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Japan-South Korea trade dispute threatens global tech market

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By Claire LEE

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I wonder at this point what exactly does the Korean governments keep wanting to “achieve” from Japan.

Would they be happy from an apology and recognition of their claims and then let it all be?

This seems more and more like a self victimizing yet nationalist project that only makes sense to Koreans.

18 ( +28 / -10 )

Japanese government doesn't ban to export 3 key materials for semiconductors. Japanese government decided to exclude SK from the list of special treatment for exportation. It's purely domestic affair. Japan has the right to decide about domestic affairs by itself.

17 ( +23 / -6 )

Having been born and grown up in Japan I can say that a lot of my friends (most are born in the early to mid 90s) love Korea.

They travel there frequently as it's close, spend money on merchandise, souvenirs, go to KPOP concerts what have you.

Yet the dinosaur government in South Korea keep blaming them, literally shoving them all under the same comb as their ancestors for something that happened last generation.

90% of the people living in Japan today had nothing to do with WW2, yet they all get blamed for it.

That's bad, but let us let it slide. So Japan apologizes and pays Korea at least twice (officially) to make amends to their surviving victims and brainwashed population.

The South Korean government does one of two things; (A. They Squander the donations on whatever Korean business they need funds to. Or (B. They let it sit and rot.

I read a while back the South Korean government reaching out to Japan to "find out what to do" with the funds Japan paid them recently. What kind of moronic question is that? Why did you want the funds to begin with, have all the company adoptions ruined your brains? You wanted it for the surviving Women from WW2, why not give it to them?

South Korea never paid the victims their money once, but somehow manages to boost their hopes that it will be resolved soon, making me think the victims own government are just lying to them.

Soon these comfort women will be gone, all of them, and the only reason they had to live out their last years in some run-down old folks home is because their own government was too busy milking Japan instead of giving them the funds that Japan already compensated. Twice.

Everyone forgave Germany, and though Japan is more reserved at admitting to its war-crimes, they did admit to them and compensate, apologized, but Korea never accepted it. Many asian countries are still vary of our nation, but even China has been more willing on that front that Korea, and that says a lot considering how much China is stuck up with history.

Now Japan, after whom knows how many decades, have had enough and slapped the South Korean government with sanctions, they're still crying foul and trying to report it to the trade organization?

Well news for you Seoul, I love your country and this may sound biased coming from a Japanese.

But even in Europe where I currently live, no one is buying your bull, no one is feeling pity for you.

You're stubbornly digging your grave even deeper. And if you have to really feel a huge burn before you open your eyes, well, that's on you.

16 ( +22 / -6 )

South Korea is playing the same old "let's try to turn the world against Japan" game. If the global economy tech sector suffers, only South Korea is to blame as they foolishly carried out a passive "war" against Japan on every front harping on WWII issues much of it based on their own historical revisionism. Now they go crying to the WTO when it isn't a trade issue, to the UN when South Korea has refused ICJ jurisdiction and defied UN sanctions against North Korea, to the U.S. when they alone have done everything they could to break apart the US-JPN-SK strategic alliance with their fixation on hating Japan. And now they want to convince the world that it's "Japan's fault" if the tech industry suffers or faces higher costs.

Are there no intelligent leaders in South Korea who could have foreseen this happening as South Korea continuously needled Japan over WWII issues, breaking signed agreements, destroying the "trust" between the two countries? It was inevitable that the continuing fixation on hating Japan was eventually going to backfire.

Japan is not "doing" anything other than to remove South Korea from a list of "trusted" nations.

15 ( +23 / -8 )

Go Japan.

Let's hope the world is not as narrow minded and stupid as the South Korean government thinks they are.

The SK government and anti-Japan nationalists are as per usual bringing up the 'comfort women/colonialism' card, trying to gain world support against Japan by deliberately lying that Japan has 'never' apologized or atoned for its past sins. Never mind that such issues have absolutely nothing at ALL to do with the current trade row.

Grow up South Korean government!

12 ( +21 / -9 )

The failure was by the SK court that ruled for forced reparations by confiscation of Japanese corporate assets.

