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Diplomacy
Shinzo Abe Tries to Head Off Korea Apology
Saturday, August 7, 2010
Abe
Tokyo -- As the Kan administration considers how to phrase its apology to Korea on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the Japanese annexation of the Korean Peninsula, rightwing politicians led by former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are trying to head off the entire notion of a statement of contrition, calling for "stubborn resistance."
Meeting with LDP leader Sadakazu Tanigaki, a moderate, Abe demanded, "We should push as a party to stop the prime minister from issuing a statement."
Abe is coordinating his opposition with Sunrise Party of Japan leader Takeo Hiranuma through an archconservative grouping called "Birth of Japan" (Sosei Nippon), which also includes the two leaders of the micro-party called The Spirit of Japan Party (Nippon Soshinto), Hiroshi Yamada and Hiroshi Nakada.
In a statement issued on August 5, this grouping argued that an apology to Korea would be damaging to the national interest and "would have no benefit whatsoever" for Japan-Korea relations.
Tanigaki has responded to this pressure by making some comments of his own, arguing that a new statement is "unnecessary" because all such issues were allegedly resolved in 1965 when Japan and South Korea signed a bilateral peace treaty.
Prime Minister Naoto Kan and Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku are said to be positive on the idea of issuing an apologetic statement on August 15 in order to smooth relations with their Asian neighbor.
Sengoku, in particular, raised expectations when he told a press conference on August 4 that Japan "should make efforts to remove any obstacles to building future-oriented relations... We must confront the cruelty with which Japan deprived them of their country and language."
The "Birth of Japan" grouping was established under a different name in December 2007 and adopted its current name in February of this year. It is pledged to the preservation of Japanese tradition, to reevaluate the "postwar system," and to protect the national interest.
The grouping was led by Shoichi Nakagawa until that archconservative lawmaker's mysterious death in October 2009.
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