Japan, S. Korean scholars again differ over history+

TOKYO, March 23 Kyodo -
Japanese and South Korean historians have again differed over events and
affairs during Japan's 1910-1945 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula, notably
Japan's recruitment of Korean laborers and women as well as their use for the
Japanese military.
The two countries' second joint history study group on Tuesday issued a report
after nearly three years of discussions since it was launched in June 2007. The
first-round report was released in June 2005.
The release Tuesday of the 2,200-page second report coincided with the 100th
anniversary this year of Japan's annexation of Korea in 1910.
While admitting there may be severe differences in perception over modern and
contemporary history in the two countries, Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya
Okada said, ''If we can see an increase in areas in which we have common
perceptions, our recognition will become closer. So in that sense, I think a
joint history study is significant.''
In Seoul, Cho Kwang, professor at Korea University's College of Liberal Arts
who was the South Korean leader of the joint panel, called the study a ''step
forward'' despite existing differences with Japanese scholars on their
perspectives of history.
Speaking to reporters, Cho characterized the differences of view on Japan's
1910 annexation of Korea as ''natural'' among scholars.
''The commission is a gathering of scholars. It is natural that they have
different views,'' he said, referring to the joint study group.
The joint study group, formed by 17 scholars each from Japan and South Korea
and co-chaired by Yasushi Toriumi, professor emeritus at the University of
Tokyo, conducted discussions in four subcommittees covering ancient history,
medieval history, modern and contemporary history, and history textbooks.
The history textbook panel was newly established in the second round.
In discussions at the textbook subgroup, a Japanese historian argued that South
Korea made efforts to prevent Japanese imperialist thoughts from entering the
country and this eventually changed into anti-Japan education.
A South Korean scholar appreciated this argument, saying that the Japanese
historian's view represents honest efforts by the Japanese side to deepen
understanding of South Korea. But the Korean scholar rejected the argument that
South Korea conducted anti-Japanese education.
Also in the latest report, a Japanese historian argued that Japanese emperors
and prime ministers expressed a sense of remorse or offered apologies over the
past bilateral relations, and noted that no South Korean history textbooks
touch on it.
The Japanese side called for creating history textbooks that would teach
students the neighboring country's modern and contemporary history.
Another South Korean scholar took up Japan's use of Korean laborers, the
so-called ''comfort women'' and mobilization of Koreans into the Japanese
military as a package of ''recruitment of labor.''
The term ''comfort women'' refers to women, mainly from Korea, whom Japan sent
to front-line brothels to provide sex services for Japanese soldiers before and
during World War II.
The Korean scholar argued that Japan recruited labor from the Korean Peninsula
''systematically and artfully.'' In contrast, the Japanese side denied it,
saying there were no carefully considered plans or systematic policies in
Japan's colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.
On Japanese language education in Korea during Japan's colonial rule, a
Japanese historian said Japanese teachers made their best efforts to teach
Korean students and that it was considered a tool to acquire modern knowledge
and technologies.
In response, a South Korean scholar said Japanese language education was
forcibly done, terming the Japanese historian's view ''selfish.''
Japanese historians avoided mentioning a territorial dispute over a South
Korean-controlled rocky islet chain in the Sea of Japan, called Takeshima in
Japan and Dokdo in South Korea.
South Korean historians were critical of Japan's claim to the islands and said
it represents Japan's ignorance of its war responsibilities.
The Japanese scholars did not make any reference to the territorial matter,
which they regard is out of the scope of discussions because it is a pending
issue between the two governments.
In 2001, Japan and South Korea agreed to promote a joint study on history by
scholars as a bilateral project aimed at promoting mutual understanding and
bridging gaps in history perceptions.
At that time, bilateral relations had reached a low point over a Japanese
history textbook for public schools which South Korea said whitewashed Japan's
wartime atrocities.
In June 2005, the previous study panel, comprising 11 historians from each
side, issued the first-round report.
In the first-round report, South Korean historians say Japan forced Korea to
accept the Second Japan-Korea Agreement in 1905, which made Korea a Japanese
protectorate, and the 1910 Annexation Treaty. The South Koreans say these pacts
were invalid because procedures for their signing and ratification were
lacking.
In contrast, a Japanese scholar asserts that there were no conditions that
would make the treaties invalid under international law.
Japan established a similar joint history study group with China. In late
January, scholars from Japan and China issued a 549-page report covering
ancient, medieval and modern history.
In that report, Japanese and Chinese historians continued to differ on the
number of victims in the 1937 Nanjing Massacre. The report referred to the
different views that exist in the two countries as the Chinese side claimed
more than 300,000 were killed while the Japanese scholars argued that there are
some theories estimating that the number ranges from 20,000 to 200,000.
==Kyodo
2010-03-23 23:18:51