This has damaging implications for all foreign investment in SK in addition to the now escalating SK-J trade friction.

11 ( +17 / -6 )

"Russia offers to supply etching gas,..."

Good for them; good luck to Korea.

Japan produces about 90% of fluorinated polyimides and resist worldwide as well as about 70% of etching gas, making it difficult for chipmakers to find alternatives.

This ban includes other materials than the etching gas (70% of which Japan alone produces) anyway.

Let Korea get 30% of etching gas from Russia and China. Any news on the other gases?

Japan should do the same to miniature components and precision machinery, which they also dominate.

11 ( +15 / -4 )

Dear S. Korea,

All this problems can go away if you follow the agreement you signed in 1965, in 2015.

We will show you the same amount of respect, courtesy, honesty, as you have shown us in return for the past 60 years.

Being nice didn't work, compesation didn't work, apologies didn't work, and it didn't make you hate Japan any less, so let's try the opposite of being nice.

10 ( +14 / -4 )

AkieToday  07:13 am JST

thepersoniamnow, coupling politics with trade is totally wrong, 

You're very funny.

https://www.nytimes.com/2010/09/23/business/global/23rare.html

8 ( +16 / -8 )

S. Korea wants America to be involved, UN, but when it comes to settling disputes which affect Japanese companies and assets, S. Korea refuses a 3rd party to be involved. Irony

8 ( +11 / -3 )

The point is South Korea violated the UN resolution and shipped those chemicals to North Korea and other rogue nations. The chemicals are not just vital in chipmaking but can also be used for enriching uranium and making nerve gases. It’s a security issue and Japan has a responsibility to keep the chemicals from getting into the wrong hands

7 ( +10 / -3 )

@SJ

Is that what the Korean news told you?

Misinformation does run wild in S. Korea especially when it comes to Japan.

We will continue to show you the same amount of friendship, honey and courtesy you've shown Japan for the last several decades. Enjoy

7 ( +11 / -4 )

You know the people who keep bringing up the past, are the ones with the inferiority complex, or aren’t over the past, or are wrapped up in jealousy or resentment.

The Korean government is determined to let the past dictate the future and to keep bringing it up. You cannot debate that this matter has been agreed to be closed.

6 ( +8 / -2 )

No reliability is no security. It's not the matter of money. The matter is whether Japanese people can sleep well at night or not.

5 ( +7 / -2 )

Japan-South Korea trade dispute threatens global tech market

Hardships of Korean tech giants threatens global tech market?

How enormous conceit this crap is.

Koreans looking down too much on the depth of global market.

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Lots of people talk about "what Japan did in the past". What Japan did was modernize based on the British imperialist model. Why does Britian always get a pass?

5 ( +9 / -4 )

Who is Claire Lee, and why is she presenting only the South Korean side of the story? The Japanese Government has repeatedly denied that this issue is related to ongoing bilateral issues including the South Korean court's recent surprising decision on compensation for forced labor. Rather it has stated that the ban relates specifically to South Korea's repeated transgressions of export controls relating to the on-selling of these chemicals and their products. Why doesn't Claire Lee mention that?

4 ( +6 / -2 )

What efforts at reconciliation? The reason why Europeans have forgiven Germany is because German leaders have kneeled down on statutes are cried and begged for forgiveness. Germany have not only compensated financially everybody which amounted to several hundred billion dollars, they also teach their kids since youn age how bad their country was. Nazi symbols are banned in Germany, and saying one good word about Nazi germany would get you arrested. Now compare that with Japan where J politicians literally deny their entire history, and keep antagonizing and insulting Koreans and Chinese by saying comfort women were sluts and Chinese are lying, and then claim they should be thankful to the Japanese for liberating them, and then visit the Yasukuni Shrine where Tojo is enshrined. Do you seriously think there would ever be peace in Europe if Merkel or any German politician, not even a leader, just any bozo from their government visits a Church where Hitler is enshrined, or says that Poland should be thankful to Germany for liberating them from Russia, or that the Jews are lying? Bro, i am originally from Europe, you have no idea what will happen in Europe if they did that. There is going to be a very violent riots on the streets, cars will be trashed, buildings will be burned. You see what the French do when they protest for minimum wage, imagine what they would do if German officials deny their history. Peace in Europe would be impossible if Germany took the same position Japan did.

