Abe renews call on S Korea to keep promises in order to mend ties

Japan, which says the matter was settled by a 1965 treaty, calls the decision a violation of international law, and the feud has spilled over into trade and security matters.

Not according to ex-PM Yukio Hatoyama

The former prime minister also criticized the Abe administration's position on the 1965 Japan-Korea Treaty. Tokyo has said the issue of compensation for wartime forced laborers was "settled" through the treaty.

Hatoyama said the 1965 treaty does not preclude individuals from filing private claims, citing a 1991 statement from the director of the Japanese foreign ministry's treaties bureau.

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/World-News/2019/08/28/Ex-Japanese-prime-minister-calls-for-return-of-South-Korea-to-white-list/4731566992569/

In fact, it's only since right-wing Abe came into power that Japan's position was revised.

Hatoyama said that Shunji Yanai, then director of the treaty bureau at Japan's foreign ministry in 1991, told a parliamentary session at the time that the normalization treaty did not put an end to individual rights to damages.

"It was the official view of the Japanese government in the past, that (forced labor issue) was not finally and completely resolved by the treaty," he said.

http://www.koreaherald.com/view.php?ud=20190829000663

I do not understand how two economically advanced countries with such aligned geopolitical interests can so blindly ignore their own overarching interests to concentrate on the petty to their mutual disbenefit!

Abe's behavior does not fit into common sense, even if Japanese lawyers say it.

According to the ruling of the Supreme Court of Japan, in April 2007, the court rejected plaintiff's claim in the case of Chinese forced labor, but the right of claim for compensation was not extinguished.

 Masato Niimura, a former judge of the Tokyo High Court, also claimed in the February issue of the Japanese monthly magazine Sekai that the original Japanese government had maintained that the individual claims were not extinguished.

Mitsubishi Materials made a reconciliation with Chinese victims to pay 100,000 Yuan per person (about 16.54 million won) to 3,765 victims in two years in relation to the compulsory damages lawsuit filed in Chinese court in 2014 .

The Hanaoka incident was a case in which hundreds of people were murdered after the Chinese who had been forced into the Hanaro Mine in Akita Prefecture in the late Pacific War caused a riot in protest against abuse and discrimination.

In 2000, the Tokyo High Court ruled that Kashimagumi Construction, which was the subject of the assassination, ended up paying 500 million yen to the Chinese Red Cross Society, the victim's agent.

In 1991, the Japanese government consistently stated that individual claims did not disappear, including the response of Yanai's deputy foreign policy chief. The Supreme Court of Japan also made the same judgment in April 2007, when a victim of forced Chinese execution targeted a Japanese company. Although the trial itself was lost, Nishimatsu Construction paid the settlement gold to the victim because the claim was granted. But now, the government is blocking the payment of money by Shin Il-cheol, Mitsubishi. The reason is different from China. The victim's human rights remedy should be the same. He contributed:

South Korea needs to:

Respond to Japan's request for information as they have been asking for 3 years concerning sales of Japanese exports. This will allow South Korea to go back on Japan's White List, as they have demanded.

2 Reinstate the "final and irreversible" comfort Women Agreement of 2015 which South Korea unilaterally ripped up after getting their demands, an apology from PM Abe and money as they requested (none of which has made it to the actual surviving CW). Abide by the Agreement.

Overturn the SK Court Ruling against Japanese companies. Nothing is stopping the SK government from filing suit as the ruling violates the 1965 Treaty. If the SK government actually agrees with the Court Ruling, then it needs to Abide by the Arbitration Clause in the 1965 Treaty. Abide by the Treaty.

As long as Souh Korea continues to ignore the above, it remains a country that is untrustworthy in Japan's eyes. Surely South Korea must have now realized that doing everything else to anger, hurt and villify Japan hasn't produced anything in South Korea's favor. Learn something.

abe san, keep yr promises first.

Wouldn't it be a lot less damaging to the Economies of both Countries if the outstanding matter was settled to those still remaining ?

If South Korea is not capable of providing the requested information, then they have no qualification to have been the only Asian nation on Japan's preferential White List in the first place. Hence, they have no right to be demanding that they be put back.

There are indeed Comfort Women. And South Korea signed an "irreversible" agreement settling this issue in 2015. Then then Moon "reversed" it.

