One reason why a historical issue has not been neatly resolved is that Japan still believes it is stronger and superior to Korea. This strong resistance continues because, at the moment of a turnaround in Korea-Japan relations, everything will change. Korea is currently surpassing Japan in various areas and closing the gap. Japan, meanwhile, behaves as if it is the superior party while actually acting as the subordinate. 

What is the impact of Japan's lack of historical reflection on Korea in the current Korea-Japan relationship? In short, it is this: We clearly recognize that Japan committed wrongs in the past, but Japan believes it did nothing significantly wrong. They view their colonial rule over Korea as legitimate. Therefore, they feel they have nothing to reflect upon because it was done legally. At that time, many advanced countries around the world were managing colonies. Those countries are now...

There are countries that reflect on their colonial past and countries that do not. Japan is one of those that does not. The reason for this is that the power of the countries that managed colonies in the past is still overwhelmingly strong compared to the former colonial nations. Because they are strong, they do not feel the need to reflect on their actions. Once they start reflecting, it could lead to endless discussions. 

Now, what about Japan? Japan also had its share of colonialism, but after the war, it shrank into a small nation. It must have been unbearable. However, after its defeat, with the onset of the Cold War, Japan received support from the United States and made a fortune during the Korean War. With that, they had capital, technology, and an open American market, all of which came together perfectly. This allowed them to earn a tremendous amount of money, while their competitors...

There was no other country among the nations that the United States was in contact with that had the same level of technological capability and capital as Japan. The most decisive factor was the Korean War, which caused dollars to pour in from the sky. With that capital, Japan had the technological strength to produce second-generation products. There was also technological expertise in heavy industries. This led to the ability to export. Meanwhile, the United States opened its market wide to Japan, aiming to rapidly develop Japan as a buffer during the Cold War. At that time, Japan was eager for this growth. As a result, there was rapid development, and someone who was once a common person became the Prime Minister. This was all influenced by the United States, which was evident in the rapid development seen in Tokyo.

During the trials, they were labeled as war criminals by the Allied Forces. It was the Allies who defined this, but the United States held overwhelming power at that time. The United States, which had sentenced these war criminals, later released them and even reinstated them, allowing one to become Prime Minister. From Japan's perspective, what do they think about these war criminals? There is almost no sense of guilt. The amnesty and reinstatement have already concluded everything; in Japan, there are no war criminals. Given this situation, discussions about the war criminals being linked to the atrocities in Korea seem to have no effect. In conservative circles, such discussions really don't resonate at all. So, what is the reason for this lack of impact? It is because Japan's national strength was overwhelmingly stronger than that of Korea or China.

So, now we occasionally compare with Germany. Germany has thoroughly reflected on its historical issues, to the extent that it has reached a point where it can say that it no longer needs to support the victim countries, such as Poland and the Jewish people. But what about Japan? Not at all. When I asked why that is, I came across a paper written in English that addressed this. It mentioned that Germany was divided at that time, surrounded by Britain, France, the United States, and the Soviet Union, as it was still a matter of the Allied forces. The Soviet Union also occupied East Germany. Therefore, in order for Germany to revive, it had no choice but to reflect on its history, especially regarding the Jewish people, who had overwhelming support from the United States.

The Jewish ethnic group faced significant pressure from the United States, which made the war crimes trials in Germany very strict and severe. In contrast, the trials in Japan were not comparable at all. Germany had powerful nations surrounding it, and to survive in the future, it had to engage in historical reflection as demanded by these countries. This was essential for unification and moving forward. Therefore, an environment was created where thorough reflection was necessary. On the other hand, Japan did not have any powerful nations pressuring it for historical reflection at that time. The United States, which was a strong nation, actually released Japan from its restrictions and even reinstated its leadership, placing a Prime Minister in power. In that context, Japan’s situation was quite different.

At that time, the only countries that could resist, criticize, and condemn were China and North Korea. The power dynamics were entirely different; the surrounding countries' environments were different. Another decisive factor is that the fate of the perpetrator was completely different. In Germany, Hitler ultimately committed suicide as the regime crumbled. This means that the perpetrator of the crimes essentially disappeared; the organization itself was completely wiped out. But what about Japan? Who was the main person responsible at that time? It is often said to be the Emperor because he was the one who issued commands. In reality, the Emperor should have faced trial at the Tokyo Trials, but a big deal was struck between the United States and Japan.

The government said that they would unconditionally support Korea, and Japan was asking to maintain the emperor system. This continued on, and from the American perspective, they needed to occupy Japan after its defeat. However, after engaging in combat with Japan, the U.S. was taken aback by the fierce resistance displayed by the Japanese. In the Battle of Okinawa, 50,000 U.S. soldiers were killed, and the level of resistance from Japan around July was astonishing. The occupying forces, whether it was 370,000 or 470,000 troops, I can’t recall the exact number, were stationed in a country with a population of 80 million. The Japanese had a very strong sense of resistance against the U.S.