Good Job, You must be a bit tired of still erroneously comparing Japan with Nazi Germany.

Yes you really are like a Robot, in particular, when you speak of anything about Japan vs Korea.

Lie is Lie. Fact is fact. You would never know quite a bit of people are completely fed up with stereotyped

narratives like you often introduce here in JT comments section

4 ( +5 / -1 )

Two of the chemicals targeted, hydrogen fluoride gas and photoresists,

A minor point, but a "photoresist" is not a chemical, but a material used to make printed circuit boards and the like.

3 ( +5 / -2 )

Akie, how can you uncouple trade from politics.. its simply not possible.

Politics or the political structure of a county, democratic, communist, dictatorships and if goods are fairly distributed, or fund or assist unfriendly nations, weapons, if that trade severely effects the origin countries own export economy... its all intertwined deeply.

South Korea, as does China, politically loves to play the Japan Victim card when it suits it, but of course its all politics, there is very little done to help those who may have suffered historical misdeeds.

South Korea has now reneged on several agreements with Japan.. you can see how this doesn't encourage more discussions and agreements.

There is another factor.. when/if these private companies are forced to pay and then are bailed out by the government who pays, the tax payer, very few if any tax payer in Japan had anything to do with Japan's actions during that time, I certainly did not.

Japan paid reparations as did Germany after the war and has done again since with South Korea, yes Japan could be a little more contrite about it all but move on South Korea, start co-operating with the other US ally democracy in the region before that opportunity goes away, and possibly not by choice.

2 ( +5 / -3 )

Akie

Lol. Simply claim WHAT?

There is nothing to claim and grab from anything international. What is this fallacy? If there was a “poor victims of Japan” fund set up, wouldn’t the Korean and Chinese governments be in it like Pooh Bear?

2 ( +3 / -1 )

Honestly, I find some pro-Korea people a bit naive here. They are really sure that the world will side with SK in this stuff, and on the surface this could happen. But I am not sure behind the scenes tech powerhouses like the US and China are not really supporting the fast resolution of this bickering between Japan and South Korea. Why do you think the whole world should be okay with SK dominating the chip making market? The US never forced some real sanctions on SK or whatever, how it could? And while it's true that the US support a relatively strong Korean economy in their interests, I doubt they are really okay with SK being the world leader in chip making. In the short term this situation could hurt Apple, but in the long term Apple and many other American, Chinese and European companies could take advantage of this situation. I doubt the whole world is here only to support the giant Samsung, like some South Koreans think. We live in an age of war trade for a reason. I highly doubt Trump is "Sorry" for a fight that is hurting American companies' competitors both in Japan and SK. Actually, these news are big news in South Korea and (a bit less) in Japan press, but in Western press they are treated like absolute minor news by mainstream media. This is ACTUALLY, MAINLY a SK/Japan problem that in the LONG TERM could FAVOR Western and Chinese companies. So, if South Koreans think all the world will side with them to keep them the world leader in chip making, sorry but I think they are really naive. This is a huge chance to hurt South Korean leadership both for the West and China.

2 ( +7 / -5 )

These news articles are basically making a big fuss over nothing. There aren't even tariffs involved! Bunch of over-hyped fake news...

2 ( +2 / -0 )

"Trade wars are good, and easy to win." - Donald J. Trump, 2018.

Trump is 100% right, and Japan is going to win this trade war with Korea. No doubt. Moon better come to his senses and overturn the court decision against Nippon Steel, or the SK economy is destroyed.

1 ( +7 / -6 )

No.. Akie, China maybe have renounced Reparations but has happily accepted 30 billion in development funds from Japan instead. It can not claim those reparations it renounced.

China has no "good will" as such it is no different to any other country, it will do whatever it needs to be successful, so far that other that some territorial posturing has been mostly peaceful but Im not confident that will continue.

