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With cherry trees, Japan left one indisputably wonderful legacy in Korea. When the cherry trees are in brief and beautiful bloom, as they are now, it should be possible for anyone admiring them to try and think the best of the Japanese who also find them beautiful, to suspend any anger they may have towards an old enemy.
I worked in Japan before coming to Korea, and I found the Japanese people to be very kind, unassuming and polite. This came as no surprise to me _ they have a reputation for it. In fact, given the gentleness of the people and the complete lack of aggression I experienced or witnessed anywhere in Japan, it often seemed impossible to reconcile the people with their recent history (particularly, for me, the treatment of New Zealand prisoners of war).
It seems a shame given that the citizens of Japan have a peaceful, friendly outlook, that the federal government didnt immediately step in over Tokto (Dokdo) and reprimand the councillors who declared Takeshima Day. What, in the face of international displeasure, was to be gained by not making an immediate retraction and apology? It has been claimed that Japan is actually run by the bureaucracy _ that the government is only symbolic, and this may be the case, but whether the government is capable of reigning in a rogue prefecture or not, or even want to, I think we have to draw a clear distinction between the people of Japan and some of their leaders.
The Japanese people deserve better from their diplomats and, more importantly, they have the right to a better history education. It is possible that Japans amnesia about recent history is so complete that the Japanese cant imagine anyone having much of an opinion about a subject as esoteric as 20th century history, let alone becoming upset by it. We should remember that the leaders and politicians of Japan received the same bad history education that everyone else does in that country.
Japan and Korea should try and highlight their similarities rather than differences in times like this. The cities look similar, the people are both intelligent, hard-working, courteous, well-educated (albeit with some blind spots on the Japanese side), attractive, and enjoy a drink. Koreans should feel sorry for their neighbours over the Tokto issue because its the Japanese who have come off looking bad in the end. I think its enough to say to people like the decision-makers in Shimane Prefecture, Have a look at a factual history book. You might learn something. If its said often enough, eventually they will _ they need to or they will continue to be irresponsible.
I think Koreans can afford to mix some sympathy in with their anger towards Japan _ sympathy that the poor standard of history education in Japan means they continue to make blunders and re-open old wounds; and that Korea and the rest of the international community continue to insist that education be improved there.
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