Japan–Korea disputes

There have been disputes between Japan and Korea (both North and South) on many issues over the years. The two nations have a complex history of cultural exchange, trade, and war, underlying their relations today. In ancient times, cultural exchanges of ideas between Japan and Korea were common through Koreans immigrating to Japan or via Japanese trade and diplomacy with Korea. However, the subsequent Japanese invasions of Korea, such as the Japanese invasions of Korea (1592–1598), and the 1910–1945 annexation of Korea, have scarred the relations of both countries ever since.

Today, Japan and South Korea are major trading partners so many students, tourists, entertainers, and businesspeople travel between the two countries. Conversely, North Korea has little political or economic relations with Japan.

Several unresolved issues continue to make headlines regularly, including issues arising from Japan's militant past that also often involve China and other Asian countries. The respective governments concerned in such disputes are also often accused of exploiting nationalism for political purposes by the other.

Korea under Japanese rule

Main article: Korea under Japanese rule

With the Treaty of Ganghwa in 1875, Japan started interfering in Korean politics. By 1895, the Japanese were able to assassinate Empress Myeongseong of Korea under Miura Goro's directive (Kim et al. 1976),, which later culminated in the Japan-Korea Annexation Treaty in 1910 (which some argue as void and illegal since the treaty was not signed by the Korean Emperor but by a Japanese puppet-government).[1] Following their independence from Imperial Japan, both North and South Korea have demanded official apologies for what they view as a harsh and unjustified occupation of the Korean Peninsula. Although some liberal Japanese cabinet members have since made apologies, many Koreans view them as merely paying insincere lipservice, since subsequent Japanese Prime Ministers and members of the Japanese Diet including the Japanese Ambassador to Seoul,[2] have made statements either whitewashing or outright justifying the Japanese occupation.

Proponents of Japanese nationalism and Japanese imperialism as well as scholars, such as Professor Carter Eckert at Harvard University and Professor Yi (李栄薫) at Seoul National University, have made attempts at justifying the colonial era by citing industrial advances made during that time. Much of this argument has been discredited in recent years, [3] as overall development of the Korean Peninsula did not start until after the end of the Korean War (1950-1953). Japanese control of Korea ended in 1945 with their surrender on the USS Missouri.

Yasukuni Shrine

Main article: Yasukuni Shrine

Visits by Japanese leaders to Yasukuni Shrine, which is dedicated to those who fought on behalf of imperial Japan, have ignited protests in Korea and China since 1985. In 1978, it was publicized that 14 convicted Class-A war criminals and about a thousand others convicted for war crimes during World War II were enshrined. Though the Japanese emperors have not visited the shrine since, three Japanese leaders have paid their respects there. Japan's 89th Prime Minister, Junichiro Koizumi, has visited the shrine at least five times since taking office in 2001. Koizumi responded to criticisms regarding his visits by stating that his visits to the shrine were to pray for peace and honor the dead, not to glorify militarism. However, Prime Minister Koizumi visited the shrine on August 15, 2006, which is also the date of Korea's Liberation Day celebrating its freedom from Japanese control so, the visit itself could be construed as a deliberate insult to Korea. The Japanese annexation of Korea and Japanese war crimes committed during World War II is a main factor behind anti-Japanese sentiment in South Korea. Despite the election of Shinzo Abe, Japan's 90th Prime Minister, former Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's visits to the Yasukuni Shrine have chilled relations between the two countries.

Comfort Women

Main article: Comfort women

Many in Korea have been demanding compensation for comfort women who were forced to work in military brothels during the World War II for Japanese soldiers. As the few surviving comfort women continue to struggle for acknowledgment and an apology, the Japanese court system has rejected such claims due to the length of time. However, the Japanese government has set up the Asian Women's Fund to address former and contemporary human rights issues related to women. Many rejected these funds due to their unofficial nature, which most regard as insincere. Some Japanese state that there is not a single evidence, such as orders by the army, suggesting kidnapping or coercing of women by the Japanese authority. Some also state that the women were sold as prostitutes often by their parents as it was happening very widely in Japan at the time. However, according to South Korean recordings (North Korean recordings are inaccessible), such claims that there existed no coerced cases are highly questionable. On the other hand, it is also unlikely that the Japanese authorities kidnapped a significant number of women from the Korean society, which was stable before and during the World War II. The Japanese government has been consistently stating that any claims of damage caused by the Japanese occupation to the people of today's Korea (both North and South) have been settled by the Treaty on Basic Relations between South Korea and Japan.