South Korea is being played and as I said needs to forget enemies of the past to work worth its closest most similar democratic country Japan better, else its citizens will end up under the control of an authoritarian government that promises independence like in the case of Hong Kong but very quickly shows it can't resist being authoritarian.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

Honestly, so far I had found American complacency towards South Korean leadership in some key tech industries a bit weird, by considering the historical hard attitude that America showed towards competitors like Japan and China. I always thought the US were more tollerant towards SK because after all SK economy was small, but Samsung and other chaebols became monster companies that are hurting American technology leadership in a way that isn't different by how Japanese and Chinese companies did. So, I think Trump is REALLY OKAY with this situation and I doubt the fact Japan took this decision IMMEDIATELY after the last G20 is completely random. SK took advantage by American complacency for long time, but the times changed.

1 ( +5 / -4 )

@IloveCoffee: your narrative about WWII and European politics look at elementary school level.

1 ( +3 / -2 )

"South Korea is the world leader when it comes to chip-making, and Japan is the world leader in the manufacturing of the key materials for chip-making," said Ahn Ki-hyun, vice-president of the Korea Semiconductor Industry Association."

And this, more than anything else shows who's the real John Bullocks.

One of them makes, the other makes that which allows the other one to make.

Simples.

1 ( +1 / -0 )

The Trump administration can not intervene this matter, because Abe is imitating exactly what Trump is doing on China. The only words Trump can say is "Don't copy me, Abe".

0 ( +6 / -6 )

"With this trade row, Japan and South Korea are both losing the best partners. And neither of them will find good alternatives for a very long time," he added.

I think IloveCoffee 7.59 and stepoutsidethebox 8:01 are on the money here.

I don't believe this is about some decades-long dispute over forced labour.

What's the larger agenda here?

"In politics, nothing happens by accident. If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way." Franklin D. Roosevelt

0 ( +1 / -1 )

I find it very hypocritical how people get on here talking about the freedom of the press in Japan while being quite derogetory about Japan and its leaders in complete safety and confidence knowing full well in some of the countries they suggest are so peaceful and great if they did the same thing they might disappear to a work camp... Japan has its issues no doubt and as I have said repeatedly I wish it was a little more contrite about the past however don't be fooled it is at least quite free in comparison with other countries near by.

0 ( +4 / -4 )

I meant, "I am not really sure behind the scene tech powerhouses like the US and China ARE* really supporting the fast resolution of this bickering between Japan and South Korea".

0 ( +3 / -3 )

Out of curiosity, where can a copy of the 1965 Testy be found?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Whoa. I won't get my LG washer and dryer?

0 ( +0 / -0 )

@NZ2011

I find it very hypocritical how people get on here talking about the freedom of the press in Japan while being quite derogetory about Japan and its leaders in complete safety and confidence knowing full well in some of the countries they suggest are so peaceful and great if they did the same thing they might disappear to a work camp... Japan has its issues no doubt and as I have said repeatedly I wish it was a little more contrite about the past however don't be fooled it is at least quite free in comparison with other countries near by.

Yes. I agree that the press freedom in Japan is better than N. Korea or China. But it is at the same level as Mongolia, technically a communist country. Despite the strict laws involving N. Korea, S. Korea anyway leads the the 2019 world press freedom index in Asia. https://rsf.org/en/ranking

Journalists have been complaining of a climate of mistrust toward them ever since Shinzo Abe became prime minister again in 2012. The system of “kisha clubs” (reporters’ clubs) continues to discriminate against freelancers and foreign reporters. On social networks, nationalist groups harass journalists who are critical of the government or cover “antipatriotic” subjects such as the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear disaster or the US military presence in Okinawa. The government continues to refuse any debate about a law protecting “Specially Designated Secrets,” under which whistleblowers, journalists and bloggers face up to ten years in prison if convicted of publishing information obtained “illegally.” 

https://rsf.org/en/japan

A recent poll shows that 60% of Japaneses supports the retaliatory export regulation on S. Korea by the Abe administration, demonstrating again how successfully the Japanese government has controlled the Japanese media, brainwashed obedient Japaneses to instigated anti-Korean mood. The most of news from the Japanese new portals on the export ban on S. Korea are misleading or exaggerated. For example, the Japanese government says the export regulation is not related with illegal exports of S. Korea to N. Korea, but those tabloid-like media such Sankei reports what Abe actually wants to say: the export regulation is for retaliating the ruling of S. Korean court, or the illegal exports to N. Korea. Officially, nobody knows the reason behind the export regulation. Even Abe himself does not know. Only the Japanese tabloids know.

