If the Korean government comes up with a solution to the biggest pending issue between Korea and Japan, the lawsuit against forced labor (?用工, a Japanese expression for forced laborers under Japanese rule), Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will announce the past joint declaration on Korea-Japan relations and the position of the Prime Minister’s Statement. The Yomiuri Shimbun reported on the 4th that coordination has begun by expressing that it is following suit.
According to the newspaper, the South Korean government, on behalf of the Japanese defendant companies (Nippon Steel and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries) whose obligation to compensate was confirmed by the Supreme Court ruling in 2018, the Korean government-affiliated Foundation for Supporting Victims of Forced Mobilization in Japan paid a significant amount of compensation to the victims of forced labor. We plan to publish a solution soon. The foundation’s ‘additional payment’ finances are covered by donations from Korean companies, and the Japanese defendant company’s funding is not premised.
The Japanese government has maintained the view that the issue of reparations was resolved by the 1965 Korea-Japan Agreement on Claims and Economic Cooperation, and has been reviewing possible responses to the extent that they do not go against it. It was judged that it would not undermine the view that the problem was resolved by expressing that the Prime Minister was following the position shown in the previous joint declaration or statement, rather than a new statement.
The document that the governments of Korea and Japan attach importance to is the 1998 Korea-Japan Joint Declaration. At the time, Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi expressed his deep remorse and sincere apology for the past colonial rule, and President Kim Dae-jung urged that Korea overcome its unfortunate history and develop future-oriented relations. In 1995, then-Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama announced the ‘Discourse on the 50th Anniversary of the Postwar War’, which stipulates deep remorse and sincere apology for colonial rule and aggression.
There is a view from the South Korean side that the period of Japanese colonial rule brought about the issue of conscription, and the Japanese government meant to be considerate of the South Korean side by clearly conveying that the prime minister had no change in its position on historical issues, including colonial rule, the newspaper reported.
According to Yomiuri, there is a movement in the Japanese business world to consider cooperation projects that contribute to future-oriented bilateral relations.
In the Japanese business world, which expects to improve Korea-Japan relations, a plan to appeal to member companies for financial cooperation to create cooperative projects within the Keidanren is emerging. Apart from compensation, scholarships for Korean students are also being considered.
The Yomiuri reported, “Since Japan voluntarily responded to South Korea’s resolution of the domestic legal compensation issue, the possibility of progress toward resolving the issue of forced labor has increased.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.