History Textbooks

Main article: Japanese history textbook controversies

The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) reviews and approves the content of school history textbooks available for selection by Japanese schools. Foreign scholars, as well as many Japanese historians, have criticized the political slant and factual errors of some textbooks that have been approved. After the Tsukurukai's textbook passed inspection in April 2001, South Korea demanded to no avail, the revision of 25 passages in the textbook. Korea's demand aroused resentment among those who felt that Korea was interfering in Japanese domestic affairs. So far, Tsukurukai's textbook has been adopted by less than 0.1% of the schools, but has become a bestseller in the general book market, and has caused the viewpoint of textbooks to shift to the right such as, omitting reference to Comfort women. However, it should be noted that there are many Japanese teacher unions that are against the textbook. In contrast, in both South and North Korea, only one series of history textbooks published by the government is allowed for use in schools. Some conservative Japanese scholars claim that Korean textbooks have a bias in criticizing Japan and the Japanese occupation of Korea[4][5][6], but there has been no massive protest against Korean textbooks in Japan to this day.

Compensation

Main article: Treaty on Basic Relations between South Korea and Japan

Twenty years after the end of World War II, South Korea and Japan re-established diplomatic relations with the 1965 signing of the Treaty on Basic Relations. In 2005, South Korea disclosed diplomatic documents that detailed the proceedings of the treaty. Kept secret for 40 years, the documents revealed that Japan provided 500 million dollars in soft loans and 300 million in grants to South Korea as compensation for its 1910-45 occupation, and that South Korea agreed to demand no more compensations after the treaty, either at the government to government level or individual to government level. It was also revealed that the South Korean government assumed the responsibility for compensating individuals on a lump sum basis while rejecting Japan's proposal for direct compensation. However, the South Korean government used most of the loans for economic development and have failed to provide adequate compensation to victims, paying only 300,000 won per death, with only a total of 2,570 million won to the relatives of 8,552 victims who died in forced labor. As the result, the Korean victims are preparing to file a compensation suit against the South Korean government as of 2005. The treaty does not preclude individual suits against Japanese individuals or corporations but such suits are often constrained by the statute of limitation. It is worthy to note that the Women's International War Crimes Tribunal 2000 on Japan Military Sexual Slavery, a mock trial organised by NGOs, issued a ruling that "states cannot agree by treaty to waive the liability of another state for crimes against humanity."

Apology

Main article: List of war apology statements issued by Japan

Several Japanese Prime Ministers have issued several official apologies, including Prime Minister Obuchi in the Japan-Republic of Korea Joint Declaration of 1998, and Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in the Japan-DPRK Pyongyang Declaration of 2002. Koizumi said, "I once again express my feelings of deep remorse and heartfelt apology, and also express the feelings of mourning for all victims, both at home and abroad, in the war." While Koreans welcomed the apologies at the time, many Koreans now view the statements as insincere, because of the continuing actions of Japanese officials that contradict such statements of remorse. In one example, hundreds of Japanese politicians made a tributary visit to the Yasukuni Shrine to honour Japan's war dead while Prime Minister Koizumi was simultaneously issuing an apology. This was seen by South Koreans as a conflict between actions and words and has caused many South Koreans to distrust Japanese statements of apology. In addition, almost all politicians who have apologized at official international forums would later retract or contradict their apologies at home in Japan causing confusion internationally. Thus, most apologies are seen as vague statements of regret or sadness for a tragic past while failing to indicate specific details.

Geographic disputes

Dokdo (Takeshima)

Main article: Dokdo

Currently under South Korean control, these islets are also claimed by Japan. The islets are called "Dokdo" in Korean and "Takeshima" in Japanese. There are valuable fishing grounds around the islets and reserves of natural gas have also been found recently.

The Koreans claim that the islets are historically Korean with the earliest Korean records of it dating back to 512 under the Silla Kingdom. But this claims is questioned by the Japanese since the documents refers to Usan-do, not Dokdo. The Koreans claims "Usan-do" is Dokdo although the Japanese claims that Usan-do is another name for Ulleun-do or that there's no proof that makes Usan-do Takeshima.

It is argued that as recently as 1900, Korea exercised sovereignty over the islands by incorporating Dokdo into Ulleung county. Japan claims the 1900 incorporation was over a different island that is now called Kwaneum-do, an islet nest to Ulleung-do. in Korean. The Japanese's claim of the islets is through the incorporation of the islets into Shimane Prefecture in 1905 under the doctrine of terra nullius. However, the Koreans have rejected this claim by arguing that the Japanese claim over the islets was the first step towards Japan's eventual claim over the rest of Korea. Korea was then forced to become a Japanese protectorate in 1905 after King Kojong was forced to abdicate his throne.

In January 1952, South Korea's Syngman Rhee line declaration included Dokdo as Korean territory. Since September 1954, Japan has proposed adjudicating this problem in the International Court of Justice but South Korea has both refused to accept this proposal or to acknowledge the dispute, likely based on various grounds.. North Korea supports the South Korean claim.

Tsushima (Daemado)

Main article: Tsushima Island

Historically Japanese-controlled, some highly nationalistic Koreans claim this island to be Korean, although the South Korean government does not make this claim. Called "Tsushima" in Japanese and "Daemado" in Korean, this island was briefly Korean-controlled during the Joseon Dynasty, and possibly during the Silla era.