0 ( +2 / -2 )

What efforts at reconciliation? The reason why Europeans have forgiven Germany is because German leaders have kneeled down on statutes are cried and begged for forgiveness. Germany have not only compensated financially everybody which amounted to several hundred billion dollars, they also teach their kids since youn age how bad their country was. Nazi symbols are banned in Germany, and saying one good word about Nazi germany would get you arrested. Now compare that with Japan where J politicians literally deny their entire history, and keep antagonizing and insulting Koreans and Chinese by saying comfort women were sluts and Chinese are lying, and then claim they should be thankful to the Japanese for liberating them, and then visit the Yasukuni Shrine where Tojo is enshrined. Do you seriously think there would ever be peace in Europe if Merkel or any German politician, not even a leader, just any bozo from their government visits a Church where Hitler is enshrined, or says that Poland should be thankful to Germany for liberating them from Russia, or that the Jews are lying? Bro, i am originally from Europe, you have no idea what will happen in Europe if they did that. There is going to be a very violent riots on the streets, cars will be trashed, buildings will be burned. You see what the French do when they protest for minimum wage, imagine what they would do if German officials deny their history. Peace in Europe would be impossible if Germany took the same position Japan did.

@Ilovecoffe - could not agree more.

Some say Japan tried to copy England's imperialistic model at the time. But I would think they obviously lacked Christ and substituted it with shintoism, thus lacked a sense of human rights and civil mindedness.

I know people who are married to a japanese spouse, and they have serious sense of stubbornness and unwillingness to accept others' differences, let a lone a disability or handicap. Seems everything has to be their way or within their cultural worshipping acceptances. If you combine that with an unhealthy homogenous mindset, you have some dangerous folk. I am sure many POW's would tell you how they are.

0 ( +0 / -0 )

Testy?

Do you know what a testy is over here in Britain?

https://treaties.un.org/doc/Publication/UNTS/Volume%20583/volume-583-I-8473-English.pdf

Check for article(s) II & III; me knows wat yer wanna kno already.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Sotty Peepimg_Tom. Switched off the dictionary and spell checker.

And, Next time in the UK I'll go to spec-savers.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

I am South Korean. The recent trade or political dispute between Korea and Japan was definitely caused by South Korean government's stupid policy. Not all Korean people are un-reasonable. Rather many South Korean sees the issue against Korean government's policy, and they just don't say it much. Those who are against Japan emotionally call people like me "traitors", but I don't care-facts are facts. Also many think that boycotting Japanese products will neither help resolve the situation nor help bilateral relationship.

I just want you people from Japan know that there are many reasonable people still in Korea.

-1 ( +1 / -2 )

These news articles are basically making a big fuss over nothing. There aren't even tariffs involved! Bunch of over-hyped fake news...

Correct.

-1 ( +0 / -1 )

Another key manufacturer LG Display said it had been testing fluorinated polyimide made in China and Taiwan to see if it can replace Japanese supplies if needed.

I knew it, and that's not all, i strongly suspect the Chinese tech giants are going to come out as the only winners from this dispute. Two dogs fight for a bone, and a third runs away with it. Hilarious.

-2 ( +10 / -12 )

wow. This entire article is EXACTLY what I was talking about in my massively down voted post a few days ago "This is a Japan Korea thing, but this is hurting the west too..." \ Typical Japan today users.

-2 ( +10 / -12 )

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Treaty_on_Basic_Relations_between_Japan_and_the_Republic_of_Korea

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comfort_women

I wondered so I looked for above information.

If not fake news, It appears 2015 agreement was upheld in 2018.

Need to read.

Please think about all victims.

It makes me sad to segregate victims with nationality.

