On the 30th, the Japanese government avoided expressing its opinion on the removal of a memorial to Korean workers during the Japanese colonial period in Gunma Prefecture, saying, “It is a local government decision.”
Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa (上川陽子) responded to a question from this newspaper asking about the Japanese government’s position on the removal of the memorial monument for Koreans in Gunma Prefecture at a regular press conference on the same day, saying, “This is a matter for which the decision of the local government has been confirmed by the Supreme Court, so the government has decided not to do so.” “I will refrain from commenting,” he said.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, a spokesperson for the Japanese government, also gave the same response to this issue at a press conference, saying, “As a government, we will refrain from commenting.”
Takasaki City Prefectural Park ‘Gunma Forest’ has been closed since the 29th for the removal of the memorial monument. On the first day of demolition, Gunma Prefecture removed the plaque engraved with ‘Remembrance, Reflection and Friendship’ and gave it to the civic group that owns the memorial. Gunma Prefecture plans to complete the work by the 11th of next month and then charge the civic group 30 million yen (about 270 million won) for demolition costs.
View largerOn the 28th, a day before the demolition of the memorial for Korean workers in Gunma Forest, a park in Gunma Prefecture, local residents and others visited the memorial. It has now been demolished due to administrative action by Gunma Prefecture. Takasaki = While the demolition of the Korean memorial monument was pushed ahead, Japanese media argued that Gunma Prefecture’s demolition was unfair and urged it to be stopped.
In an editorial on the 30th, the Asahi Shimbun called the removal of the memorial monument “a sudden and incomprehensible act of violence,” and claimed, “We demand Gunma Prefecture Governor Ichita Yamamoto to stop it immediately.”
The Asahi Shimbun said, “If Gunma Prefecture, which has received protests from some forces amid the growing trend of glorifying pre-war Japan, is trying to fall into complacency using political neutrality as a shield, it may be helping to distort history,” adding, “It is a very dangerous situation.” He pointed out.
The Tokyo Shimbun reported the demolition news and said, “It is not appropriate to carry out large administrative executions for memorials that have no impact on citizens’ lives. “It has set a bad precedent that any disturbance surrounding the monument will lead to its demolition,” the report said.
Tokyo =
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.