A New Framework for Korea-Japan Relations

Why doesn't Japan acknowledge and apologize for its past? I grappled with this question throughout my two years visiting sites of imperial-era atrocities.

What I confirmed on the ground is a deeply rooted perception in Japanese society: that there was no forced mobilization of Koreans, no comfort women, and that Japan itself was the victim. This narrative extends to claims that Japan liberated Korea from Qing China and modernized the peninsula during colonial rule. Some even glorify the Pacific War as the "Greater East Asia War" for regional development.

This sentiment is not a fringe opinion but a conviction shared by mainstream Japanese politicians and right-wing forces. The Japanese government has refused to recognize the 2018 Korean Supreme Court ruling ordering compensation for forced labor victims. It replaced the term "conscripted workers" with "laborers from the Korean Peninsula" and removed the word "forced" from textbooks starting in 2021. Gunma Prefecture demolished a memorial to Korean workers in 2024. These trends align with the post-Abe vision of a "strong Japan" and a "normal nation" capable of waging war.

Former Cultural Heritage Administration chief Yu Hong-jun once observed: "Japan distorts history due to an ancient history complex, while Korea dismisses Japan due to a modern history complex." This insight captures the underlying sentiments of both nations.

Japanese society values "wa," meaning collective harmony, and labels actions that disrupt this order as "meiwaku," or nuisance. Within Japan, Korea's demands regarding forced mobilization and comfort women are perceived as disruptive. For those who believe such events never occurred, Korea's calls for apology are simply meiwaku.

To counter these distorted perceptions, we must first recalibrate our own approach to Japan. Korea is no longer colonial Joseon or the impoverished developing nation of the 1960s. We have surpassed Japan in many metrics. Korean companies lead global markets in semiconductors, shipbuilding, and electronics. Samsung Electronics and SK Hynix have become core players in the global semiconductor industry. Starting salaries at major Korean corporations exceed those in Japan. The Korean Wave—K-pop and dramas—has become part of daily life for young Japanese.

The question is whether our mindset has matured accordingly. The older generation's view of Japan evolved from anti-Japanese sentiment to overcoming Japan, then to understanding Japan. Yet the inertia of demonizing Japan, rooted in colonial-era complexes, persists. The international community already recognizes Korea as an advanced nation. The United Nations classified Korea in the developed country group in 2021. We transformed from an aid recipient to an aid donor. Still, emotions often take precedence when Japan issues arise. Our perception has not fully escaped the shadow of the colonial era.

In "Day of Empire," American scholar Amy Chua explains the rise and fall of great powers through the lens of tolerance. Empires throughout history flourished when they embraced others and declined when they turned exclusionary. Rome maintained its empire by granting citizenship to diverse peoples. The Mongol Empire governed vast territories by guaranteeing religious freedom. The United States grew by actively welcoming immigrants and global talent. Conversely, Rome, Mongolia, Spain, and the British Empire began declining when they adopted exclusionary policies.