-2 ( +1 / -3 )

Why does Britian always get a pass?

Because they are an English speaking nation, and their press has a firm control on the narrative. Just like in Japan, UK war crimes and massacres are not taught in their school or textbooks, kids there have literally no idea what their people did, in fact, they are proud of their so called Empire, which consisted of invading empty land and tribal african countries. It's not uncommon to see English YouTubers with a map of their Empire behind them claiming they are not proud of it. At least the Japanese kinda know the empire days were bad, wheres the English are shamelessly proud of their Empire. I still remember that UK politician who said in a tweet how moral and noble the British Empire were, but regardless of what they said, they are in control of the narrative, so we never get to head anything bad about them. Imagine if Japanese was the international language, you think we would ever hear anything about Nanking Massacre of Comfort women? The Japanese would be in firm control of the narrative, just like they are today within their own country where few people speak any other language.

Whilst true that Japan did not do as much to right the past wrongs as Germany did, Korea was never ready to accept Japanese efforts at reconciliation as much as the European victims of German aggression.

What efforts at reconciliation? The reason why Europeans have forgiven Germany is because German leaders have kneeled down on statutes are cried and begged for forgiveness. Germany have not only compensated financially everybody which amounted to several hundred billion dollars, they also teach their kids since youn age how bad their country was. Nazi symbols are banned in Germany, and saying one good word about Nazi germany would get you arrested. Now compare that with Japan where J politicians literally deny their entire history, and keep antagonizing and insulting Koreans and Chinese by saying comfort women were sluts and Chinese are lying, and then claim they should be thankful to the Japanese for liberating them, and then visit the Yasukuni Shrine where Tojo is enshrined. Do you seriously think there would ever be peace in Europe if Merkel or any German politician, not even a leader, just any bozo from their government visits a Church where Hitler is enshrined, or says that Poland should be thankful to Germany for liberating them from Russia, or that the Jews are lying? Bro, i am originally from Europe, you have no idea what will happen in Europe if they did that. There is going to be a very violent riots on the streets, cars will be trashed, buildings will be burned. You see what the French do when they protest for minimum wage, imagine what they would do if German officials deny their history. Peace in Europe would be impossible if Germany took the same position Japan did.

-2 ( +4 / -6 )

@Alex80

Well it doesn't matter because it's all facts. All i did was cite the facts. In Germany, those facts are taught to all kids in early days of school. Do you have any other facts?

-2 ( +2 / -4 )

NZ2011, you misinterpreted the good will of Koreans and Chinese. Smart people will not forget mistake done in the past. Northeast Asians don't want wars again, that is a good thing, not bad thing. If Koreans and Chinese want to play victim card, then they can simply claim the war damage supported by international laws. If Japan didn't colonize other neighbours, as what the west did to many others, then this will not happen at all, the so called "history victim". The northeast asians will be the happiest nations on the planet. And this trade dispute will never happen.

-5 ( +1 / -6 )

thepersoniamnow, China waived $ 1 trillion of war compensation caused by Imperialist Japan. Don't upset China, because the waiver is conditional. Of course I wouldn't recommend China to do so.

-6 ( +1 / -7 )

@AlexBecu

@SJ

Is that what the Korean news told you?

Misinformation does run wild in S. Korea especially when it comes to Japan.

You said they 'signed' in 2015, but you can not show the signatures.

Even you do not know the fact that it was actually an oral announcement, not a written agreement with signatures.

Despite just a joint oral announcement with various legal flaws, the Moon's administration at least tried to respect it.

https://www.yjil.yale.edu/not-final-and-irreversible-explaining-south-koreas-january-2018-reversal-on-the-comfort-women-agreement/

Please check the fact first, before arguing anything. The fact is far different than your belief or imagination, especially for Japan where the press freedom is severely limited by the control of government. For example: https://www.npr.org/2018/11/30/672423391/japan-times-newspaper-redefines-comfort-women-and-forced-labor

-6 ( +4 / -10 )

@Mizuame

Rather it has stated that the ban relates specifically to South Korea's repeated transgressions of export controls relating to the on-selling of these chemicals and their products. 

