Latest news with #anti-Japanese
Yomiuri Shimbun
14 hours ago
- Politics
- Yomiuri Shimbun
Japan Looks to Boost Trust with S. Korea's President Lee, Who Has Called for ‘Pragmatic Diplomacy'
The Associated Press South Korean President Lee Jae-myung speaks during a press conference at the presidential office in Seoul on June 4. Japan is eager to foster a trusting relationship with South Korea under its new President Lee Jae-myung, who advocates 'pragmatic diplomacy' — prioritizing practical benefits over ideology. During their first phone call on Monday, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and Lee, who is known for being critical of Japan, agreed to keep up momentum toward better Japan-South Korea relations. Ishiba hopes to hold an in-person meeting, according to government sources. 'We had an excellent phone conversation. Although difficult issues exist between Japan and our neighbor South Korea, I intend to communicate actively and energetically [with Lee] to develop a stable bilateral relationship,' Ishiba told reporters at the Prime Minister's Office in Tokyo after the phone call. Lee, on his X account, praised Ishiba as a leader who believes in trying to build a genuine relationship of trust with South Korea. Given the increasingly challenging strategic environment, the leaders recognized the need for cooperation between Japan and South Korea, and trilaterally with the United States. Concerns in this area include military collaboration between Russia and North Korea, and confrontation between the United States and China during President Donald Trump's term. The fact that Lee spoke with Ishiba before China suggests, to some extent, South Korea's continued focus on its relationship with Japan. Japan is watching how Lee pursues his 'pragmatic diplomacy,' viewing this approach as the reason he stopped his anti-Japanese remarks. Former South Korean President Moon Jae-in, who like Lee was a left-leaning leader, emphasized on ideology and principles. During his inaugural phone call with then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, which he held after his call with China, Moon expressed that he could not accept the agreement on former comfort women that was previously made with Japan. He subsequently nullified the agreement, causing Japan-South Korea relations to severely deteriorate. In contrast, Lee expressed his eagerness on Monday for cooperation based on the national interests of both countries. He showed that he intends to separate historical issues from economic and security matters. At a press conference shortly after his inauguration on June 4, he also hinted that he would stick to his predecessors' solution to a lawsuit filed by former wartime requisitioned workers from the Korean Peninsula. However, Japan is still deeply concerned about whether Lee can address potential friction between the two countries while maintaining the support of his base. Tokyo is looking to stabilize relations by building trust through frequent summit meetings.
The Star
3 days ago
- Politics
- The Star
Taiwan scholars mark 80th anniversary of victory in war against Japanese aggression
Japanese Soldiers Entering Taipei City in 1895 after the Treaty of Shimonoseki between Qing and Japan. - Wikipedia TAIPEI: A symposium commemorating the 80th anniversary of both victory in the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression and Taiwan's recovery was held in Taipei on Saturday (June 7), calling for historical truth to be restored as the narrative of "Taiwan independence" is being pushed by Taiwan's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) authorities. Chi Chia-lin, president of Homeland Publishing and chief of a Taiwan history research association, emphasised that the war of 1895 against Japanese occupation and the subsequent waves of armed resistance were patriotic struggles launched by the people of Taiwan as part of the Chinese nation. He criticised the DPP authorities for deliberately distorting history over recent years, not only by glorifying Japan's colonial rule but also by attempting to misrepresent the battle of 1895 as a movement for "Taiwan independence." The 1895 battle was a six-month resistance struggle that broke out on the island after the Qing government ceded Taiwan to Japan under the unequal Treaty of Shimonoseki in April 1895, following its defeat in the First Sino-Japanese War. Chi explained that at that time, locals and soldiers from the Hunan, Anhui and Guangdong provinces who remained in Taiwan fought side by side to resist the Japanese. Due to overwhelming disparities in weaponry and equipment, more than 14,000 people were killed over the course of four-and-a-half months. Pien Feng-kwei, a professor with the Taiwan Ocean University, said that during the 50 years of Japanese colonial rule in Taiwan, the island's people continued their resistance unbroken and in various forms. However, he noted, "Taiwan independence" forces have deliberately ignored or even distorted Taiwan's history of anti-Japanese resistance and anti-colonial struggle. "Remembering history is meant to help us cherish peace. I hope the Taiwan authorities will face history squarely and draw lessons from it," he said. The strong national consciousness became the foundation of Taiwan's anti-Japanese resistance, and the sacrifices of heroes during the struggle are a lasting testament to the indomitable spirit of the Chinese nation, said professor Sun Juo-yi of Taiwan's Chung Hsing University. Chi also called for the development of an accurate historical narrative of Taiwan to awaken the society's true memory. - Xinhua