If South Korea believes the workers had the right to sue over an issue that Japan considers settled in the 1965 Treaty, then they should abide by the Arbitration Clause contained in the Treaty to affirm their position. But they refuse to do so.

These are clear issues that South Korea can resolve if they had any desire to resolve the current breakdown in diplomatic relations. But rather than acting to resolve it, South Korea increases the volume of anti-Japan sentiment. Moon himself declaring that "We will not be defeated by Japan again". Interesting cry for nationalistic ferver when Korea ws never defeated by Japan in the first place.

Reinstate the "final and irreversible" comfort Women Agreement of 2015 which South Korea unilaterally ripped up

Another fake narrative spun by Abe and believed by the gullible masses. The 2015 agreement was never ripped up!

Interesting cry for nationalistic ferver when Korea ws never defeated by Japan in the first place.

Only to those who study Japanese history.

"Not according to ex-PM Yukio Hatoyama"

No one in Japan cares what Hatoyama thinks.

*As long as Souh Korea continues to ignore the above, it remains a country that is untrustworthy in Japan's eyes. *

Abe calls SK untrustworthy even though SK actually abided by its agreements. This coming from the man who secretly told his cabinet that he never promised Trump to buy the 2.5 million ton of corn. What’s this in US’ eyes?

Answer. Liar.

Abe has a mouth to speak and the S.Korean side no ears to him. Abe should know what is a meaning of a good listener. First of all the attitude and next history to be adjusted from both sides.

These are clear issues that South Korea can resolve if they had any desire to resolve the current breakdown in diplomatic relations.

They can if they get rid of Moon and his left-wing cronies.

@Tom Doley

Reinstate the "final and irreversible" comfort Women Agreement of 2015 which South Korea unilaterally ripped up

Another fake narrative spun by Abe and believed by the gullible masses. The 2015 agreement was never ripped up!

https://thediplomat.com/2018/11/south-korea-decides-to-dismantle-comfort-women-reconciliation-and-healing-foundation/

Fake news huh? Well whatever you want to call it, Moon sure didn't leave it intact...

Earlier this year, the dispute escalated when Japan tightened export controls

I also love how Japan tightening trade controls is the first thing mentioned as the cause of increased tension and no mention of Korean lawsuits until the end of the article like it was a result of Japan increasing tension instead of one of the first things that happened to trigger it, and absolutely zero mention of Moon dissolving the comfort women organization.

Article seems a little biased.

As long as Moon is in office no progress will be made.

Moon didn’t literally rip up the piece of paper. But the fact that he is complaining about a final and irreversible agreement shows his disrespect for its finality and irreversiblity.

south korea can keep begging!

South Korea do not want to deal with Japanese regressive leadership, While South Korea economy is booming, Japan is dealing with Zombie economy, they wonder why China and South Korea, took their share of the American market

Putin should call on Japan to keep its promise of disclaiming the Kurils in 1952 to mend ties.

Moon didn’t literally rip up the piece of paper. But the fact that he is complaining...

Finally, someone who actually partially understands the issue rather than blindly following Abenarratives.

Which then raises my next point. The Russians and Koreans in this forum never post comments about Japan 'ripping' up the SanFan peace treaty whenever Japan complains about Kurils and Dokdo. Why the Japanese?

https://thediplomat.com/2018/11/south-korea-decides-to-dismantle-comfort-women-reconciliation-and-healing-foundation/

Fake news huh? Well whatever you want to call it, Moon sure didn't leave it intact...

Perhaps you should read a more recent article on this issue, and at the same time understand how Abe continuously threatened Korea behind the scenes if the latter didn't override its Supreme Court rulings.

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2019/09/120_275246.html

That sounds like quite the conspiracy you’re theorizing about Tom.

Korea Times is a tabloid mouthpiece. Of course they're going to say things like "Abe continuously threatened Korea behind the scenes" which is a 100% non-verifiable and designed to make it look like the Koreans somehow have all the dirt on Japan, but not vice versa.

Don't confuse Korea for Japan. There's a reason why Korea has a much higher ranking for freedom of press than the Japanese. Most stories in Japan are controlled/pressured by the government or conveniently left untold, not dissimilar to DPRK or CCP. And who outside these two countries believe in their news!