In 2005, when Japan's Shimane Prefecture announced Takeshima Day claiming Dokdo as part of its jurisdiction, Korea's Masan city council proclaimed Daemado Day and declared it Korean territory.But Korean government denied this claim and said Tsushima is a Japanese island.

Sea of Japan (East Sea)

Main article: Sea of Japan naming dispute

Both North and South Korea insist that Japan unfairly promoted the usage of the name "Sea of Japan" while Korea lost effective control over its foreign policy under Japanese imperial expansion. South Korea argues that the name "East Sea," which was one of the most common names found on ancient European maps of this sea, should be the official name instead of (or at least used concurrently with) "Sea of Japan." Japan claims that Western countries named it the "Sea of Japan" prior to 1860, before the growth of Japanese influence over Korean foreign policy after the outbreak of the First Sino-Japanese War in 1894. The United Nations adpots only "Sea of Japan" in its official documents.

Miscellaneous issues

Ban on Japanese Culture

After being freed from Japanese occupation, both North and South Korea banned Japanese cultural products such as music, film, and books. However, starting in 1998, most of these bans have been gradually lifted in South Korea. Some Japanese cultural items such as manga, anime and music had been introduced into South Korea even while they were banned (the Korean public was not informed of these items' Japanese origin). While younger South Koreans have accepted Japanese culture, older South Koreans have not been so eager to do so.

Return of Korean Remains

During the Japanese occupation of Korea (notably during World War II), Japan mobilised hundreds of thousands of laborers from Korea to sustain industrial productions, mainly in mining. Most of them were eventually returned to Korea by the surviving navy vessels after the war, the rest had died in Japan. South Korea asked Japan for help in finding the dead bodies of these kidnapped laborers for proper burials. Instead, the Japanese government passed the responsibilities of finding and identifying these bodies to the corporations that committed the kidnappings. Corporations, such as Mitsubishi, Mitsumi and others, stated that the culpability should fall on the governments and not on private companies. The situation prevented South Korea from properly coordinating their efforts and they have only identified a couple of hundred bodies rather than the larger amount they had hoped for. With neither the Japanese government nor the Japanese corporations actively seeking to find and identify the missing Korean remains, this issue is another reason for anti-Japanese enmity on the part of the Koreans. It is likely that this issue will also not be resolved in the near future.

Kidnapping of Japanese Citizens

Main article: North Korean abductions of Japanese

A junior high school student from Niigata, "Megumi Yokota," was kidnapped in North Korea on November 15, 1977. Including her, many other Japanese citizens were kidnapped by North Korean agents. In 2002, North Korea admitted to kidnapping 13 Japanese citizens during the 1970s and 1980s, in order to train spies to infiltrate U.S. military installations in Japan. Five people have been released, but eight were claimed to be dead. Japan has pressed for the return of the bodies. However, the Japanese government believes that there are still kidnapped Japanese citizens being held captive in North Korea. North Korea's official statement is that the issue has been settled. Because of the overwhelming number of South Koreans also kidnapped by North Korea, there has been some joint efforts of South Korea and Japan in retrieving their citizens. http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/04/20/news/abduct.php

Zainichi Koreans

Main article: Zainichi Korean

Zainichi (在日, Resident Japan) refers to Koreans currently residing in Japan. Most of them are second-, third-, or fourth-generation Koreans who have not yet applied for Japanese citizenship. Some of them were either forced to relocate to or willingly immigrated to Japan during the Japanese occupation of Korea, while others entered Japan illegally in order to escape the Korean War that took place after the Japanese occupation. They lost their Japanese citizenship after the signing of the San Francisco Peace Treaty, which officially ended the Japanese annexation of Korea and their country of origin, Korea, no longer existed when South Korea and North Korea became separate states. Zainichi communities are split based upon affiliation with North or South Korea, (Chongryon and Mindan). In order to escape discrimination, many Koreans living in Japan use Japanese names to hide their origin.　It is claimed that two or three of the leaders of the smaller organized crime syndicates found on a list of more than twenty such groups as specified by the National Police Agency in Japan may be ethnic Koreans. [7]

Korea instead of Corea

Main article: Names of Korea

Due to the use of both "Corea" and "Korea" in 19th century English publications, [8] some Koreans believe that during the Japanese occupation, Japan intentionally standardized the spelling on "Korea," so that "Japan" would appear first alphabetically. Moreover, both governments have used both "Korea" and "Corea" until the early part of the Japanese occupation. [9] [10] [11] "English books and maps published through the 19th century generally spelled the country's name as Corea, as did the British government in laying the cornerstone of its embassy in Seoul in 1890 with the name "Corea." But sometime in the early 20th century, "Korea" began to be seen more frequently than "Corea"—a change that coincided with Japan's consolidation of its grip over the peninsula." Most evidence is circumstantial, including a 1912 memoir by a Japanese colonial official that complained of the Koreans' tendency "to maintain they are an independent country by insisting on using a C to write their country's name." [12]

See also

• Japan-North and South Korea relations
• Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea
• Japan-South Korea Joint Declaration of 1998
• List of war apology statements issued by Japan