Aso to visit S Korea to discuss wartime labor issue

How Aso will solve that? Just expect he won't make any gaffe during his trip.

Former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso is planning to visit South Korea for two days from Wednesday, government and ruling party sources said, as the two countries grapple with wartime labor issues amid signs of improving ties.

There are ironies heaped upon ironies, probably not lost to the Korean side, about the visit of this "figure", Taro Aso.

Firstly, how about his hereditary political ties and the fact that his family wealth is partly based upon businesses which drew upon slave/indentured labor from Koreans?

@dagon

exactly. The irony of him negotiating this issue with South Korea is beyond comprehension.

Don’t screw this up Aso, you parasitic waste of our taxes.

Will he be visiting his benefactors at the Unification Church head office while he is there??

Oh dear. What could possibly go wrong here.

Sending Aso makes Japan's intentions and opinion very clear.

Clearly the wrong choice for such a sensitive matter.

Brilliant choice as his family businesses were allegedly, directly involved with war time slave labor.

Aso to visit S Korea to discuss wartime labor issue

Seriously??? Is this a joke???

This opportunity requires an experienced time served proven diplomate.

A diplomate able to chose a team to bring/offer a future that recognises the importance of treaty law and its implementation..

Former Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso is a hard boiled revisionist firmly routed in the past and prone to outbursts and gaffes. Aso is the very definition of old guard talentless ruling government entitlement.

Not AGAIN pleeeeeease, this issue will never be put to rest for as long as $$$ is involved.

It is always good to talk about issues.

10,000 Koreans forced to work in the Aso family mine from 1939-1945.

is he the right guy?

+Well he is a Catholic and around 30% of South Koreans are christians.

-the guy makes an unlimited supply of gaffes.

I don't believe Taro Aso is the right person to mend relations. It's just my opinion of course, but I would bet that he doesn't do a good job at it.

THIS guy? Seriously? The human gaffe machine from a family with a history of using slave labor? THAT guy……

(Jesus….)

Sending him is a clear indication of how the Japanese wish this to be resolved. More or less that the South Koreans acknowledge the illegitimacy of their claims under international law and find a face-saving way to abandon them at least in practical effect.

Not that I'm dissing this. I believe my views on those South Korean court decisions is well known at least to the bunch that were here for awhile.

Can’t stand the bloke but this is the perfect assignment for him. He won’t give a inch and he’ll offend them at the same time, good thinking.

Perfect choice, if you understand the pro-Japan background of the current ruling party in Korea, who are allied with those families that collaborated with the Imperial Jpn government to oppress Korean citizens during Japan's colonialization of the peninsula 1910-1945.

I really don't think he is mentally qualified for this task. The best Japan can hope for is that he goes and comes back without saying something stupid that causes a major international crisis.

This issue should die out soon.

Let those who are left alive, directly claim themselves, and, be paid off individually.

The State, and others acting on behalf of Persons since deceased, should take a hike.... and this goes for all issues raised similarly Globally. Let bygones by bygones time to move on.

Sadly, I think, during current times, when "money is tight", is the actual underlying factor behind a lot of these claims.

Good luck! Also he should be asking Korean consumers to buy Japanese products more!

If history is any indication, it will most likely fail, but I give him and his counterpart in Korea a chance.