan's face unaware that it was not a request, but a WARNING. People should be VERY wary of abusing the good will of those who detest conflict, as they are the ones most likely to SNAP! Like in 1919, the World would do better focusing on the issues blocking continued prosperity...
sfjp330
Kyle AlpertMar. 16, 2013 - 07:40AM JST 1919, prior to any major Japanese aggression, Japan offered one amendment to the League of Nations charter: that racial discrimination, both domestic & international, be criminalized.
What are you talking about? Prior to any major Japanese agrgression? Japan was already in a major aggression in 1895 with defeat of China and had Treaty of Shimonoski. In 1905, Russian rejection of a Japanese plan to divide Manchuria and Korea into spheres of influence, Japan launches a surprise naval attack against Port Arthur, a Russian naval base in China. This was called Russan Japanese war, in which Japan won. Japan purchased many warships and weapons from Great Britian.
viking68
China4sailor, A good start was the signed treaty and compensation paid. Apparently, that is not even acknowledged when they will never be satisfied.
I agree that the statements by a few right wingers would be a crime in Germany and Japan should implement similar laws. It is disgusting to allow right wingers to continue in their delusions of actual history. That is another issue all together.
So, are you pressing for compensation, an apology or are you trying to change the laws in Japan to be similar to Germany? There is no start or end when it comes to attacking Japan, so it doesn't really matter what Japan does.
The fact remains that China and Korea don't really care about an apology or compensation, but they keep calling for what has already been given. They want only to attack Japan.
Kyle Alpert
@sfjp330:
So you agree, then, with the rest of my post? Opinions on the definition of 'major' vary, but the overall CONTEXT doesnt: Japan was simply following the paradigm imposed on them by the West. And, like most everything else, Japan (and Germany) became so proficient at it, the West threw a fit, changed the rules, then quit the game.
@gjri9696kgr:
You too dont seem capable of disputing the Truth, once given proper context. This is an important lesson for Others, who may not understand how pervasive the systematic spread of disinformation & confusion is (and has been), and that they are quite often arguing with people coached to use discourse as a tool for spreading anarchy.
These are the selfsame people who perpetuate WW2 hysteria, to cover up their own crimes and to oppress/demoralize the 2 small nations who stood up to 500 years of slavery, surfdom, and genocidal war & poverty. Its a simple question: 'What would the world look like today, were it not for the WW2 Axis?'
...or would all the countries liberated by Japan's actions (including China & Korea) have preferred otherwise?
EastAsiaForeigner
"If you are talking about the Japanese government, instead of individuals, the government has repeatedly officially sent letters of apology to Korean presidents even though there was not a prostitute being systematically abused by the Japanese government. You should find out the criminals, not the government's systems."
Apologizing and acting the exact opposite afterwards is not a sincere apology. Any normal human being knows this. When you have government officials doing this, there is a problem.
Japan knows events like Yasukuni anger China and Korea and yet they still do it. How about removing the names of the war criminals from the shrine? Simple as that. There's a significant number of japanese soldiers that were forced to commit heinous crimes but the neighbours don't care about people who were just following orders. Either way, those are my 2 cents. It's up to Japan to pave their future... whether it be a smooth path or a rocky one.
UnserSchicksal
@letsberealistic
Define "apology" and "remorse" so that we can discuss a little bit more intelligently.
A Realist
Those apologists who want Japan to be just like German and perhaps "criminalize" what some people deem to be "denials" of history, or alleged war crimes should perhaps study some history and current events themselves. Germany and other European countries have a huge problem with "neo-nazis" and "skinheads" and various extremist political parties who are very eager to carry on the policies of Adolf Hitler. Even the supposedly peaceful and enlightened country of Norway produced one Anders Behring Breivik, who espoused neo-nazi beliefs as an excuse for his slaughter of innocent people. Perhaps they should also be aware that WWII was over more than 67 years ago, war criminals were prosecuted and punished, many were hanged. Peace treaties and other treaties were agreed to and signed long ago by all the affected countries and compensation decided and paid.
