US-Japan Alliance Sparks Korean Grand Strategy Debate
Korea’s issues with Japan are much more deep-seated than U.S. policymakers seem to understand.
By Robert E. Kelly
December 11, 2013
The recent trip by U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel to Japan, with its strong affirmation of the U.S.-Japan alliance, has sparked a major, arguably grand, strategy debate in the Korean media. In the almost six years I have taught international relations in Korea, this is the most far-reaching debate I have yet seen. Koreans are increasingly aware that they are stuck between the U.S. and China, that Japan is increasingly openly aligning against China, and that the U.S. pivot to Asia is not a broad-based “cultural reorientation” of the U.S. as a “Pacific country,” but a straightforward military-diplomatic “let’s-not-call-it-containment” effort to prevent China from dominating Asia. (Variations and expansions of the following argument may be found in my recent essays at Newsweek Korea and Newsweek Japan.)
Non-Koreans, particularly Americans, tend to assume that Korea will simply line up with the United States, Japan, Australia, and other regional democracies. The American conversation about Asia, not surprisingly, is dominated by China. China has 1.3 billion people. It is the world’s second largest economy. Its rise is ending the period of U.S. sole superpowerdom, what international relations theory calls “unipolarity,” creating great angst that the U.S. is in decline. Worse, it is an authoritarian great power, frequently compared to Wilhelmine Germany. There is a broad fear that China is seeking to forge something like a Sinic “Monroe Doctrine” and push the U.S. in the Pacific back to Hawaii. Hagel’s visit to Japan made all this pretty clear, as he tacitly endorsed Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s Japanese nationalism and an expanded JSDF (Japanese Self-Defense Forces) role.
(For the record, I actually reject this critique of China and have written so for The Diplomat in the past. I think China faces much greater constraints than many in U.S. foreign policy circles believe. Nevertheless, this is the minority point of view.)
Koreans do not share this threat assessment of China. Specifically, they view Japan with greater hostility than they do China, according to a recent Asan Institute poll of South Korean opinion. And Chinese President Xi Jinping has approval ratings in South Korea more than triple those of Abe. The Chosun Daily, Korea’s largest newspaper, actually wrote of the Abe administration: “Japanese rightwing fanatics are only hungry for power and short-term gratification.” All this has gotten wide play in Japan and is fuelling a similarly harsh Japanese attitude toward Korea. In response to Hagel’s visit, South Korean President Park Geun-Hye, in a pique of nationalist resentment, jetted off to Southeast Asia, cheered on by the reliably anti-Japanese Korean media, to forge a counter-Japanese regional diplomatic track.
The American response to all this tends to be an unhelpful, “enough is enough!” frustration, which after many years living and working here, I can guarantee Koreans will ignore (barring genuinely extreme U.S. threats of abandonment). Japanese-Korean tension is the single biggest hindrance to an “Asian NATO,” and American policymakers should learn its contours, rather than just suggesting to the Koreans, as Hagel did, “Isn’t it time to move on?” Because I can all-but guarantee Korean will not. So here is:
Why South Korea Likes China…
China is the primary backer of North Korea, which means a South Korean alignment against China only lengthens the division that has dominated Korean political life since the war. This reason alone is sufficient for the Koreans to reject the pivot-cum-containment.
China is also South Korea’s largest export market now.
China had strong cultural connections to Korea for a very long time in the classic Korean feudal period – the beloved Chosun Dynasty. Korea enjoyed pride of place in that Sinocentric tribute system, while Japan was badly behaved little brother. Americans, with their minimal knowledge of East Asian history, generally do not know this or care. But this is deeply important for Koreans, who have a strong (rather exaggerated actually) sense of their national distinctiveness and cultural age.
Finally, the Ming dynasty helped Korea defeat a Japanese invasion in the 1590s (the Imjin War). Again, this is the sort of long-past historical event Americans do not much care to hear about, but the Korean admiral of that conflict is one of the most celebrated figures in Korean history. His statue is all over Korea.
…and Dislikes Japan
Visits to the Yasukuni Shrine are an annual irritant (to the Chinese and Americans as well). It would help enormously if Japan could find a way to honor its war dead without the moral ambiguity of Yasukuni’s presentation of the war.
