Japan rejects S Korean fund plan to compensate forced wartime laborers

Does the treaty only prohibit claims against the Japanese government? That's pertinent information that should be included in the article.

South Korea is a joke of a country. They negotiated and signed the Comfort Women Agreement in 2015 that was "final and irreversible". As soon as Moon comes into office they renege on it, disbanding the fund that Japan had created in accordance with that agreement. Now they openly break the 1965 Treaty and refuse to follow up on the arbitration clause contained in it. Honestly it boggles the mind how Japan can continue to maintain relations with a country that behaves like this. Will South Korea ever cease it's brainwashing of it's youth and teach them the truth, that Korea was part of Imperial Japan and participated in invading other Asian nations? Korea is not one of the victims, and it's a offense to the other Asian nations that were actually invaded.

South Korea is a joke of a country

Not really, Moon is a joke of a leader, he's just milking the political value out of it. The SK government is holding the funds, Moon just has to release it to victims.

Moon is only doing this to defer attention away from his imminent ousting in a coup, which will be any time soon. This issue has been settled for all time by both sides. Moon has communist leanings (his parents were North Korean) so he is brainwashed.

South Korea is a joke of a country. 

Amazingly argued by Ossan America, and so true. Time to impose tariffs and big cut back to tourist visas granted.

Until what generation will Japan be required to compensate Comfort women and forced laborers? In a few more years, there will be no surviving victims. But their relatives are already trying to hitch a ride on the gravy train.

Victimhood and claims for compensation may never end. Japan has paid plenty already but as long as there is a chance of getting more the claims will continue.

South Korea is living in a fantasy world. All issues from prior wars were deemed closed and compensated by both govts decades ago. Both sides signed the agreement. Nobody was forced. There was compensation and the Korean govt took all the money promising to distribute it. If they didn't, whose fault is that?

Hint: Not Japan's.

Korea needs to move on. Remember. Don't let it happen again, but move on.

Moon is a joke of a leader and SK is a joke of a country, and hence to be ignored. no need to be polite in doing so.

Until what generation will Japan be required to compensate Comfort women and forced laborers?

Ill ask this then. Until what generationmust the holocaust be remembered?

@Wallace Fred

“Remembering” and “compensating” are not the same thing and should not be confused. Plenty of remembrance statues have been placed at home and around the world by Koreans and others. This issue is about money and political brinkmanship on the Korean side. It has nothing to do with remembering although some would argue otherwise, as it keeps the issue in the media but their intention is actually to simply keep pointing a finger at Japan to curry favour back at home. I’m guessing privately Moon couldn’t give two hoots about the plight of comfort women or forced labour! If anyone actually thinks any politician has your best interests in mind...you should really think again.

This issue is about money 

Oh? Money? Well in that case, Germany is still paying out today. Next?

https://www.timesofisrael.com/germany-agrees-to-88-million-more-for-holocaust-survivors/

Amazing, these articles are starting to get more and more accurate as time goes on.

Before, no mention at all or lip service of the 1965 treaty.

Now, they not only mention the treaty, but the money Japan did indeed give to South Korea, which they used to build infrastructure and become the economic powerhouse that it is today.

But they are still not fully disclosing the part that the Japanese government offered to individually compensate the victims of its colonial aggression, which the SK government flat out refused. That money was then used for the infrastructure.

Until the world media fully discloses this on a consistent basis, there is no context to the Japanese government's continued reasoning that all claims were settled in 1965. None, zero, zilch. And without that context, your average anti-Japan individual thinks Japan is trying to do dirty, when in fact Japan is rightfully claiming that they did in fact try to do that in the past.

@Chip Star

Does the treaty only prohibit claims against the Japanese government?

The 1965 Treaty covers assets, backwages, banksavings, and properties left behind each other's territory.

It does not cover damages, which is what these Japanese companies are being ordered to pay.

Why so many downvotes on my last post without any refutation of the fact that Germany is still paying reparations for the holocaust? Is it the itching congnitive dissonance rearing its head due to the realisation that japan has absolutely no grounds to cry victimhood?

Japan says the claims were settled in a 1965 treaty that normalized ties and has accused Seoul of breaking that treaty. Under the 1965 treaty, South Korea received a package of $300 million in economic aid and $500 million in loans from Japan in exchange for Seoul considering all pre-treaty compensation issues settled.

The money was largely spent to rebuild its infrastructure and economy ravaged by the 1950-53 Korean War, but former forced laborers began to demand compensation in the 1990s.

