Hardly a week goes by without the Japanese government making one diplomatic provocation or another in historical and territorial matters.
So the latest one ― the change of teaching manuals Tuesday to stress the Dokdo islets are an “integral part” of Japanese territory ― is more displeasing than disappointing. It is just part of diplomatic eccentricities shown by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his government to claim what is not theirs and deny what their country did in the past.
In unveiling the new teaching guides, Japan’s education minister said it is “natural for the state to teach ‘properly’ about (Japanese) territory.” There is nothing wrong with the remark except that it used the word “proper” in exactly the opposite meaning.
The official added there are “no contradictions” between territorial education and maintenance of friendship with neighboring countries. Tokyo seems set to test how far diplomatic impudence can go.
It has long been a common knowledge among historians, including many Japanese scholars, that Japan occupied the volcanic outcroppings in the East Sea in 1905 as the first step toward annexing Korea and preparing for a war with Russia. After World War II was over the Allies, led by the United States, left the rocky islets ambiguous rather than returning them to Korea, also to keep the then-Soviet Union from using them in future regional conflicts.
Nothing could look more stupid for most Koreans who have learned about the history of Dokdo dating as far back as the Silla Kingdom of 1,500 years ago. As demonstrated by modern history in which national power was synonymous to international justice, however, the nation has few choices but to ready itself for a long diplomatic war against Japan over historical and territorial matters in the global arena. Nations, like individuals, basically have to defend themselves.
Koreans don’t have to get excited about this matter because the nation effectively administers the islets. But that does not mean Seoul should remain quiet, ignoring Tokyo’s absurd claims, as such nonchalance could only encourage Japan. So it is right for the government to refute Japan’s claims at the upcoming United Nations conference. Also desirable is its decision to jointly conduct historical research with China and other former victims of imperial Japan, and denounce its wartime misdeeds on the international stage.
Yet Koreans still know too little about Japan and the neighbor’s history, while Japanese scholars’ study of Korea and its history are almost unparalleled in the world, even beating those of Koreans sometimes. Particularly, Korean historians need to do extensive research about Japan’s modern political scientists, including Shoin Yoshida ― who is reportedly Abe’s spiritual mentor ― who called for “conquering Korea” as the beginning of Japan’s global ambition.
Even more urgent is to enhance the nation’s own historical education based on “consensual” ― if not uniform ― viewpoints of its modern history, especially with respect to Korea’s relationship with its closest neighbor. As long as there are people who prefer textbooks that justify what Japan did to Korea a century ago, Korea’s chances are slim.
Japan’s political leaders are turning back the historical clock. Korea, along with all conscientious global villagers, including Japanese citizens, ought to stop them.