Could the government control 80 million citizens properly? There were significant concerns and doubts about that. So, the idea was to preserve the imperial system and utilize it. The mindset was to keep things under control from behind the scenes. For instance, a young scholar in Japan wrote a book called National System Theory. In the past, during Japan's militaristic era, there was a hierarchical structure beneath the emperor, with the emperor being the core figure. After the war, the emperor had to step down institutionally and lost his real power. So, who took that place? The United States took that position. The face presented to the public was that of the emperor, while the United States was the one pulling the strings behind the scenes. This is how the system worked.

이런 구조적 요인들 때문에 일본은 반성을 하지 않아도 별로 압력을 받지 않고 80년대까지 와버린 것입니다. 그러니까 그때까지 경제가 완전히 성장했잖아요. 일본 국민들도 피해자라는 인식이 강해요. 군국주의에 대해 자신들도 동원된 것이라고 생각하니까요.

However, those who made us suffer, those leaders, are sitting there without any reflection. There must be a sense of resentment about that, right? But what happened? Economically, they made an enormous amount of money and prospered, so from the perspective of ordinary citizens, all resentment towards these leaders disappeared. It couldn't be otherwise, could it? When one's livelihood becomes abundant, it changes everything. For example, in Germany, the Nazi Party was supported by the German people through voting, and there is a sense of responsibility regarding the Nazi Party. In Germany, there is a slight sense of guilt about how cruel the Nazi Party was, so there is some reflection on that. But what about Japan? In Japan, the citizens were mobilized. The mobilization of the Japanese people was under the king's orders, which might also have been a factor. Back then, well...

저항할 수 있는 전혀 그게 아니었으니까, 그러니까 그 차이가 또 큰 거예요. 독일하고 일본은. 그런데 그래서 제 솔직히, 저기 진보 세력이나 좌파라고 얘기하는 일본에서 이 세력들은 천왕 폐지하라 얘기를 굉장히 오랫동안 했었어요. 그러니까 이게 이제 일본 국민들 입장에서 이 체제가 그대로 유지되니까, 천황제가 그대로 유지가 되니까 지금은 일반 국민들도 천왕에 대한 존경심 같은 것들이 꽤 많단 말이에요. 그러니까 이 시스템이 건강하게 견제하고 있는 거죠. 그러니까 이 진보 세나 야당 세력 같은 게 아무리 공격해 봐야 씨알도 안 먹게 들어가는 거야. 그러니까 이게 죄의식이 제대로 반성이 나오겠냐 이거요. 구조적으로 문제요거나 이런 거기 때문에 쉽게 나오지 않는데, 최근에 이제 2년 들어 2010년 최근에 왜 이렇게 역사 문제가 굉장히 이렇게. 

There was nothing to resist, so that difference is significant. Germany and Japan are different in this regard. Honestly, the progressive forces or the left in Japan have been talking about abolishing the emperor for a long time. From the perspective of the Japanese people, this system has been maintained, so the imperial system continues to exist, and now even ordinary

The relationship between Korea and Japan has been heated, but in the past, Korea and China lacked the power to properly assert their claims. Now, they have gained significant strength. China has become a major economic power, and Korea has also established itself as an advanced democratic country. Powerful nations are now emerging in the region, and frankly, since the end of the Cold War, the United States has not recognized Japan's necessity as it did before. Right after the Cold War, Japan was viewed as the main adversary during the presidency. These were the circumstances back in the early 1990s. As a result, Korea and China are now in a position to strongly appeal to Japan regarding historical issues. In the past, the U.S. was firmly behind Japan, advising against making too much of historical issues and urging for quicker normalization of relations.

The reason why diplomatic relations with the United States were normalized so quickly in 1965 is related to several factors. At that time, South Korea was largely unwilling to accept many of Japan's demands, yet it had no choice but to move toward normalized relations due to strong pressure from the United States. In a way, the U.S. acted as Japan's guardian. No matter how much Japan was urged to reflect on historical issues, they remained indifferent because the U.S. was firmly backing them. The United States had little interest in the historical issues between Korea and Japan. Thus, there was a push to quickly reach an agreement, as there was a sense of urgency to counter the communist threat. After the Cold War ended, everything changed dramatically. By then, China had already begun to experience significant economic growth.