Japan Forward
28-05-2025
- Politics
- Japan Forward
Anti-Japanese Museum in Canada Draws Criticism from Lawmakers
On May 27, 2025, Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Masahisa Sato raised concerns in the House of Councillors Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee over a museum in Canada run by a Chinese-Canadian organization. It was not the first time he had done so. The museum, he said, conspicuously promotes anti-Japanese narratives through exhibits shown to large numbers of local high school students. He first raised the issue at an April 17 committee session. According to those familiar with the matter, the museum in question opened in June 2024 in Toronto, Ontario. Called the Asia Pacific Peace Museum, it was reportedly spearheaded by a local Chinese-Canadian organization called Alpha Education. Its exhibits include references prominently reflecting China's viewpoint on the Nanjing Incident and comfort women. Sato urged Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya to formally protest to Canada's Foreign Minister, Anita Anand. Iwaya, however, waffled that Japan would respond at "the most appropriate level and timing." Such a weak response could erode Japan's credibility and national dignity, Sato warned. "We speak up to South Korea, but we go silent when it comes to [propaganda from] China," Sato pointed out. "That double standard undermines our standing." Iwaya responded that Japan had conveyed its position and would act "at the most appropriate level and timing," adding, "I ask that you trust our judgment." Sato pushed back: "If the foreign minister can't speak up to defend Japan's reputation, who will?" These concerns about anti-Japanese narratives abroad emerged amid growing scrutiny over the Justin Trudeau administration's historically cozy ties with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). Under former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Canada was often criticized for its tepid response to Beijing's assertive influence campaigns. This criticism stemmed not only from diplomatic caution but also from a complex web of political and economic relationships that had been cultivated over decades. One telling example involved a C$50,000 ($36,000 USD) donation made by Zhang Bin, a billionaire Chinese businessman and senior CCP official. Zhang's donation to the University of Montreal was specifically to fund a statue of former Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau, Justin Trudeau's father. Pierre Trudeau was among the first Western leaders to establish formal relations with Communist China, a move Beijing continues to celebrate. In 2016, Justin Trudeau also visited the homes of Chinese-Canadians who publicly supported Beijing's claims over disputed islands in the South China Sea. A month earlier, at an April session of the House of Councillors Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, Sato had reproached Iwaya for what he perceived as a lack of urgency. LDP Upper House member Masahisa Sato questions officials at the House of Councillors Committee on Foreign Affairs and Defense, at the National Diet. April 17. "If historical issues aren't addressed seriously, it will be extremely difficult to change perceptions," said Sato. "The Japanese population in Canada is overwhelmingly smaller than the Chinese population. If we don't take history issues seriously, Japanese people will lose their standing." Sato also pointed out that Iwaya had met former Foreign Minister Joly several times since taking office in October 2024. He stated, "It's a serious problem that despite meeting her multiple times, you haven't spoken out. It damages our national interest." Iwaya acknowledged that the museum received funding from a local government agency in Ontario. In closing, he still argued that the museum is "a private institution operated by a Chinese-Canadian organization, not a public museum." However, he also declared, "We will continue to clearly communicate Japan's position to Canada based on the facts." China's economic influence in Canada has long been facilitated by institutions like Power Corporation, the Desmarais family-owned conglomerate with extensive investments in China. This longstanding relationship has, according to scholars like Clive Hamilton, created a reluctance within Canada's political class to confront the CCP. The effect was evident during the 2018 arrest of Huawei executive Meng Wanzhou, when Trudeau's government appeared politically paralyzed. The situation was compounded by then-Canadian Ambassador to China John McCallum, who effectively became Beijing's voice in Ottawa. McCallum publicly suggested that Meng had strong legal grounds to fight extradition and later encouraged China to "make a trade deal" that would benefit Canada. His repeated deviations from Canada's official stance ultimately led to his dismissal — but not before significantly undermining Ottawa's credibility. With China's influence deeply embedded in Canadian institutions and politics, Japan's silence only amplifies Beijing's narrative. (Read the related article in Japanese .) Author: Shimpei Okuhara, The Sankei Shimbun
Kyodo News
22-05-2025
- Politics
- Kyodo News
North Korea's Kim slams officials over destroyer launch accident
