From Normalization To Reconciliation The Japan Korea Case

Seminar paper from the year 2017 in the subject Politics - Region: Far East, grade: 1,0, Korea University, Seoul (Graduate School of International Studies), course: Korea-Japan Relations, language: English, abstract: More than five decades ago, Japan and the Republic of Korea (in the following "Korea" or "South Korea") normalized their relation. Much time has passed, but frictions continue to strain relations every once in a while, usually due to history-related issues. This casts doubt on the claim that normalization has brought with it reconciliation. Like MORRIS-SUZUKI stated, Japan and Korea have not been able to achieve more than "a "thin" and ultimately very fragile form of reconciliation" yet. Thus, the main questions of this paper are: Is "thick" reconciliation between Japan and Korea desirable, let alone possible? How can such a reconciliation be achieved? Why is history still a problem? To answer these question, the paper is structured as following: First, the meaning of reconciliation will be discussed. Based on this the main part analyses and discusses reconciliation between Japan and Korea by explaining the history "problem", exploring conditions and ways for "thick" reconciliation and assessing the possibility of achieving "thick" reconciliation in the future. Lastly, the conclusion summarizes and assesses the findings of this paper.

A new publication from the Institute for Foreign Policy Analysis

History has left many scars in the Asia-Pacific. Injuries inflicted generations ago are still fresh in the collective memories of the peoples of the region, hobbling efforts to repair relationships between old adversaries. But recently the spirit of reconciliation seems to have acquired new life. From Korea to Japan to China, longtime enemies are trading apologies and looking ahead. In this remarkably timely volume, Yoichi Funabashi, one of Japan's most influential journalists, and seven authors from throughout the Asia-Pacific shine the spotlight on the prospects for reconciliation in the region. Looking at instances of inter-ethnic as well as international strife, this book lays out the background to each case, analyzes the impact of unresolved and sometimes unacknowledged grievances, and weighs the prospects for overcoming the burden of history. Not all the cases inspire optimism, at least in the short term, for bitter memories have burrowed deep into society and are intertwined with issues of political power and ethnic identity. But in some parts of the region, palpable progress toward reconciliation is being made. In his conclusion, Funabashi identifies the key steps that governments and publics must take if they are to come to terms with the past.

Why have some former enemy countries established durable peace while others remain mired in animosity? When and how does historical memory matter in post-conflict interstate relations? Focusing on two case studies, Yinan He argues that the key to interstate reconciliation is the harmonization of national memories. Conversely, memory divergence resulting from national mythmaking harms long-term prospects for reconciliation. After WWII, Sino-Japanese and West German-Polish relations were both antagonized by the Cold War structure, and pernicious myths prevailed in national collective memory. In the 1970s, China and Japan brushed aside historical legacy for immediate diplomatic normalization. But the progress of reconciliation was soon impeded from the 1980s by elite mythmaking practices that stressed historical animosities. In contrast, from the 1970s West Germany and Poland began to de-mythify war history and narrowed their memory gap through restitution measures and textbook cooperation, paving the way for significant progress toward reconciliation after the Cold War.

Focusing on two case studies from East Asia and Europe, Yinan He argues that the key to interstate reconciliation is the harmonization of national memories.

Despite witnessing phenomenal economic growth and the spread of democratization in recent decades, as well as impressive intra-regional exchanges and interactions in the economic and cultural spheres, the Northeast Asian region still experience wounds from past wrongs that were committed in times of colonialism, war and dictatorship. Overcoming these historical animosities has become one of the most pressing issues of the future for the region. Of all the countries in the Northeast Asia region coping with this historical injustice, the Republic of Korea stands out as both a victim and an aggressor. Being a nation that has addressed issues of both internal and external injustice, Korea becomes the focus of this volume. Using examples of injustice from the colonial and the Second World War period, the Korean civil War, the current stage of Korean transitional justice and broader regional and global perspectives, the book concludes with a section on forward-looking approaches for arriving at reconciliation in the Asian region. This is a significant book that will be of huge interest to anyone studying East Asian politics, history or society.

This book provides a fresh approach to understanding the origins and possible future direction of the Northeast Asia “history wars.” Leading scholars in history, literary studies, and education present the complex issue in a historical context by assessing its political and cultural dimensions, particularly with regards to relations between Japan and Korea. Their essays also touch on the significance of civil society efforts to advance peaceful reconciliation and the social and political forces that have worked to frustrate such efforts since 1945. At its core, this volume explores the political significance in the gap between Korean and Japanese civil society versus governmental efforts to resolve issues lingering from the Pacific War in Asia; the significance of cultural as well as political efforts to understanding historical and contemporary relations among Northeast Asian neighboring states; and specific factors—such as textbook reform, revised school curricula, and civil society education efforts— that are working to ameliorate the heretofore deadlocked “history wars.”

This book examines how justice and reconciliation in world politics should be conceived in response to the injustice and alienation of modern colonialism?