The Dokdo/Takeshima/Liancourt Rocks have become a symbol to Koreans all out of proportion to their actual value. The actual geographic focal point of Korean nationalism should be Mt. Paektu, near the Chinese border, the mythological birthplace of the Korean race. Unfortunately it is under North Korean control, and Southern opinion on the North is deeply divided. Hence, the Liancourt Rocks are a clearer, morally easier symbol of Korean nationalism: Japan was Korea’s colonialist, so controlling the Rocks is a way of showing Japan that Korea is sovereign, independent and proud. All Koreans can agree on that without a confused debate on which Korea is the “real” Korea.
The “comfort women” – Korean women forced into sexual service to the Japanese imperial army – is another deeply divisive issue. Korean public attitudes toward sexuality are still deeply conservative, so the comfort women are a national humiliation. My Japanese colleagues often ask me why this issue regularly comes up, despite the 1965 Japan-Korea treaty that legally ended reparation claims. Here Korea seeks not just financial compensation, but moral recognition. Ultimately in Korea, this is not a legal or financial issue, but a moral one. Koreans want an admission of guilt from Japan, along the lines of German attitudes toward the Holocaust, and they expect contrition from Japanese politicians on this point.
Finally, there is regular concern in Korea about the way in which history is taught in Japan. Again, the issue is likened to Germany’s post-WWII contrition about Nazism. Koreans expect that from Japan, and expect youth education in Japan to openly reject Japanese colonialism as aggressive imperialism.
These differences indefinitely inhibit a Korean-Japanese rapprochement and encourage Korean waffling on the Sino-U.S. competition. Indeed Koreans broadly feel that Abe is moving in the wrong direction on this. Korean elites have a rather zero-sum view of the U.S. alliance with Korea and Japan, and the current strategy debate in the Korean media flows from the perception that the U.S. is taking Japan’s side.
To join a U.S.-Japanese anti-Chinese coalition would not only antagonize China, it would align Korea with its “ancient foe.” Worse, the mutual U.S. alliances mean that nationalists and maximalists in Korea and Japan can make whatever outrageous claims they like about the other, yet face little geopolitical consequence. U.S. alliances are a form of “moral hazard” that ironically worsen the problem by reducing the incentives for rapprochement.
Given how long-standing this problem is and how deeply entrenched the hostility is, particularly on the Korea side, the only possible way I can see the U.S. to overcome this would be a genuine threat to exit the region. But U.S. policymakers would never level such an extreme threat.
Robert E. Kelly (@Robert_E_Kelly) is an associate professor of international relations in the Department of Political Science and Diplomacy at Pusan National University. More of his work may be found at his website, AsianSecurityBlog.wordpress.com.
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[Jamawns's comment]
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A-class war criminals in Japan stood strong against Nazis German “Crime” meaning ethnic erasing or genocide, even though Japan and Nazis German were the axis against the united ally, with Shinto and Bushido backgrounds.
Hideki Tojo,
executed in a dishonorable form as an A-class war criminal,
ordered to moderately save Jewish refugees escaping to Manchuria, and rejected the protest from Nazis Germany.
Yousuke Matsuoka,
executed in a dishonorable form as an A-class war criminal,
arranged trains for the Jewish refugees in front of death from cold,
and arranged facilities for the Jewish refugees who came to Kobe.
Sadao Araki,
executed in a dishonorable form as an A-class war criminal,
refused the request from Nazis Germany
asking to banish a Jewish Japan resident teacher,
when minister of Education showing disagreement against ethnic discrimination,
Shigetoku Tojo,
executed in a dishonorable form as an A-class war criminal,
rescued an exile Jewish doctor&aposs fiancé.
The doctor who felt indebted became a family doctor of Tojo, and died in Japan.
Hirotake Hirota,
executed in a dishonorable form as an A-class war criminal,
respected by Chiune Sugihara issuing Visas for Life to Jewish,
became a guarantor of an exile Jewish musician.
Seishiro Itagaki
executed in a dishonorable form as an A-class war criminal,
claimed that Jewish should also be treated impartially
in a five minister meeting among Prime, Army, Navy, Finance, and Foreign Affairs.