KYODO NEWS - 10 hours ago - 13:09 | World, All North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has censured officials over a "serious accident" that occurred during a launch ceremony for a new destroyer on Wednesday, describing it as an intolerable "criminal act," according to the country's state-run media. In the incident at the Chongjin Shipyard, the 5,000-ton destroyer lost balance while on a flatcar, crushing some lower sections and preventing it from leaving the shipway, the official Korean Central News Agency said Thursday. Kim said the accident caused by "absolute carelessness, irresponsibility and unscientific empiricism which is out of the bounds of possibility" led "the dignity and self-respect of our state to a collapse in a moment," KCNA reported. The leader warned the "irresponsible errors" of those responsible would have to be dealt with at a plenary meeting of the ruling Workers' Party of Korea, to be convened in late June, and ordered the ship's restoration before then as well as an investigation into the matter. He stressed the immediate repair of the destroyer was "not merely a practical issue but a political issue directly related to the authority of the state." According to the South Korean military, the destroyer remains partially capsized. In late April, Kim attended a ceremony for the launch of another new 5,000-ton destroyer at a shipyard in the western port city of Nampho and lauded the event as a "breakthrough in modernization" of the navy. The multipurpose warship Choe Hyon, named after an anti-Japanese revolutionary fighter, is equipped with systems to launch supersonic cruise missiles and tactical ballistic missiles. Kim said it will be deployed by the navy sometime next year, according to KCNA. Related coverage: North Korea's Kim guides missile test for nuclear counterattack North Korea fires multiple ballistic missiles, no damage reported North Korea test-fires new destroyer's weapons system
The Irish Sun
22-05-2025
- Politics
- The Irish Sun
Humiliated Kim fuming as new 5,000-ton warship is ‘CRUSHED' in catastrophic launch during grand unveiling ceremony
TYRANT Kim Jong-un has slammed a "serious accident" at the launch of his new 5,000-ton warship after it was "crushed" and left lying on its side. The humiliated North Korean dictator branded the catastrophic launch as a "criminal act" which could not be tolerated. 8 A new North Korean warship at the harbour ahead of its catastrophic launch Credit: AFP 8 North Korean leader Kim Jong-un described the failed launch as a 'criminal act' Credit: EPA 8 The Choe Hyon is said to be capable of housing a vertical launchpad which can fire nuclear missiles Credit: Credit: Pen News 8 The disastrous launch came after Kim launched a destroyer of the same class, Choe Hyon, last month Credit: Credit: Pen News 8 The rare admission of failure came after the fuming despot witnessed the Mortified Kim watched on in horror as the North Korea's state broadcaster said a malfunction caused the stern of the colossal destroyer to slide prematurely into the water. It crushed parts of the hull and left the bow stranded on the shipway. But the broadcaster did not report any casualties or injuries as a result of the blunder. Raging He added that the "irresponsible errors" of those involved will be dealt with. Most read in The US Sun The seething dictator It is currently unclear what punishment exactly the hermit kingdom's leader will unleash upon those deemed at fault. US Demonstrates Military Power Over Korean Peninsula Amid Rising Tensions The menacing vessel is now lying on its side in the water according to South Korean military analysis. Naval analysts say the damage done to the vessel in such a launch malfunction could be "catastrophic". State media did not immediately release images of the accident. The launch failure marks a huge setback for Kim, who has recently been ramping up naval modernization in a stark warning to the west. Last month, the tyrant unveiled 8 Kim Jong Un and his daughter Ju Ae attending the launch ceremony of a newly-built destroyer at the Nampo port in April Credit: AFP 8 South Korean news showed footage of the warship at the harbour Credit: AFP Dubbed the Choe Hyon, it is believed to be the same 5,000-ton class ship as the one which spectacularly failed on Wednesday. The mighty North Korea's state media - which also serves as Kim's leading propaganda machine - reported that the vessel was equipped with the "most powerful weapons". The ship is named after anti-Japanese revolutionary fighter Choe Hyon, the report said. And at over 5,000 tonnes, the destroyer is set to become the largest warship in North Korea's naval arsenal, surpassing the current largest vessel, a 1,360-tonne frigate. It was previously reported that North Korea's new class of warship was able to accommodate dozens of vertical launch cells to carry missiles that its military has already developed. Military analysts say these launchers will be capable of firing guided cruise missiles, which North Korea says could carry nuclear warheads. Footage from North Korea's state-run television KRT showed Kim arriving in Nampho with his daughter Ju Ae after travelling to the western port city by train. Read more on the Irish Sun Kim, in a speech from the launch reported by KCNA, said the warship would be handed over to the navy and go into service early next year. 8 Last month the tyrant unveiled North Korea's largest naval destroyer yet in an extravagant ceremony Credit: Credit: Pen News
