By Kim Young-jin
Amid regional tension over territorial disputes, acclaimed Japanese author Haruki Murakami called on politicians Friday to stop playing the nationalism card, likening the tactics to “bad liquor” that would bring regret.
“Territorial issues should be solved practically. When it becomes a matter of nationalist sentiment, it creates a dangerous situation with no exit,” he said in Japan’s Asahi Shimbun.
His remarks came as Japan engages in diplomatic battles with Korea over the Dokdo Islets in the East Sea and with China over an archipelago in the East China Sea. Analysts say the spats, which have plunged the region into disarray, are driven by politicians stirring up national sentiment to garner public support.
"It is like bad liquor, which gets you drunk quickly but makes you aggressive,” said the author who has gained worldwide plaudits for “Norwegian Wood” and “1Q84.” “But it leaves you with a horrible headache.”
Tokyo has stepped up its claim over the Seoul-controlled Dokdo islets since President Lee Myung-bak’s surprise visit there last month, pushing for the case to be taken to international arbitration. Seoul says its jurisdiction is indisputable on historical, geographical and legal grounds and sees Tokyo’s claim as a remnant of its 1910-45 colonial rule.
Japan, experiencing a trend toward nationalism, later took the previously privately-held islands it calls Senkaku into public ownership, touching off the rancorous debate with Beijing, which also claims the archipelago.
Analysts say that politicians in Japan may be seeking to whip up nationalist sentiment ahead of presidential polls at a time when the March 11 earthquake and tsunami have prompted calls for a more robust posture on state affairs.
Some in Japan are however are taking a different stance. Later Friday, a group of 800 Japanese intellectuals issued an appeal for Tokyo to live up to its colonial past and use dialogue, not confrontation to settle disputes.
Meanwhile, Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan strongly reiterated Seoul’s stance over Dokdo, saying there would be "no compromise" on the matters unless Tokyo shows a new attitude.
In unusually sharp remarks during a visit to New York for the U.N. General Assembly, Kim also urged Tokyo to acknowledge its "state and legal" responsibility for its practice of enforced sexual slavery of Korean women during World War II.
During talks with his Japanese counterpart Koichiro Gemba on the sidelines of the meeting, Kim stressed the importance of promoting a "correct understanding of history,” the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade said in a statement.
For author Murakami, the nationalism puts years of cultural ties among East Asian nations at risk.
“As economies have developed over the past twenty years, cultural ties have deepened,” he said. “Territorial disputes should not destroy this unique cultural area.”