politics

Abe to attend Pyeongchang Olympics; convey his stance on 'comfort women' issue to Moon

32 Comments
By Chang-Ran Kim and Linda Sieg

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32 Comments
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Wow! This is a spectacular Opening Ceremony! By the way, can you please remove the comfort woman statues? Thank you.

20 ( +22 / -2 )

Abe has no choice. He is bluffing all his time.

-12 ( +9 / -21 )

Wow! Wouldn’t you like to be a fly on the wall while these two are discussing the comfort women issue?

11 ( +12 / -1 )

Now, Moon has to visit Tokyo Olympic. By then, one Korea?

-3 ( +5 / -8 )

toshiko, good post. three olympic in Northeast Asia, 2018, 2020, 2022. It is golden opportunity for people come together and talk and make initiatives. North and South Koreas may suprise the world to jointly attend T0kyo Olympics. Very possible.

-5 ( +10 / -15 )

Relevance to the Olympics?  Zero.  I guess they can always make the point by holding their meeting in Itaewon.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Think about it, it’d just be weird if he didn’t attend. World leaders from the far reaching ends of the globe gathered but no sign of Korea’s samurai neighbor? That’d be just Petty and weak. So, the pragmatic decision was made ( congratulations) and announced after much huffing and puffing , and the fact that he threw a piece of conciliation meat to his right wing revisionist base also speaks volumes. It is neither a sign of strength nor one that inspires respect from the rest of the world. Let’s focus on the athletes shall we, cause this sideshow is for the birds.

7 ( +9 / -2 )

Just say nothing, and behave correctly.

Japan has apologized and compensated, so just act like relations are normal.

7 ( +15 / -8 )

This is a family feud that will not go away. The Campbells and MacDonalds were about stealing cows. The Hartfields and McCoys were over stealing a pig. This is much worse. It is about raping the daughters of the other nation.

Apologies and compensation can be talked to death but what’s done is done. We are reaping what’s been sown.

-5 ( +5 / -10 )

There are statues in every town and city around the world that portrays our proudest and darkest moments in history. They are erected to remind us of the greatness we can achieve and sadness we have suffered.

None of them should be removed. Let the children learn so they don't makes the same mistakes of those who came before them.

-5 ( +8 / -13 )

Now talk about a bad idea! Let's go "in the spirit of the Games and the world... but let's bring in a bilateral issue Tokyo wants the world never to mention again because it reminds people of our atrocities."

I hope, because of this, South Korea decides to bring a sex slave to meet him, and on the stage for the opening ceremonies.

-15 ( +9 / -24 )

toshiko: "Now, Moon has to visit Tokyo Olympic."

He can if he wants, and hopefully he does, in the spirit of the Games. Try to imagine if he were going to the Tokyo Olympics solely to talk about how Abe should not visit Yasukuni, and how Japan should apologize for sex slaves. Suddenly it's a whole lot less about the spirit of the Games and unity and becomes about bilateral politics. Moon would be snubbed, at best, if he did that. You probably agree that that would be the just thing to do (even though Moon is right about sex slaves and the need for apology), and yet I have no doubt you think Abe going to SK and asking for a meeting on "comfort women" on the sidelines so that he can make demands is perfectly okay.

-10 ( +7 / -17 )

I hope, because of this, South Korea decides to bring a sex slave to meet him, and on the stage for the opening ceremonies.

I would love to see that. The look on Abe's face would be priceless

-13 ( +7 / -20 )

Believe it or not, Abe will make another apology, as he should. Plus, be courtesy and considerate is Asian virtue.

-14 ( +2 / -16 )

Expect mass protests and complete rejection of whatever gesture Abe offers on the issue

7 ( +11 / -4 )

Pretty sad state of affairs when a political standoff becomes the main event at an Olympic games.

Gold: Pessimism 

Silver: recalcitrance

Bronze: Greed

Last place: Cooperation

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Let me get this straight. Korea is hosting the Winter Olympics, a time for the country to celebrate and serve as hosts for the world?

