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Various scenes in Japan on the centennial of Japan's forced annexation of Japan
(Scenes from various symposiums [three pictures from the left], Rightwing propaganda vehicles [farthest right],
Members of the public participating in the candlelight march and the police protecting them [rest])

The centennial of the forced annexation of Korea is drawing to a close. This essay recounts my thoughts as a Korean living in Japan, a country that had once colonized my homeland. It also contains my reflections on the issues that Japan must resolve at this point in time in regards to its relations with the two Koreas as well as Asia at large.

What I saw

The centennial events that were held and continue to be held in Japan include diverse awareness campaigns, symposiums, and rallies organized by political groups, academic organizations, and NGOs. On the political front, Prime Minister Kan Naoto issued an apology concerning Japan's colonial rule over Korea. While there had been expressions of "regret" from former prime ministers, this was the first time a Japanese prime minister mentioned "apology", so it can be regarded as a small step forward. However, the Liberal Democratic Party and other longstanding Japanese rightwing organizations are expressing fierce opposition to Prime Minister Kan's statement. They argue that an apology is unnecessary given that all the issues pertaining to Japan's colonial rule over Korea had already been settled in the course of setting up a system of economic cooperation between Korea and Japan in 1965.

The most dramatic expression of the Japanese right wing's opposition manifested itself on August 14, at the August 15 Anti-Yasukuni Shrine march, an international NGO initiative comprised of supporters in Korea, Taiwan, and China. The Anti-Yasukuni Shrine Movement is a protest against the enshrinement of Joseon, Taiwanese, and Ryukyu (Okinawa) people—those who had been forcibly mobilized by Japan for the Pacific War—in a shrine that enshrines Japanese war heroes as gods.

This year's rally was composed of a symposium on the theme "Colonial Rule over Joseon and Yasukuni" and a candlelight march. The rally, held near Yasukuni Shrine and the Tokyo Imperial Residence—where the Emperor of Japan currently resides—saw a turnout of around 700 people. Unlike in Korea, where hundreds of thousands take part in a single candlelight protest, a turnout of 700 is very large and exceptional in Japan.

All throughout the day, Japanese rightwing groups drove around in black vans and trucks around the rally site—in front of the Social Democratic Party Headquarters and around the National Diet Building, blasting military songs and propaganda through loudspeakers. They had systematically induced people to participate in their activities via the internet, and Japanese rightwing supporters also showed up in large numbers. When the anti-Yasukuni Shrine candlelight march took place, Japanese rightwing protestors showed on the opposite side of the road, threatening the marchers in loud voices and causing a major disturbance. They got so worked up that the police had to mobilize police vehicles in order to protect those participating in the candlelight march. Save for overseas participants, most people that took part in the anti-Yasukuni Shrine march were the elderly as well as ordinary citizens, some accompanying their children. However, this was not reported by any Japanese media or press outlet.

It was both frightening and disappointing to see members of Japanese rightwing groups bearing the old Japanese imperial flag and walking triumphantly down the expansive road in front of the gray National Diet Building. The scene seemed to be a modern reproduction of the bittersweet moment of Japan's defeat and Joseon's liberation on August 15, 1945.

The Japanese scholarly community and NGOs organized international symposiums to mark to the centennial of Japan's forced annexation of Korea. On August 8, a symposium entitled "Examining the 100 Years Following Korea's Annexation" was held at Tokyo University (hosted by National Museum of Japanese History). The topics discussed include the issue of Korea's annexation within the framework of modern East Asian and world history, Japan's inadequate postwar settlement of the legacies of colonization, and Japan's colonial assimilation policy. More than 300 people showed up at Yayoi Auditorium. Some even had to sit on the floor. One member of the audience pointed out, "It was the Meiji emperor that annexed Korea, so Japan must be held accountable for its colonial rule over Korea." While the matter lies at the heart of the historical issues between Korea and Japan, no further discussion ensued.

Association for Research on Joseon's history hosted a symposium on the theme "Annexation/Colonial Rule over Korea and the Present: From the Point of Rupture and Continuity". There were heated discussions on the issue concerning the completeness of Qin's concessions and the colonial governance system, controversies surrounding the illegality of King Gojong's sanctioning of the 1905 Protectorate Treaty, and the negotiations regarding the legal status of Korean residents in Japan at the Korea-Japan Conference. The only thing I found unfortunate was that there were more Korean presenters than Japanese presenters.

Diverse activities of the academia and NGOs

The Japanese academia and NGOs organized many other events in commemoration of the centennial of Japan's forced annexation of Korea. Rally for the Korean and Japanese Citizens' Joint Declaration was held on August 22 and August 29 in Tokyo and Seoul, respectively. In Ikebukuro, some 1,000 members of the Japanese and Korean public took part in the rally, calling for the settlement of the legacies of colonialism and the realization of peace and issuing the Korean and Japanese Citizens' Joint Declaration. One of the organizers, a young Japanese man, said, "The Japanese people don't know much about Japanese history, let alone Korean history. Some of us do not even know about Japan's past aggression against Korea. Please teach us what we should do for the future."

Various segments of Japanese society organized diverse events to think about how to view the centennial of Japan's forced annexation of Korea and how to move forward. Some are still dreaming of the Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere while others are demanding the Japanese government and Diet to do away with the lingering legacies of colonialism by tackling postwar settlements once and for all.

In the meantime, the large majority of Japanese citizens are preoccupied with their daily lives, paying little interest to the unfortunate Korea-Japan relations of the past. What is somewhat encouraging is that although few in number, there are Korean and Japanese citizens and youth who are working together to seek a new and better path for Korea-Japan relations. I want to put my hope in such a development. I wish I could have seen more young people at the aforementioned events as most of the participants were senior citizens. That is more the reason why I have high expectations for what the youth may be able to achieve.

It has been 100 years since Japan's annexation of Korea and 60 years since Japan's defeat in the Pacific War. And still, there are emotional and material issues between Japan and the two Koreas and Asia at large that have still remain unresolved. As for postwar settlements—i.e., which areas will be tackled and how, I look forward to the next issue.