Many Koreans love that sort of thing.

Given that the best selling Japanese books are all anti-Korean topics, it ain't the Koreans loving that sort of thing.

156 cases of sensitive materials being exported to North Korea

Again, you're dwelling on fake news.

Korea Times is a tabloid mouthpiece. Of course they're going to say things like "Abe continuously threatened Korea behind the scenes" which is a 100% non-verifiable and designed to make it look like the Koreans somehow have all the dirt on Japan, but not vice versa.

Don't confuse Korea for Japan. There's a reason why Korea has a much higher ranking for freedom of press than the Japanese. Most stories in Japan are controlled/pressured by the government or conveniently left untold, not dissimilar to DPRK or CCP. And who outside these two countries believe in their news!

Many Koreans love that sort of thing.

Given that the best selling Japanese books are all anti-Korean topics, it ain't the Koreans loving that sort of thing.

156 cases of sensitive materials being exported to North Korea

Again, you're dwelling on fake news.

As I always say, those who are loudest to accuse Japan of whitewashing its history, are the same ones doing it themselves. It continues to fascinate me how people continue to make false accusations against all things Japanese on this forum, and when called out on it, conveniently ignore it and all they can do is thumbs down the comment. That kind of tactic may work on other websites and forums that have an anti-Japan slant, but not on this website where people deal with actual facts.

It is hardly 'fake news' that South Korea had 156 cases of export violations of sensitive materials. In fact, it was the South Koreans themselves that reported these violations, with the ridiculous excuse that it proved that they were 'diligent' about these matters.

In addition, it is absolutely false that the best-selling books in Japan are all anti-Korean. A simple online search shows that among the all time best-selling books in Japan, not one of them in the top 50 have anything whatsoever to do with being 'anti-Korean'

http://nbakki.hatenablog.com/entry/All_Time_Best-selling_Books

https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/nation/2019/09/120_275246.html

What a crap this former ambassador is repeating, just the same old selfish Korean quibbles, conveniently ignoring the very article in the treaty calling for Intl arbitration in case for the dispute like this. Garbage.

Moon didn’t literally rip up the piece of paper. But the fact that he is complaining...

Finally, someone who actually partially understands the issue rather than blindly following Abenarratives.

JUST didn’t literally rip up the piece of paper but SCRAPPED it. There's nothing in there that SK had promised to fufilled. Dismantled the fund, Restarted Int'l CW campaign. No efforts made to move the statues what so ever and even got worse.

As I always say, those who are loudest to accuse Japan of whitewashing its history, are the same ones doing it themselves. It continues to fascinate me how people continue to make false accusations against all things Japanese on this forum, and when called out on it, conveniently ignore it and all they can do is thumbs down the comment. That kind of tactic may work on other websites and forums that have an anti-Japan slant, but not on this website where people deal with actual facts.

It is hardly 'fake news' that South Korea had 156 cases of export violations of sensitive materials. In fact, it was the South Koreans themselves that reported these violations, with the ridiculous excuse that it proved that they were 'diligent' about these matters.

Some people just like playing a game of Chinese whispers.

*156 cases of sensitive materials being exported to North Korea*** **is fake news. Now compare this to what you wrote.

The country that exported military grade sensitive materials to North Korea was Japan. Not South Korea.

Abe's behavior does not fit into common sense, even if Japanese lawyers say it.

According to the ruling of the Supreme Court of Japan, in April 2007, the court rejected plaintiff's claim in the case of Chinese forced labor, but the right of claim for compensation was not extinguished.

 Masato Niimura, a former judge of the Tokyo High Court, also claimed in the February issue of the Japanese monthly magazine Sekai that the original Japanese government had maintained that the individual claims were not extinguished.

Mitsubishi Materials made a reconciliation with Chinese victims to pay 100,000 Yuan per person (about 16.54 million won) to 3,765 victims in two years in relation to the compulsory damages lawsuit filed in Chinese court in 2014 .

The Hanaoka incident was a case in which hundreds of people were murdered after the Chinese who had been forced into the Hanaro Mine in Akita Prefecture in the late Pacific War caused a riot in protest against abuse and discrimination.

