  Settle historical issue for the sake of future -- Akahata editorial, March 11When South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun spoke in a ceremony to commemorate the March 1st independence movement in 1919 resisting Japan's colonial rule, he admitted that the Government sees some deficiency regarding the "Korea-Japan Treaty on Basic Relations" and in the matter concerning compensation and promised to make an effort to reach an appropriate conclusion. He also called on the Japanese government and its people to do the same to settle historical issues. Some newspapers have expressed critical views on the Rho statement as "a hindrance to Japan-South Korea relations" (Yomiuri, March 3). They say that all apologies and reparations have been done by the Japanese with successive prime ministers' statements and in the 1965 Japan-South Korea Treaty, and that it is unjust to rehash old issues. Are these arguments justifiable? War responsibility In settling historical questions, it is essential for Japan to make clear that the Tenno (emperor) government's war of aggression and colonization of Korea was a mistake, accept responsibility for the war, and compensate for the damages it caused. In order to prevent the error of Japanese militarism from being repeated, it is necessary to share the historical outlook with South Korea and settle outstanding questions. This is the only path for Japan to build a peaceful future in cooperation with South Korea. In South Korea, an overall review of history is under way, including the declassification of diplomatic documents from the time of the conclusion of the Japan-South Korea Treaty. It is within this context that President Roh stated: "Japan and South Korea share the same destiny in working together to open the age of Northeast Asia. Unless the two countries pursue the path forward the consolidation of peace, and common prosperity through mutual cooperation, our two countries cannot guarantee the safety and happiness of our citizens; We should be born again as genuine neighbors by bringing down, with truth and sincerity, the mental wall blocking our two peoples; I will not make a diplomatic issue out of the historic problems involving the two countries, and there has been no change in my thinking. The problem cannot be solved by our efforts alone; sincere efforts are needed on the part of the government and people of Japan. As a matter of fact, the Japan-South Korea Treaty and bilateral negotiations have not "settled" every historical issue. It was in July, 1992 that the Chief Cabinet Secretary stated that the Japanese government acknowledged that it had been involved in the use of wartime "comfort women" from the Korean Peninsula. However, the government refused to compensate for them. It established the "Asian Women's Fund" in 1995 with the stated aim of helping victims to relieve their pain, but rejected the keen demand for government compensation. More than 20 suits have been filed against the government and related corporations by former wartime sex slaves and those who had been taken to Japan during the war, demanding an apology and compensation. All these have taken place since the 1990s. The remains of those who had been taken from Korea for forced labor and killed in Japan are still temporarily kept at temples throughout Japan. What is worse, Koizumi Cabinet's members continue to make statements ignoring and even distorting history. Nakayama Nariaki, the Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology Minister, last November stated, "I'm very happy that the number of instances of the use of terms like 'wartime sex slaves' and 'compulsory taking' has decreased in school textbooks." Senior vice education minister Shimomura Hakubun on March 6 went so far as to criticize the textbook screening provision that calls for "consideration to neighboring countries." The task is for the Japanese people to heighten public awareness of the need to overcome these adverse currents. A task of Japan Exchanges between Japan and South Korea have been increasing as seen by the recent boom of "Korean culture." If we are to establish mutual trust and cooperation with the Korean people and solidify bilateral ties by making "future-oriented" efforts, Japan must do more to look at the truth of history and share the common view of history. Such efforts are inseparable from the effort to make Japan a peace-loving and democratic country that will never again resort to war. To this end, we must apply the constitutional principles of peace and democracy to all areas of society, and make efforts to establish and develop a regional order of peace in Asia based on the United Nations Charter. (end) |