Japan has "apologized" both formally and informally for Japanese actions during and prior to WWII I believe on more than 14 separate occasions. I am willing to bet that very few "ordinary" Koreans or Chinese know that, and I will go further and say very few of the posters on this or any other internet site know it either. What do you want? Some politician to throw himself to the ground and weep like Willy Brandt? A TV appearance by some Japanese politician crying crocodile tears like those disgraced TV evangelists in the USA? Get real. After all, if you look up the greatest mass-murderers in the history of the world, you will find Mao Zedong and Josef Stalin ranked one and two. China worships Mao as "the father of modern China" and built a mausoleum in honor of the guy. South and North Korea fought a civil war and are still technically at war 63 years later. Wouldn't you say those two countries are just a tad hypocritical?
CH3CHO
sfjp330
All the time, Japanese government says that the case was settled, signed, sealed, and delivered. But believe it or not, there are many Japanese politicians who want to improve relationship with South Korea. They tend to accept any request which South Korean government makes. So, if South Korea demands compensation for comfort women, pro South Korea group will do what they can to realize the request. That is all about the "more story" you want to hear.
http://www.awf.or.jp/e2/foundation.html
melonbarmonster
You can't claim you've apologized and deny what you've supposedly apologized for all at the same time.
Oz_Monster
I would agree with UnserSchicksal. What does Japan have to do so that China, South Korea and the Philippines are satisfied? What type of apology and show of remorse will satisfy China, South Korea and the rest of the world?
The fact is that China and South Korea will never be satisfied with any apology or sum of money Japan will offer. Why? These governments both in China and South Korea were established after the war to fill the political void after defeat of their oppressive Japanese colonial rulers. Successive Korean and Chinese governments, their very political foundation and strength at the domestic level derives from being able to continually win support by attacking Japan at any possible opportunity.
Abe wants to create a "Proud Japan" and I am all for that, I live here it is my home, I love Japan as a country and a people. Yet he has to render and counter these Chinese and Korean continual political barrages with social efforts backed up by bold and creative actions.
Yes Japan often sees itself as a victim, yet if Abe could construct something physical (like a Museum of Peace) which shows Japan as an aggressor, then defeated nation, changed nation rebuilding and contributing to peace, now a country ready to move on and be better country with its partners in Asia and around the world, it could show the world Japan is prepared to accept its past, be responsible for its actions, reflect on its past and have become better global people.
Forget...Yokoso Japan, or Visit Japan campaigns, maybe Japan needs to have a "Sorry Japan" year in 2014. In the 70th anniversary of WW2, a year dedicated to healing the political and social issues domestically and internationally. A huge PR and event effort which would show the world Japan and the Japanese people have changed and and repentant for once and for all. Then from 2015, Japan could be Proud because they did everything they could as a nation to the world to ask for forgiveness and move on as a nation.
CH3CHO
Oz_Monster, that will not work. In 2015, Korea will start chanting "Japan is insincere, because it cut apology campaign in just one year."
Oz_Monster
You are probably right CH3CHO.
Japan in its current state is a political cash cow for Korean and Chinese political parties. Something out of the ordinary which dominates world PR for a good reason will only boost Japan's credibility, tourism and global status needs to be implemented.
Kimokekahuna Hawaii
Meantime.. Chinese use their women as sex spies... A civilian defense employee in Hawaii charged with leaking classified information about nuclear weapons, early-warning radar systems and other secrets to a Chinese national who was his girlfriend may have been targeted because he had access to such information, the FBI says. Federal authorities announced Monday that an Army Reserve lieutenant colonel who works as a civilian employee of a defense contractor at U.S. Pacific Command headquarters at Camp Smith, has been charged with giving national security information to Chinese national.
bannedacctsam
I agree, it's time to close the US bases in Japan and bring our American GI's home to their families.
Regarding the comfort women issue - Japan must stop being so defensive about the comfort women issue and try to make amends.
In the US - Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and Vietnamese American lawmakers are spearheading efforts in New York, New Jersey, Texas, and California to set up memorials for comfort women. Japan is doing a disservice to herself by not acknowledging the gravity and significance of this issue - Japan is just PISSING people off!
melonbarmonster
LOL. Read the comments above and you'll see why Japan is fully responsible for dragging no this issue with its neighbors. You have posters claiming Japan has apologized enough and blaming the victim nations. At the same time you have quacks like the comment above claiming that the war atrocities never happened or wait for it.... blaming the victims. Staying classy Japan.