In 2000, the Tokyo High Court ruled that Kashimagumi Construction, which was the subject of the assassination, ended up paying 500 million yen to the Chinese Red Cross Society, the victim's agent.

In 1991, the Japanese government consistently stated that individual claims did not disappear, including the response of Yanai's deputy foreign policy chief. The Supreme Court of Japan also made the same judgment in April 2007, when a victim of forced Chinese execution targeted a Japanese company. Although the trial itself was lost, Nishimatsu Construction paid the settlement gold to the victim because the claim was granted. But now, the government is blocking the payment of money by Shin Il-cheol, Mitsubishi. The reason is different from China. The victim's human rights remedy should be the same. He contributed:

What a post. A truth bomb.

Interestingly not refuted by a single Japan supporting poster. No amount of downvotes of inconvenience will change the truth.

Some people just like playing a game of Chinese whispers.

*156 cases of sensitive materials being exported to North Korea*** **is fake news.

No It is not the way media reported news, Happy with trying to trip someone up with some words game?

The country that exported military grade sensitive materials to North Korea was Japan. Not South Korea.

Those 156 cases are quite recent and which years are you referring to? Oh Wait, sure there's thing Japan must humbly take such pointing and do something severe and fundamental with pro-NK residents in Japan

who were those violators. What's your suggestion?

Which then raises my next point. The Russians and Koreans in this forum never post comments about Japan 'ripping' up the SanFan peace treaty whenever Japan complains about Kurils and Dokdo. Why the Japanese?

Too much quibbling. Normal humane circuit of thought wouldn't make anyone to read the treaty such way but would give notice those two nations were not signers of the treaty in the 1st place.

HeckleberryToday  06:18 pm JST

Abe's behavior does not fit into common sense, even if Japanese lawyers say it.

According to the ruling of the Supreme Court of Japan, in April 2007, the court rejected plaintiff's claim in the case of Chinese forced labor, but the right of claim for compensation was not extinguished.

 Masato Niimura, a former judge of the Tokyo High Court, also claimed in the February issue of the Japanese monthly magazine Sekai that the original Japanese government had maintained that the individual claims were not extinguished.

Mitsubishi Materials made a reconciliation with Chinese victims to pay 100,000 Yuan per person (about 16.54 million won) to 3,765 victims in two years in relation to the compulsory damages lawsuit filed in Chinese court in 2014 .

The Hanaoka incident was a case in which hundreds of people were murdered after the Chinese who had been forced into the Hanaro Mine in Akita Prefecture in the late Pacific War caused a riot in protest against abuse and discrimination.

In 2000, the Tokyo High Court ruled that Kashimagumi Construction, which was the subject of the assassination, ended up paying 500 million yen to the Chinese Red Cross Society, the victim's agent.

In 1991, the Japanese government consistently stated that individual claims did not disappear, including the response of Yanai's deputy foreign policy chief. The Supreme Court of Japan also made the same judgment in April 2007, when a victim of forced Chinese execution targeted a Japanese company. Although the trial itself was lost, Nishimatsu Construction paid the settlement gold to the victim because the claim was granted. But now, the government is blocking the payment of money by Shin Il-cheol, Mitsubishi. The reason is different from China. The victim's human rights remedy should be the same. He contributed:

What a post. A truth bomb.

Interestingly not refuted by a single Japan supporting poster. No amount of downvotes of inconvenience will change the truth.

Is it not-refuted or too amazed for anyone to bother ? I give you a few seeds to REFUTE.

The treaty between JPN suggested about the compensations to the victims individually but SK rejected and demanded so-called LUMP-SUM settlement, the other one with China NOT.

The very essence of SK supreme court verdict is not about so-called " Individual rights to claim". It is about legitimacy of annexation and associated events. Oh yes your individual rights to claim still exit, so go to SK government and beg to do something as that's the way 2 SOVEREIGN nations had promised to settle everything .

Separation of powers in SK to be respected?? Who cares! That's your DOMESTIC issue and nothing you can force other countries.

@showchinmono

Is it not-refuted or too amazed for anyone to bother ?

