Many thought Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda would be one of the busiest and most active national leaders at the just-ended Seoul Nuclear Security Summit. In reality, however, he was the last to come and first to go. Noda cited a domestic schedule, but most Koreans knew the real reason ― diplomatic discord between Seoul and Tokyo caused by the latter’s provocation.
It is lamentable the Japanese premier himself added fuel to the diplomatic feud. A day before his visit to Seoul, Noda said there is a ``great gap” between Korea’s description of sexual slavery by the Japanese military during World War II and what really happened.
Sexual slavery is not Koreans’ coinage but the conclusion reached by various international organizations, including the U.N. Commissioner for Human Rights, International Labor Organization and the U.S. House of Representatives. One cannot help but ask: What is your own view of the so-called comfort women case, Mr. Prime Minister?
The Japanese leader said there are ``no grounds for the numbers and other details” described on a statue erected recently to memorize the girls and women seduced or coerced into military brothels by the Japanese officials and their local cronies. It is disappointing to see a national leader deny international consensus by caviling at minor points. Noda should ponder why even an editorial in Japan’s largest daily called for Tokyo to apologize to former sex slaves.
We hope the Japanese journalist represents the most conscientious Japanese. Yet the reality seems to be somewhat different, as seen by the new high school textbooks there approved by the Japanese government.
Reports say 54 percent of those history books describe Korea’s easternmost islets Dokdo as Japanese territory. The gradual increase in the number of textbooks containing misinformation is alarming enough, reflecting the tenacious, systematic efforts to enhance their claims. Even more shocking, however, is while some ultra-rightist publishers took the lead in historical distortion in the past, now it is the Tokyo government that is urging all textbook writers to follow their examples, by sending guidelines. It is worrisome Japan is leaning rightward, and very rapidly.
Admittedly, Japan is not in a good situation, economically or otherwise. Also, Noda is a politician ― and one with quite a shaky political foundation ― who has to satisfy extremists’ demands, which tend to grow larger especially in difficult times. Yet we don’t think it an answer to revert to emotional and nationalistic sentiments to get out of the crisis.
It is high time Tokyo took heed of historian Simon Schama who said, ``History should be the instrument of self-criticism, not self-congratulation.” Especially pitied in this regard are the young Japanese students who will have to live with unduly introvert, even incorrect, historical views isolated from international opinions.
Seoul, instead of getting riled up one moment and forgetting the next, needs to cope with Japan’s periodical and systematic challenges with equally cool-headed and meticulously-planned countermeasure.
It must make every effort to win over Japan’s logic, be it through global media or in international courts. It will be a long battle the nation can neither avoid nor afford to lose.