Chamkun
@bannedacctsam
The lawmakers do not know the fact. They go based on the document from 1996 from UN. I make a long story short. 1) 1977 and 1982, Japanese communist and writer Mr.Seiji Yoshida wrote books as if it had been a fiction. That how he sold his books for his economic benefit and to lead Japan what he though. Then Asahi News paper picked that book and made a huge deal. Then Korean started to know the issue. Many Korean journalists got angry especially some female journalist and Japaneses journalist Yoshiko Sakurai. Still then the name villages and people should remember the incident for abductions lived the area. But the fact they found was different, there was no abductions but some sad family story or some women were willing to make money. Mr. Yoshida was being questioned many times and finally in 1995, he admitted he lied in his book.
2) However, from 1992, the same kind of Japanese his name is Mr. Etsuro Totsuka a Japaneses lawyer started his lobbying in US, Europa, Korea and China. He raised the war forcible abduction problem of Korea and South Koreans, and the "comfort-women" problem for the first time as a representative of NGO "international educational development (IED)" in the U.N. Commission on Human Rights in February, 1992, asked the Japanese government to take the responsibility, and also requested correspondence of the United Nations. Since the examination on the international law about a "comfort-women" problem was not made till then, it newly had to be examined how this would be evaluated. Mr. Etsuro Totsuka's U.N. lobbying was obstinately repeated in 18 foreign voyages in 1992 to 1995 four years !!! His sex slave theory based on Mr. Yoshida was adopted as the U.N. official document in 1996 as a result of lawyer Totsuka's and others unusual activity. The UN people had no idea historically what really happened in Korea between 1910~1945. But Japanese people are keep coming back to UN with the stories documented that later we found that was not fiction but a non fiction of Yoshida. UN did not conduct their own investigation for this matter.
3)This document from UN was used as one of the documented proofs of a sex slave issue in 2006 at US congress meeting. You are right, bannedacctsam. A Japanese congress Mike Honda used this document as the proof of history and had a big speech on June 27 in 2007 in front of 167 lower house Representatives. Actual decision for United States House of Representatives proposed House Resolution 121 was discussed on July 31 2007 in the early morning as a suspension of the rules. Only 10 people were there and no one had objection. The resolution was accepted officially.
If you say,''Japan is just PISSING people off!'' Many Japanese are sad knowing this process. As I posted above, the issue has been solved in 1965. We must focus on our future. In that team work, we well understand each other. But if their version of historical fact and Japan's version of historical fact must be the same? It will not happen. Because Korea are using the history as their weapons. The new president of Korea announced on March 1st. '' We are not going to forget the next 1000 years as we are the victim of Japan""
Chamkun
@melonbarmonster
Do not mix everything together. I am talking about The sex slave issue which did not exist as the monuments in NY and NJ describe.
kee777
Japan had cracked down on the comfort women. There is also evidence. However, I do not report because the citizens of Korea collapses give this evidence. The fuss that it is a good Korean in Japan. Japanese is not a Korean in Japan Watanabe came to Japan the other day.
Here is the evidence http://nakayamanariaki.com/
Being caught in prostitution in the United States would be a little Korean. Japanese are not most people have to do such a thing. Japanese respect for morality!
Mark Bradley
There is no price tag that can be put on atrocities. Its the same as saying I can do X and Y for the compensation price of Z?
Also, future generations should be held accountable for something a past generation did? If that is so then everyone in North America should go back to where their ancestors came from because originally it didn't belong to them.
I hope the people of today of every country do not want a war. It is the governments and small radical groups of the world that start wars.
hidingout
Bravo. Well said realist. This is indeed the way any normal modern human being would look at the issue. Guess that says a lot about the kind of people who keep complaining about an issue that has already been completely resolved.
It would be nice if the communists and the Koreans would grow up, step into the 21st century and focus their efforts on their myriad domestic problems rather than harping and whining about how some of their citizens were "victimized" eighty years ago.
Riceland
I believe that in order to heal one must be told the truth and not hide behind the lies of any one. I am glad they have not forgot the horror that another nation had cause may it be nihon or beikoku I hope all victims of a terrible past someday have a day of true peace and great happiness.
Daniel Neagari
Keep pushing...just keep pushing.... Hope you don't regret it later (China and Korea)