As a result, it became a national policy of Japan to treat Jewish impartially.
(FYI)
1.
An independent country stood. In 1938, when officers in Manchuria,
HIDEKI TOJO with Kiichiro Higuchi and Norihiro Yasue saved 20,000 Jewish Refugees.
(You can find the two follower&aposs name on &aposGolden Book&apos or Golden Monument in Jerusalem).
They said and followed the word
&aposManchuria is an independent country.
Manchuria is not a dependency to Japan.
Japan is not a dependency to Nazis Germany.&apos
2.
The papal Mass in St. Peter&aposs, VATICAN, for 1618 victims of A-class, B/C-class Japanese war criminals on 22 May, 1980.
All 1618 Buddhism Mortuary tablets including Hideki Tojo&aposs name are NOW there.
http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/speeches/1980/february/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_19800220_giapponesi_en.html
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Japanese Comfort women (comfort women related with Japan) issue:
Comfort women dedicated to raise soldiers&apos morale and spirits, and to prevent rape crimes in countries.
Comfort woman earned monthly income as much as soldier&aposs annual income.
Dedication of comfort woman was priceless as same as dedication of soldier was precious.
Duty of comfort women was horrible such as extraordinary repeating prostitution, while duty of soldier was cruel such as murder.
When we evaluate historic issues fairly, Japan is guilty at that issue very much.
However, how much guilty? &apostoo much&apos or &apostoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo much forever BEYOND THE FACT&apos?
Hope this issue bears stable women&aposs right beyond ethnic hate actions and political issue, and help focusing on saving the woman victims and never repeating such tragedy again.
Sure, Tragedy by comfort women system, no matter scheme. The GOAL of this issue should be to protect woman`s right, to practically rescue victims, and never to repeat this tragedy again beyond hate action and political issues. Let me show the Japanese attitude and footprint to practically save victims
1.
Japan admitted comfort women as LEGAL in the past. Japan provided apologies (i) and compensation both the legal (ii) and beyond the legal (iii) on humanitarian grounds.
(i) Letter of Apology to each of comfort women by four Japanese Prime Ministers, Hasimoto, Obuchi, Mori, and Koizumi with original signature have been delivered.
They have also apologized on TV and newspapers.
Japanese Diet member or high level officer have visited countries and apologized to Japanese comfort women.
(ii) Japan-Republic of Korea Basic Relations Treaty
(iii) Asian Women&aposs Fund established by Japanese citizens, providing compensation from Japanese citizens and medical care from Japanese government.
By Japan-Republic of Korea Basic Relations Treaty, problems in regard to property and claims between Japan and Korea (both North and south) and their peoples (including juridical persons) has been settled completely and finally. Korean Government has never distributed HUGE COMPENSATION FROM JAPAN TO THE JAPANESE COMFORT WOMEN, secretly using the money in National Project leading to miracle economic growth in Korea. Whatever Japanese comfort women sued against Japan for compensation, they only lose (iv). When Japanese comfort women sued Korean government for unconstitutionality of not-solving to correct its interpretation of the treaty, they won (v). However, Japanese comfort women never sued against Korean Government for compensation. Korean people never allow them to sue Korean Government for it. Activity other than (a), (b) or (c) means ethnic hating and political issue creating rather than real victim saving.
(a)Japanese comfort women should have sued against Korean Government, but not Japan for compensation, because Japan has legally settled completely and finally by treaty.
(b)Korean Government should make domestic law to save victims by themselves, following international law.
(c)Korean Government should sue against Japan in International Court of Justice for Interpretation of the treaty.
(iv) 1966 Korean supreme court (lose)
1991 Korean supreme court (lose)
1992 Korean supreme court (lose)
2003 March 28 Japanese supreme court (lose)
2006 February 21 U.S. supreme court (lose)
2009 August 14 Seoul Court of Administrative Litigation (lose)
2010 April 28 Philippine supreme court (lose)
(v) 2011 August 10 Korean Constitutional Court (won)
You may feel something strange why victims have needed to sue against their own countries rather than Japan, when following the idea based on generally accepted international law principle.
