Why we asked Emperor Akihito to visit the Korean Peace Memorial

The Saipan trip was the emperor’s first trip outside Japan for the purpose of mourning the war dead. The visit comes amid tensions with China and South Korea over the war and other historical issues such as distorted textbooks for school. Emperor Akihito son of the late Emperor Hirohito in whose name the Japanese fought and died has visited South Korea in the past, where he has expressed remorse for Japan’s wartime actions, but he has steered clear of an explicit apology. In May 1990, Akihito remarked on Japan’s often brutal colonization of the Korean peninsula, telling then-South Korean President Roh Tae-Woo: “I think of the sufferings your people underwent during this unfortunate period which was brought about by our country, and cannot but feel deep regret.”

Akihito’s journey coincides with a chill in Japan’s ties with China and South Korea, still tormented by the wartime past 60 years later. Many observers feel his visit to Saipan is designed to win headlines within Japan, at a time when relations with China and South Korea have deteriorated rapidly. Both countries are angry at what they see as Japan’s reluctance to come to terms with its imperial aggression. Japan is now one of the United States’ closest allies, but its relations with China and South Korea remain haunted by what many in those countries see.

In a good sense to us, Japanese Emperor Akihito made a surprise visit on Tuesday, June 28, to the Korean Peace Memorial, a Korean war-dead memorial. In the brief, unannounced visit, for which no cameras were present, Akihito and Empress Michiko bowed in silent prayer before the Korean Peace Memorial. The Korean Association of Saipan had officially asked the emperor to visit their war memorial for simple recognition for the death of Korean. But there was no reply until Tuesday. The visit was not expected at all and Korean are very much excited and surprised with satisfaction.

Many Koreans still resent Japan’s brutal 1910-1945 colonization of the Korean peninsula. Korean are also outraged over the below topics:

1. Japan made a series of provocative moves such as a territorial claim on a group of Korean-held islets in the East Sea and the authorization of schoolbooks that glorify the imperialism of Japan and whitewash its historical wrongdoings.

2. Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, despite strong criticism at home as well as from neighboring nations such as China and the two Koreas, has been refusing to accept calls for him to stop visiting the Yasukuni shrine, which honors Japan s war dead, including Class A war criminals.

3. In early June, Japanese minister Nakayama made improper remarks that denied the existence of comfort women, women forced to serve as sexual slaves for Japanese soldiers during World War II. Japan later extended an apology as Nakayama’s remarks seemed to further aggravate the soured relations between the two sides.

Japanese leaders have been showing no sincere attitude to mend the mentioned historical fences.

Korea’s President Roh Moo-hyun and Japan’s Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi held a summit in Seoul on June 20, 2005, but failed to patch up the bilateral relations frayed by disputes over their countries bitter history. Roh and Koizumi spent most of their time talking about issues related to their shared history. Roh has strongly urged Koizumi to make a courageous decision on the thorny issue concerning his repeated visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors Class A war criminals, along with 2.5 million Japanese soldiers who died during World War II. Koizumi didn’t say yes or no directly to Roh’s advice. He said, instead, I visit there not to beautify the history, but to pay tribute to those forced to be in the war and swear that Japan should not bring on war again.

Roh said during the news conference that Koizumi said to consider building an alternative memorial for the controversial war shrine in consideration of the public opinion in Japan.

Japan has made formal apologies for its past wrongdoings. But most Koreans do not believe the apologies are sincere. Japan should show more clearly that it understands how the rest of Asia feel. If they can do something in this aspect, they can win the understanding of people in neighboring countries.

Korea wants Japan to sincerely face up to history so they can march toward a more desirable future together. We really welcome the emperor’s stop at the Korean Peace Memorial. We believe that this is a historical event and it will pave the way to develop the relationship between two nations people and hope that Japanese leaders must not repeatedly make improper remarks that contradict the apologies so that future behavior of Japan will be sincere as the emperor’s.

Simon Sin
Chalan Kiya, Saipan