The press freedom in Japan is deplorable. Even the Japanese government officials said yesterday the ban is irrelevant of the so-called transgressions. Yet, the Japanese government has not specified the reason of ban. They always obfuscate it, which now becomes a tradition. But the Japanese media dances orchestrated by the government and business.

Look around the world, and see the status of press freedom of Japan: https://rsf.org/en/ranking

-7 ( +4 / -11 )

The Japanese and South Korean governments cannot sign away the right of individuals to claim back wages from companies. The concept is completely ludicrous. Its like your uncle going to your workplace and telling your boss there is no need to pay you a salary from now on.

-8 ( +3 / -11 )

@AlexBecu

All this problems can go away if you follow the agreement you signed in 1965, in 2015.

Did they sign anything in 2015? Please show the signatures.

Misinformation is so widespread here, and I can not touch all of them.

-8 ( +4 / -12 )

Dear Japan and Korea!

Stop The Hate!

Both of You!

Now!

-8 ( +3 / -11 )

https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/International-relations/Russia-offers-to-supply-etching-gas-to-S-Korea-amid-Japan-export-curb

Russia is offering to supply etching gas to South Korea, in a move that could help Seoul get around Japanese restrictions on exports to its neighbor of the key element for semiconductor production.

The South Korean government is reviewing Moscow's proposal to supply the gas called hydrogen fluoride, a source in the presidential Blue House said Friday.

Looks like Russia has found itself a new source of business revenue, and Japan is losing one. Many here won't like this news in the slightest.

-9 ( +10 / -19 )

@MiaTanaka - Interesting post. Here's my reponse. It won't be popular on JT, but I hope we can engage in a meaningful discussion. 

They travel there frequently as it's close, spend money on merchandise, souvenirs, go to KPOP concerts what have you.

Likewise for Koreans when it comes to Japan. SK is often the largest source of foreign visitors to Japan, also some months China is. 

Here are some stats: https://statistics.jnto.go.jp/en/graph/

Yet the dinosaur government in South Korea keep blaming them, literally shoving them all under the same comb as their ancestors for something that happened last generation.

Yet the right leaning dinosaurs in Japanese governments have sought to wipe history from textbooks, to the point that many young people in Japan are completely unaware of the true history off WW2. 

See this article from the BBC written by a Japanese woman who went through the Japanese school system: 

https://www.bbc.com/news/magazine-21226068

90% of the people living in Japan today had nothing to do with WW2, yet they all get blamed for it.

More like 99.9%. However, the ruling Japanese government has repeatedly sought to wipe and cleanse history, and the same party is voted in by the majority of the voting public time and time again. So the Japanese voting public are empowering the right leaning Japanese government's efforts to re-write history.

That's bad, but let us let it slide. So Japan apologizes and pays Korea at least twice (officially) to make amends to their surviving victims and brainwashed population.

Brainwashed? Like how most Japanese youths are led to believe they were the victims, rather than the aggressors of WW2? Really, is SK population being hyper-aware of Japanese wrongs in WW2 any worse than the Japanese population being blissfully unaware of its own recent history?

South Korea never paid the victims their money once, but somehow manages to boost their hopes that it will be resolved soon, making me think the victims own government are just lying to them.

This part I agree with, the previous governments have failed the victims. 

Everyone forgave Germany, and though Japan is more reserved at admitting to its war-crimes

Well done for admitting this, many posters here do not, or cannot.

they did admit to them and compensate, apologized, but Korea never accepted it. 

I also acknowledge the Korean government has been stubborn. Whilst true that Japan did not do as much to right the past wrongs as Germany did, Korea was never ready to accept Japanese efforts at reconciliation as much as the European victims of German aggression.

Now Japan, after whom knows how many decades, have had enough and slapped the South Korean government with sanctions, they're still crying foul and trying to report it to the trade organization?

Remember when Japan went crying to the WTO when SK belatedly joined Taiwan in banning Japanese sea produce? Were you as critical of Japan then, as you are of SK now? 

But even in Europe where I currently live, no one is buying your bull, no one is feeling pity for you.