For example, Both Japan and the U.S. have renounced the right of war reparation each other so victims of A-bomb in Hiroshima and Nagasaki sued against Japan rather than against the U.S. due to Francisco Agreement. Japan must have made domestic laws to settle the issue to save those victims by itself and have done so based on International Law. On the other hand, victims of Pearl Harbor battle in the U.S. did not sue against Japan. The U.S. made domestic laws to settle the issue to save those victims because of International &aposPeace treaty&apos.
2.
Japan has NOT admitted "direction or order by government or military " for Abduction, Kidnapping, Compulsive Prostitution and Sexslave as ILLEGAL not only during peace time but also during war time as well as not only in present but also in past.
According to Park Yu-ha, professor of Sejong University in Seoul, Most of such crimes had been mainly implemented by Korean merchants, and Koreans seem to have attempted to blind such crimes by transferring into anti-Japan racism.
Korea claimed 200,000 women were forced to be sex slaves, while at least 800,000 Korean men spontaneously applied for Imperial Japan Military and about 17,000 of them were admitted to be enrolled in Imperial Japan soldiers from 1938 to 1943. Population of Korea was around 20,000,000.
When Kono speech was released, Japanese government thoroughly searched evidences due to Korean government insisting the word “compulsive”. However, NO such evidences existed. Then Japan interviewed old ladies but could not get any testimony to proof Korean government claim. Japanese government got embarrassed. Japan dare to cited Smarran sexslave case of Dutch Indonesia. (Note: some Japanese claimed THE FACTS that the station was shut down under army orders and responsible officers were punished by Japan within WW2 period when this incident came to light. Afterwards they were also punished by united allies.)
3.
Korean claimed over one million sex slave victims (so called Korean comfort women) existed in Korea AFTER Sep 1945. They are now preparing for law suit against Korean government or the U.S. government. They has perjured false testimonies against Japan with many inconsistency such as `Jeep`, `many customers in Christmas season`, `rifle`, `helicopter`, `penicillin`, `timeline from birth year`, `pictures with English language`, and so on. Here, those words are irrelevant to Japan. Many Japanese views Korean government forced them to perjure as Japanese comfort women.
[Link]
1.
[The FACT] COMFORT WOMEN ISSUE: Japanese view points
http://bit.ly/Mnz3Pw NO ORGANIZED OR FORCED RECRUITMENT: MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT COMFORT WOMEN AND THE JAPANESE MILITARY
http://www.sdh-fact.com/CL02_1/31_S4.pdf
The U.S. official evidence of the `A "comfort girl" is nothing more than a prostitute or "professional camp follower"`
http://bit.ly/12uikFX
Advertisement, THE FACTS on Washington Post, June 14, 2007
http://bit.ly/Kq2KTv
Comfort Women the truth be told
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rL9TCbBHQjs
[Legal aid, or official aid] Japan-Republic of Korea Basic Relations Treaty.(Article II 1) http://bit.ly/1f36F6Q
Whole picture and background of comfort women issue research (Japanese version)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fEFJ2jPlAPI
2.
[Beyond the legal aid, or private aid] Asian Women`s Fund, THIS is Japanese footprint by private action.
http://www.awf.or.jp/e-preface.htm
Letter of Apology to each of comfort women by four Japanese Prime Ministers, Hasimoto, Obuchi, Mori, and Koizumi with original signature.
http://www.mofa.go.jp/mofaj/area/taisen/letter.html
Japanese Diet member visited Korea and apologized to Japanese comfort women.
http://bit.ly/Kq7BEr
http://www.tamanegiya.com/images/o0450029610252182398_000.jpg
http://www.tamanegiya.com/images/okazakibaka.JPG
Book and article about Park Yu-ha, professor of Sejong University in Seoul
http://www.imaeil.com/sub_news/sub_news_view.php?news_id=40792&yy=2013
3.
History of Korean comfort women for the U.S.
Evidence of Korean government directly operate the house of comfort.
http://bit.ly/1f379d4
http://bit.ly/Kq2XpX
L&aposhistoire d&aposun mensonge.
3 mangas sauvés de Voldemort
Chers tous ceux qui iront au Festival international BD d&aposAng
Bless your country, bless Korea, bless Japan.
Bless comfort women who had had to devoted their precious lives for self‐righteousness believed world peaces even under unwilling circumstances.
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