Korea is quite large, and as a result, the United States no longer supports Japan unconditionally; rather, it has even criticized it. The terms bashing, passing, and nashing were popular during President Clinton's time, indicating how Japan was cornered back then. At that time, Korea and China had the conditions and environment to raise historical issues effectively. As a result, there were various reflections coming from Japan during that period. Looking at this, the reason the current historical issues between Korea and Japan remain unresolved is that Japan still believes it is stronger and in a superior position compared to Korea. This belief is particularly prevalent among the 60-70-year-old members of the Liberal Democratic Party. The reason I keep discussing the reversal of Korea-Japan relations is that it is becoming a significant topic.

The moment everything changes is when the soil shifts. In Japan, there exists a hierarchical society where powerful, capable, and wealthy individuals can exert dominance over those who are not as fortunate. This culture allows for a certain degree of oppression. However, Korea has always faced this attitude from Japan, which has considered itself superior. The reason I keep talking about this reversal is that Korea is currently surpassing Japan in various fields and closing the gap. When Korea reaches a point where it exceeds Japan in strength and capability, Japan will start to act in a manner that reflects its previous dominance. This is what I mean when I say that if this happens, the issue will be resolved. The difference between Germany and Japan is that Germany has many strong neighboring countries.

The pressure for historical reflection has been immense from the beginning, but Japan has had none of it from the start. Instead, they have appointed those responsible for that history to key positions. The United States has been a strong ally for them. A Japanese scholar, who wrote a book titled Eternal Defeat, mentioned this. This scholar, Shiraishi Sato, talks about what eternal theory means. He points out that the individuals responsible for the invasion wars were rehabilitated after the Tokyo Trials, and the forces that were expelled were all reinstated. The United States did this, and for these people, America is very much appreciated. From their perspective, pledging loyalty to the United States and being reinstated is seen as the same thing. These individuals still remain loyal to the United States.

The pants are constantly getting tighter, and it's not just a matter of style; Abe showed a perfect example of this. When I observed Trump's actions during his visit, it was a clear representation of the behavior of the right-wing. In relation to the United States, they inevitably have to bow down, despite their own wrongdoings, and they see the U.S. as a benefactor who has forgiven them and allowed them to maintain their position. So, they feel like they have to be careful around the U.S., while simultaneously trying to leverage American power to measure their own standing. They have done this with Korea and China as well. However, the current atmosphere is changing significantly. Recently, Japan seems to be experiencing a revival in its economy, and it appears that they are working hard in the semiconductor industry. What does this mean? It feels like the U.S. is trying to contain China, almost as if we are returning to a Cold War era.

What will happen when Japan's influence increases again? In this context, we can see the current flow. Therefore, the way for Korea to resolve historical issues with Japan in the future is unique: Korea must strengthen its power to become overwhelmingly more advanced than Japan, living much better and clearly realizing that it is a developed country. The moment that happens, most Japanese citizens have a mindset that is quite formulaic. They tend to respect those who are better, more capable, and stronger than themselves. This aspect of their national character has been ingrained in them since the samurai society. This is one of the reasons I emphasize the importance of a reversal in status. From my perspective, Japan's economy is not in a great state, especially considering natural disasters like the recent earthquakes in the south.

The situation will inevitably occur. Whether it's a volcanic eruption or something else, it will happen at some point, whether in 10 years or 20 years; it will explode. The damage will be so severe that various systems will break down, and Japan's economy will be significantly affected. It will experience a transition even worse than what we faced during the IMF crisis. However, Korea has successfully overcome the IMF crisis and is praised as the only country to do so. But can Japan easily recover and overcome such a disaster? If they cannot, experts say Japan will regress to a developing country status. If Korea remains a developed country while Japan becomes a developing country, what will happen to historical issues? In my view, it will be a matter of self-determination.

In Japan, there is a culture where certain terms are used in trends. This concept is referred to as jinda, and when such a structure is created, it seems that historical issues can be resolved to some extent in the way we desire. However, it's not that these issues will be resolved naturally without any effort; it requires a formation of power. When we assertively and clearly demand what we want, we can reason with others. In Korea, there is a tendency to forgive when one reflects sincerely. However, when someone is found to have made a mistake, there aren't many people left who will stand by them. This is why, in the context of historical issues, if Japan sincerely acknowledges its past actions, it parallels the situation of Germany during its time of reckoning. A strong nation must be present alongside this process.

If there is a strong country demanding strongly beside us, we cannot help but respond. That is how it should be; when that happens, it naturally leads to reactions and solutions to problems. A word for the viewers of Shin Saimdang, please. Dear viewers of Shin Saimdang, I wonder how you all felt today. The time I spend with you is always very enjoyable for me. I appreciate you visiting Hanil Yeokjeon TV and subscribing and liking our content as we schedule our next meeting. If you do, we will continue to provide such videos. See you again.

아직도 정신 못차린 친일파 일본이 사죄할 수밖에 없는 이유 (이명찬 박사 / 3부)

* 출연신청 & 제휴 및 광고문의 : ssid@dpnstud.io