For once japan is putting its foot down on something, SK keeps bringing up an issue that was settled, paid and learned from about 50 years ago. It seems like every year they come with their banged up aluminum cup rattling it in peoples' faces for more money. It's like winning a court settlement and getting your cash payout, but every year you try to take the person back to court for more money. Ridonculous-ness.

Wallace FredToday  09:43 am JST

Why so many downvotes on my last post without any refutation of the fact that Germany is still paying reparations for the holocaust? Is it the itching congnitive dissonance rearing its head due to the realisation that japan has absolutely no grounds to cry victimhood?

I guess just because it's not worth and hence being politely ignored

because it's not worth

Well, ignoring hard facts isn't going to negate them now is it?

Trade and Tourism sanctions against Japan-hating SK... NOW!

So, let's see...

The South Korean government says that it has NO control over what the courts in South Korea decide about compensation to Koreans by Japanese companies and/or the Japanese government.

But then they turn around and push for some sort of fund to be set up by Japan that will be governed by an agreement between Japan and Korea.

Which the Korean courts can turn around and ignore and just decide to assess damages to Japanese companies / Japan.

Makes perfect sense to me!?!

Talk about the Koreans wanting to have their cake and eat it too!!

Until the Japanese and Korean governments came to an agreement to settle the the problem once and for all, I supported the Koreans. But when they tore up that agreement, the problem is now their own. Japan made an honest effort to resolve it, and the Koreans after agreeing decided to tear it up.

It's been done and dealt with.

South Korea said on Wednesday it had proposed a joint fund with Japan to compensate South Koreans forced to work by Japanese companies during World War Two, but Japan rejected the idea out of hand.

This is not accurate. What SK proposed was they will consider nominating a candidate for Arbitration Committee (which Japan requested on May 20th) under condition that Japan agrees to compensate Korean plaintiffs with a joint fund by JP and SK corporations.

"韓国企業と日本企業が拠出した財源から確定済みの大法院判決の原告への慰謝料の支払に充てることに日本政府が同意するならば請求権協定に基づく協議を受け入れる旨発表がありました"

https://twitter.com/konotarogomame/status/1141260511880740864

So what they are basically saying is "SK gov will think about engaging in negotiation to settle this issue with Japan only if Japan agrees to pay money as a prerequisite condition". While this whole issue was already settled completely by 1965 treaty, what kind of proposal is this?? Of course it's gonna be rejected and I'll be shocked if SK didn't see that coming!

Simply tell Korea than once it repays all monies previously granted in the old deal, Japan will then re-compensate under the new agreement. No reason to pay twice.

Well, ignoring hard facts isn't going to negate them now is it?

While Koreans ignore hard facts that Nazi holocaust has nothing to do with Japan, why waste our time? Koreans need to realize that their typical manipulation of introducing Germany don't seem to work nowadays.

There is no circumventing Treaty law for political gain.

The people of South Korean have only their Government and hapless President Moon Jae-in to blame. The only route to settlement is arbitration, detailed in the 1965 treaty dispute resolution system.

south korea will have to eat this humble pie of their own making. when will they ever learn?

Chip StarToday  07:01 am JST

Does the treaty only prohibit claims against the Japanese government? That's pertinent information that should be included in the article.

Yes....thats how important treaties are and must be respected. Wars have been eneded, countries losing or gaining vast land, all from one treaty.

SK government is starting to sound like a gold digging h*g that keeps on blackmailing this guy everytime funds are short.

"Does the treaty only prohibit claims against the Japanese government? That's pertinent information that should be included in the article."

What should be included in the article is this:

In January 2005, the South Korean government disclosed 1,200 pages of diplomatic documents that recorded the proceeding of the treaty. The documents, kept secret for 40 years, recorded that the Japanese government actually proposed to the South Korean government to directly compensate individual victims but it was the South Korean government which insisted that it would handle individual compensation to its citizens and then received the whole amount of grants on behalf of the victims.

In other words, the Japanese government would pay the South Korean government and in turn the South Korean was suppose to pay the victims.

South Korea Welched!

The other way round, what will japan ask for ???.Pay and say sorry from the heart.

@Wallace Fred Today 08:40 am JST

It is the difference between asking nicely and robbery with connivance from a country's judiciary.

SK is only doing what Japan has done for decades.

At least SK does not take hostages.

Japanese media do not report South Korean movements as news. Many Japanese are fed up and angry. In Japan, there is an increasing number of movements calling for diplomacy to minimize exchanges with South Korea. The Japanese government is fed up with South Korea too. However, the Japanese government is merely posing as calm on the surface. South Korea does not understand that Japan has changed its policy. South Korea couldn't be more stupid.