Why would Europe care about SK-Japan disputes unless it affects them directly? Does Japan or Korea care about Greece-Macedonia disputes? 

You're stubbornly digging your grave even deeper. And if you have to really feel a huge burn before you open your eyes, well, that's on you.

I think there will be short term pain for SK but they will find alternatives to Japanese raw materials in the long run and it could hurt Japan more. That's just my opinion and only time will tell.

-9 ( +2 / -11 )

Quote from above: "You know the people who keep bringing up the past, are the ones with the inferiority complex, or aren’t over the past, or are wrapped up in jealousy or resentment."

You mean like Japan and Hiroshima in August? Like Japan in August forgetting the non-Japanese victims of the Atomic Bomb, most of whom are Koreans?

But back to the main news. Abe's sanctions will affect the global computer industry. That means smart phones. How will the Japanese ever be able to drive, cycle or walk without a smart phone in front of them?

Only joking, of course. Seriously, to put it in very simple language, if Japan makes it hard for South Korea to get the stuff they put into the stuff that they put into computers the computer industry will be seriously hurt. When the crisis hits, the South Koreans will save their stuff for their own computers first.

Abe's mess is still in the making.

-9 ( +2 / -11 )

Let these two little brats have their continuing spat. The Chinese and Taiwanese manufacturers will fill the void quickly and this pair of children will be left out in the cold kicking their self inflicted wounds. I really get so sick and tired of these two children playing off against each other. They are like schoolyard brats trying to bully each other.

-9 ( +1 / -10 )

I used to like Japan quite a lot but not anymore. Japan's warlike and hostile attitude to Korea turns Koreans away from Japan.

-9 ( +3 / -12 )

The failure was by the SK court that ruled for forced reparations by confiscation of Japanese corporate assets.

All the Japanese company had to do was pay those people their wages. When people work for your company you don't get to just not pay them their wages.

-10 ( +7 / -17 )

Japanese govt will meet Korean govt. Japanese govt will solemnly explain its policy, and the SK govt will fully understand it. That is the way, no alternatives.

-10 ( +0 / -10 )

yoshi, Japanese govt is very smart. There are plenty loopholes and backdoors, depending on the attitude of SK, and I am sure that SK will compromise to satisfy Japanese govt, but not in the principle of history. That is why coupling the politics and the trade, as what thepersoniamnow is doing, is stupid.

-13 ( +4 / -17 )

Japanese government doesn't ban to export 3 key materials for semiconductors. Japanese government decided to exclude SK from the list of special treatment for exportation. It's purely domestic affair. Japan has the right to decide about domestic affairs by itself.

This has been stated about 300 times on JT, and while true the move is also retaliatory and it also hurts the Japanese exporters but Japanese government has decided it needs to hurt Korea more. Japan used to be the high tech leader in the 1980s and 1990s, and having lost the mantle to South Korea in the digital age never sat well with Japan. It will hurt SK's exports in the short term, but in the long term Japan will lose a source of revenue as well as one of few ways it can hurt SK's economy.

-13 ( +9 / -22 )

thepersoniamnow, coupling politics with trade is totally wrong, because it will not help to resolve the problem. Japan will talk to Korea, no doubt about it, unless everyone is crazy.

-14 ( +6 / -20 )

Both Koreans and Japanese are resilient people, stubborn and smart. What happened is very typical northeast asian things, and it will happen again and again. But if SK can dominate the world in this high tech, and Japan can control that domination, it shows the capability of Northeast Asia. Everything will be fine, as simple as that.

-14 ( +4 / -18 )

NOOOOOO!!!!!!

What will I do without my Note 11. What will we do without the 2020 editions of the Galaxy phones?

Apple fans will be really pissed since Samsung makes the iPhone screens.

How can we survive on old technology?

-14 ( +3 / -17 )

"The Japan-South Korea trade dispute threatens global tech market". And it is entirely Japan's fault. This is not about Korean technology. It is about a court decision that Japan did not like. This mess was made in Japan by Abe and his shortsighted and xenophobic cohorts. Not since Pearl Harbor has a Japanese government done something this stupid and self-destructive.

-14 ( +4 / -18 )

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