I really feel you. No matter how many times we’ve explained to them, they’ll just ignore and repeat the same things over and over (China case is this, Germany did that, Russia said that, etc etc) to deflect the point of argument. I even know what’s gonna come next. “I didn’t say this, Japanese lawyers said it! or Hatayama said this and that!” They can’t seem to understand a freedom of speech and expression is constitutionally protected in Japan and they don’t get arrested or socially terminated or even killed just because they speak up something that goes against their mass-narratives.

I really feel you. No matter how many times we’ve explained to them, they’ll just ignore and repeat the same things over and over (China case is this, Germany did that, Russia said that, etc etc) to deflect the point of argument. I even know what’s gonna come next. “I didn’t say this, Japanese lawyers said it! or Hatayama said this and that!” They can’t seem to understand a freedom of speech and expression is constitutionally protected in Japan and they don’t get arrested or socially terminated or even killed just because they speak up something that goes against their mass-narratives.

Yes.Really. Enough is enough. SK last resort is always " Japan had done this, said that " like the case of Japan's supreme court verdict.

After all, without hints given by Japan, SK couldn't have come this far. I just can't believe these regular Korean posters repeating the same tiring garbage times and times again. I am not even sure if they really have read their top court verdict words by words.

You know what? The more serious issue is the fact those many un-logical anti-Japan Koreans are residing in this country involved in political actions. They can keep mumbling about their own flavored fairy tales all they want back in their country but not here in Japan.

And all the compensation payments made by Japan to Korea were kept by the various military and civilian governments and none given to any of the victims.

Fake news galore. Property claims were in fact paid out by the SK government. It was mainly wages that were not. Furthermore, at the request of Japan, the 1965 treaty did not include compensation for damages against inhumane/illegal acts performed by Japan. Hence, the reason for supplementary claims as per Supreme court rulings and comfort women agreement.

Is it not-refuted or too amazed for anyone to bother ?

That has never stopped the Japanese posters in this forum from commenting when they had conviction. Why change now? The fact is the very foundation of your stories is on quick sand, sinking into oblivion with each lie. And hey, what goes around comes around.

Furthermore, at the request of Japan, the 1965 treaty did not include compensation for damages against inhumane/illegal acts performed by Japan. Hence, the reason for supplementary claims as per Supreme court rulings and comfort women agreement.

Bu ha ha How did Japan request as such?　Show us all your proof to make a sensation not only for JT readers but also for politicians in Japan and tons of professional historians in other countries. Huh? Was it somewhere in the dialogues in the negotiation process?

That has never stopped the Japanese posters in this forum from commenting when they had conviction. Why change now? The fact is the very foundation of your stories is on quick sand, sinking into oblivion with each lie. And hey, what goes around comes around.

Is it all you can say now? but Hey You'd be wasting your breath to say anything now.

I really feel you. No matter how many times we’ve explained to them, they’ll just ignore and repeat the same things over and over (China case is this, Germany did that, Russia said that, etc etc) to deflect the point of argument. 

@tic - Kind of like all the Japan supporters here.

Evidence shows that up until the 1990s even the Japanese government agreed that the individual rights to compensation were not extinguished by the 1965 treaty.

Even showchim above agrees, but he claims the individuals should claim compensation from the SK government. That's when it becomes his personal wish.

This is the only time this has posted anywhere. You must be desperate. I know the South Koreans are.

Where have you been? Even showchinmono alleges these were sent by pro NK Japanese.

South Korea then re-exported a portion of them to North Korea. 

Give us the proof from official sources. SK said the export destination of the 156 materials were not NK. Japan alleges that it went to NK but cannot give any evidence. So please share the source of your information.

Even showchinmono alleges these were sent by pro NK Japanese.

Where did I say Japanese? Most of those cases were about 10years ago , illegally sent by Korean(both north and south) residents in Japan, the issues Japan must respond to as fundamentally as stripping their SPR to kick them out of country or completely abolish SPR in line with the fact SK does not respect 1965 treaty.

Where did I say Japanese? Most of those cases were about 10years ago , illegally sent by Korean(both north and south) residents in Japan

They are Japanese as much as a Japanese American would be an American.

"Abe urged Seoul to keep its promises - a reference to the 1965 treaty - in order to restore relations, according to statement issued by Japan's foreign ministry."

