AB comments

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was mistaken in saying Japan should brace for a 5 years of cold relation with South Korea. Seems like it'll be worse than that, with how the South favors the North over its East neighbor.

I look forward to seeing where that childish country stands in the eventual WW3 within the next few decades.

Japan's attitude in how they view their imperialistic empire and the South Koreans' attitude in brainwashing their young into developing hatred towards Japan are to be blamed for the fundamental core issues of Japan and South Korea's relationship.

However, the 1965 and 2015 deals were agreements that were shared and accepted, as well as recognized by both sides on governmental level. The current rock-bottom diplomatic relationship between the 2 occurred after Moon's government ripping apart the 2015 deal, which made Japan views SK to be untrustworthy and the rulings of South Korean courts that disregarded the international agreement of 1965 between the 2 countries, which leads Japan to believe SK might simply repeat this issue in the future.

How Moon acted back in 2017, paired with how self-interpreting the South Korean courts are regarding international deal brought the diplomatic relation between Japan and South Korea to their current state. Every individuals are free to have their own feelings about the matter, but they should not have any right nor power to overturn international agreements.

I'm not seeing this sort of encouragement from more activists into France, China, North Korea, Russia, UK and US. Or perhaps I am missing something?

Hypothetically speaking, if these activists are each surrounded by 3 shotguns point-blank, surely they will understand Japan's position, both figuratively and literally?

Is the SK government caving in after their bravado? Seems like Moon finally realized that 2015 deal was an official deal, but a bit too late to notice it wasn't a domestical one.

If even Moon's government admits that 2015 deal was legit, well, I wonder how some of the JT readers here will feel.

I guess Japan made the mistake of not directly offering the hundreds of millions to the victims back in 1965. Trusting the Korean government to give the money to the victims now bites Japan.

Well, 1965 deal was ultimately useless after a few decades, despite there being a clause about no more discussion of compensation will occur anymore, hah.

I am confused; the 2015 deal aimed to compensate the Korean victims, but it was unpopular amongst them because the K government didn't discuss with the women, right? So does this mean the Korean courts discussed this case with them this time? Without the defendant, Japan being in the same room of discussion? That isn't how courts or deals are supposed to work, especially when they involve different nations, right? All sides should be discussing together, right?

So do the comfort women seek money as compensation, or do they seek genuine apology? Or do they seek both? Yet 2015 compensation money is not to be seen as an attempt of apology, but as an attempt by Japan to silence the victims? So money is not accepted as a sign of apology but they want money and something else as a gesture of apologizing? I wonder if they will accept an apology from the Japanese government if money is not given to them. Maybe they'll claim it is not genuine enough and asks for proper compensation instead, which usually ends up as money. But then the money is regarded as silencing the victims and letting go of responsibilities, which will then spiral into asking for genuine apology again.

Goodness, this cycle of hatred is truly maddening.

What an unfortunate turn of event. May she rests in peace.

We shouldn't speak ill of the dead. Innocent until proven guilty, no? Hopefully the truth will come sooner or later.

Putting aside how childish the South Korean government acted for the past years, Japan shouldn't just say it will continue to hold dialogues without any substantial progress. It will be meaningless and empty for both sides.

That is, if Japan actually cares enough to bother with Korea.

Good sir/madame SJ, you were leaking hints of racism by generalising the entire Japanese based on past mistakes. Do forgive me if I am hasty in my judgement though.

That asides, the article you linked is irrelevant to our current news, no?

This reeks of desperation. The Korean side is almost screaming to the world that they need Japan to be very generous and favour them as an important pillar of their economy (in terms of supplying materials of importance).

Regardless, whether the world has any capacity to care for this overly drawn-out nonsensical chronicle of politics, time will tell us the answer.

Stop fanning the flame of hatred from past if you don't want to burn the future down. Do the right thing and teach history properly, without bias and with honesty. Settle and talk earnestly with one another instead of being painfully childish. Don't reverse "irreversible" agreement if you want your words to hold any weight. Uphold promises.

Something both Korea and Japan should do.