Hard Facts are 1) Japan's annexation and ruling of the peninsula was quite unlike Holocaust 2) English-speaking world still heavily relying on only Korean narratives, which are not true.

*Hard Facts** are 1) Japan's annexation and ruling of the peninsula was quite unlike Holocaust 2) English-speaking world still heavily relying on only Korean narratives, which are not true.*

Hard Facts are 1) Japans occupation and ruling of the peninsula was brutal, as it was in many other Asian countries 2) English-speaking world sees history as it was, and not the re-written history taught in Japan.

@Ex_ResToday

For the sake of argument, please enlighten us.

SK is only doing what Japan has done for decades.

What and when exactly Japan ever negated or violated the international agreement or treaty between ROK and Japan?

At least SK does not take hostages.

SK is the one who is attempting to hold down JP corp's assets (as a hostage) to milk more money from Japan, so what exactly are you talking about?

1) Japans occupation and ruling of the peninsula was brutal, as it was in many other Asian countries

Current SK and NK was under JP occupation since 1910 until 1945 (end of WW2) through the legitimate annexation process supported by the international laws so what "many other Asian countries" are you talking about? Anyone who objects to Korean narrative of "brutality of Japanese occupation" in Korea are either killed or thrown into jail or socially terminated permanently. I don't think Koreans care about Hard Facts but you should start looking into the living conditions of Koreans before and after the annexation period instead of hiding behind "Japan is an absolute evil" fantasy.

2) English-speaking world sees history as it was, and not the re-written history taught in Japan.

What is your supporting evidence to prove your case here? As far as Japan sees, the constant nagging and whining of historical complaints by Koreans were mostly fabricated after 1990s. That's what I call "re-writing the history". Explain how does Japan re-write the history like the way Koreans do?

Stupid policy forever.

@sir_bentley28

SK keeps bringing up an issue that was settled, paid and learned from about 50 years ago.

Damages issue was not settled. In fact, the word damages is not even in the treaty.

@zones2surf

But then they turn around and push for some sort of fund to be set up by Japan that will be governed by an agreement between Japan and Korea.

This joint fund proposal doesn't change the supreme court verdict. 

@alwaysspeakingwisdom

Japanese government actually proposed to the South Korean government to directly compensate individual victims

Even if that was the case, it doesn't fix the damages claims case, because the 1965 Treaty only covers backwages, bank savings, and properties left behind in Japan, not damages from the illegal conscription by the Imperial Japan.

Even if that was the case, it doesn't fix the damages claims case, because the 1965 Treaty only covers backwages, bank savings, and properties left behind in Japan, not damages from the illegal conscription by the Imperial Japan.

It is not "even if" It was the case. As you were repeatedly enlightened in the past, first, learn how Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties works, second, refer to so-called 8 articles SK demanded, especially the 5th article. This covers everything including whatever damages (no matter how SK justice tries to twist the meaning of the treaty)

Japan already payed compensation in full decades ago. Yes, it was a mistake not giving it to the former sex slaves directly. The South Korean gov. should never have had the chance to lay their filthy hands on it. Political ammo for their electorate...

I'm thinking about which Government I should sue for with what case. Some Government may have mistreated and violated one of my grandparents or my parents' human rights and unpaid wages during the war.

Who knows, I may have struck lucky and hit jackpot and drink Champagne and Strawberry?

I only have to find no win no fee pro Bono Lawyer. How about that idea?

The S. Korean Comfort women and forced labors and S. Korean Government Vs. Japanese Government, dispute about compensation and hatred against Japanese Government and country will not be disappearing soon.

The generation of S. Korean Governments were using Japan colonizing Korea as their political game and to hatred against Japanese Government and Japanese peoples. Most of S. Korean Politicians have gained their political career from inciting hatred against Japanese Government and country.

Most S. Korean Presidents and Politicians have used Japan as scapegoat for to change direction of attention from its citizen when they were faced with corruption and bribery accusation against them.

What are the roots of the forced labor dispute?

Hundreds of thousands of Koreans were conscripted during the 1910-1945 colonial period to work, often in brutal conditions, at dozens of Japanese companies. At the time of the 1965 treaty, which established diplomatic ties between the two countries, Japan paid the equivalent of $300 million -- $2.4 billion in today’s money. (the Washington Post).

S. Korean Government should sort it out by honest and honorable manner. S. Korean Government should take care of its citizens because Japanese Government has already paid their compensation.

However, if those involving Japanese Companies and Japanese Government have empathy and pity on those forced labor peoples and then they can help them via Japanese NGO because the generation of their owned Governments have misused and abused their compensation money.