Most importantly, a group of Japanese lawyers declared, the South Korean Supreme Court ruling regarding Korean wartime slave laborers. Abe should respect the Supreme Court ruling. Note that there a separation of powers in South Korea. The President cannot overturn a Supreme Court decision.

That aside, did you notice how Abe flip-flopped? After imposing economic sanctions on South Korea, Abe said it had nothing to do with the Supreme Court ruling. Around two weeks passed. Then Abe made some dubious complains about South Korea economic policies. Well, gosh, it really was about the Supreme Court ruling after all. This, of course, makes the rational for sanctions a very dubious matter.

By the way, why does Korea hate the International Court of Justice? Does Korea still have a memory of Hague Secret Emissary Affair?

Relationship between Japan and Korea cannot continue forward if South only purpose is to escalate to fuel the fire. Not keep any agreements signed not keep promises made.

S Korea sees Japan as an enemy and the reason they set themselves on fire, that's how much hate they have for Japan. Boycotting everything Japanese, and constantly fueling the hate any way possible like the AD posted by Japanese company which they subtitle with hate and WW2 in their minds and comfort woman in their mind. Counter S. Korea Japan hate or it will never STOP!

@Heckleberry

By your reasoning than Park ex president of S. Korea who signed 2015 comfort woman deal is Valid! Does that count? Or only what you talk about?

Koreans already moved from Sulli to Japan again. Focus and hate changes so quickly for them.

Tom DoleyToday  09:16 pm JST

Where did I say Japanese? Most of those cases were about 10years ago , illegally sent by Korean(both north and south) residents in Japan

They are Japanese as much as a Japanese American would be an American.

A Japanese american is a US citizen. Koreans (Zainichi) in Japan are not Japanese citizens.

I know you can google in Japanese. Just check out those cases to confirm who they are.

Most importantly, a group of Japanese lawyers declared, the South Korean Supreme Court ruling regarding Korean wartime slave laborers. Abe should respect the Supreme Court ruling. Note that there a separation of powers in South Korea. The President cannot overturn a Supreme Court decision.

First off, they are not only Japanese lawyers but quite a portion of them are Koreans and Korean-Japanese.

Secondly, what sort of authority does that group of lawyers have? Just a group expressed their view which no one needs any legal expertise to read and understand and they happen to be lawyers. Is it some kind of law enforcement or what?

Lastly, like I have said, What the heck Abe or any other Japanese or Japan as a sovereign nation must respect SK supreme court ruling more than Japanese Supreme Court ruling? Let me repeat once again. Separation of Powers in SK is a SK domestic issue. How dare you and they keep insisting on their internal issue to excuse themselves to break the intl promise.

Folks, you can't break a promise that you have no intention of keeping!

Sorry, in Korea promises are made to be broken!

A Japanese american is a US citizen. Koreans (Zainichi) in Japan are not Japanese citizens.

Legally they aren't but they are a product of Japan’s system, culture, education and discrimination. Just as Masayoshi Son was considered a Japanese before he was naturalized.

Or is zainichi a Japanese only when they do something good? If so, during the recent super typhoon, the zainichis were the only group of people who looked after the homeless Japanese, something even the Japanese government failed to do.

Legally they aren't but they are a product of Japan’s system, culture, education and discrimination.

Let alone the question if they are a product of Japan's system, especially of Japanese culture, Japanese education. But Japan's system is not for feeding the anti-Japan satellite state for generations, letting them send illegal materials or transfer technology over to their mother country building up mass-murder weapons threatening Japan. If there's a flaw with the system, it must be fixed. You blamed Japan for sending illegal materials to NK more than SK does and here is one of fundamental solutions to scrap SPR of those anti-Japan group and throw them away.

Just as Masayoshi Son was considered a Japanese before he was naturalized.

Unless he or she comes out, it would be almost impossible to tell wouldn't it. No clue why Son was being refereed to here.

Or is zainichi a Japanese only when they do something good? If so, during the recent super typhoon, the zainichis were the only group of people who looked after the homeless Japanese, something even the Japanese government failed to do.

Getting way off topic. Sure there's so many good Koreans living in Japan and they should have no problem

with ordinary PR if they really don't want to become Japanese citizen. Those Korean criminals and such reserve army are the issues I am talking about, which Japan cannot exile due to SPR status.