And Abe wants to use this occasion to raise this issue yet again?? As guests in Korea during what should be a time of harmonious enjoyment of the Olympics??

It is not time / place for this! I mean, seriously, how would all of the LDP hawks feel if Korea returns the favor in 2020??

Talk about tone deaf!

-4 ( +6 / -10 )

Japan needs to learn from its WW2 ally Germany to deal with passed war atrocities.

-8 ( +5 / -13 )

Enough is Enough. Japan should stop playing up to South Korea on this or other topics. That is not just my sentiment but many of voters across Japan who I have asked concerning this topic.  The sentiment is Japan and the US have hand held, bent over backwards and done hand stands to accommodate SK regarding the comfort women and many other issues only to be backstabbed in the back by Moon and his goonies. Enough is enough and time to cut the deadweight or cut the strings and let SK with Moon continue to kiss up to China. It is very evident by Moon who he favors but do not go calling on either Japan or the US to help them out moving forward.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

Why the fuss about this "comfort women" thing all the time?

Is Abe scared they will do a bit more research and find the really BIG atrocities committed prior to 1945?

-11 ( +2 / -13 )

Japan needs to learn from its WW2 ally Germany to deal with passed war atrocities

Technically it is already doing better than Germany on the comfort women front.

Japan's original position was that a deal had been negotiated with South Korea, but SK later complained the deal was negotiated with a dictatorship that spent the money elsewhere. Japan recently agreed to make a further apology and set up a new fund for the survivors.

Contrast with Germany and how it has dealt with Polish demands for reparations. Germany's position is that it settled the matter with the USSR/Warsaw-pact Poland, despite the fact that Poland was also in control of a dictatorship at the time. But Germany is refusing to change its position at all and has reacted in a hostile fashion.

10 ( +12 / -2 )

@Toshiko - Now, Moon has to visit Tokyo Olympic. By then, one Korea?

Or, no Korea!

5 ( +6 / -1 )

Let's call them what they were treated as. Sex slaves. They weren't there to comfort anyone.

-5 ( +4 / -9 )

Japan has compensated now its time to apologize for a long time leader. Otherwize, what will they all think at Davos.

-6 ( +0 / -6 )

sex slaves

-6 ( +3 / -9 )

 Japan recently agreed to make a further apology and set up a new fund for the survivors.

And Mr Abe denied any abuse took place. Which one is it? You can punch someone in the nose, say sorry, pay them a c note for the blood on their shirt and then later say that nothing happened and blaming them for bringing the incident up again. That is Abe's stance. An apology followed by a denial is just another punch in the face.

From 2009

Japan's prime minister, Shinzo Abe, provoked fury yesterday by saying that the so-called "comfort women" were not coerced into becoming sexual slaves of the former Japanese Imperial Army.

If I were Korean I'd tell him to piddle off home.

-4 ( +4 / -8 )

2020 Tokyo Olympic is Summer Olympic but it will be nice if N. Korea can send its music team to Japan.

-2 ( +0 / -2 )

Seems like both the Koreans and Japanese doesn't want Abe to come/go to Korea.

Not sure what he wants to achieve by going to the event.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Abe's main reason going to SKorean Olympic is to enjoy watching sport games, I'd bet. He may have chances to invite Korean dignitaries to Japan.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

Don't do it, Abe. You'll get nothing but grief from these flogging a death horse South Koreans.

5 ( +6 / -1 )

He should just do want he initially wanted and not go. Knowing it was about the comfort women issue, he now probably isn't the most preferred guest anyway.

But deciding instead to go there and tell SK to stop pressing about the comfort women.......that's just tactless and stupid.

-3 ( +1 / -4 )

At least Abe is being the bigger person here,  just don't offer to get your cheque book out! SK have shown, time and time again what ever you offer, will never be good enough. Japan is not a cash cow and its time to move on from this!

3 ( +3 / -0 )

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