LETTERS – OCT 2024
Japan and South Korea’s simmering sore
I appreciated the focus on Japan in your September issue (‘Tokyo at a Crossroads’), and Yvonne Gill shows a sound understanding of the challenges facing the country’s forthcoming Liberal Democratic Party leader, not to mention the person who takes the reins after next year’s election.
With regard to the flashpoint on the Korean Peninsula, in particular, there is a lot to think about in terms of security. It will be interesting, then, to see how outgoing Prime Minister Kishida’s imminent visit to South Korea – almost certain to be his last official summit with President Yoon Suk-yeol – will pan out.
It is understandable that Kishida, who, as Gill highlights, has been beset by a plethora of problems throughout his tenure, wants to try and exit on something of a high note. As far as bilateral (security) relations go, the Japan-India tie seems reliable going forward, in wake of August’s 2+2 that saw the two countries’ ministers commit to maintain and strengthen the international rule-based order.
However, despite Tokyo and Seoul continuing to develop their cooperation on regional and global issues, and the likelihood that Kishida will continue to assist his LDP successor in an advisory capacity on furthering Japan-South Korea relations, there is still a festering sore between the two nations –namely the grievances caused by Japan’s cruel administration of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945, when hundreds of thousands of Koreans were used as forced labourers for Japanese companies, and as so-called ‘comfort women’ in Tokyo’s military-run brothels during World War II. The matter of compensation is still not fully resolved.
While this is not in itself a strategic issue, it is vital that whoever takes the helm as LDP leader and, ultimately, as Prime Minister of Japan after next year’s poll, addresses this ongoing problem as part of wider efforts to reinforce Japan’s military alliances with South Korea and other key Indo-Pacific allies such as the US, given the nuclear threats coming from Pyongyang and aggression from China.
Marty Pilkington
Boston, MA
Dining with an assassin
Absolutely fascinating piece from Neville de Silva on how he unwittingly befriended the alleged assassin of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and his family, Nur Chowdhury. One wonders how Chowdhury has survived in Canada all this time, given the level of hatred he inspires – guilty as he is assumed – among the Bangladeshi community here.
Carole Wooler
Calgary
Truce requires trust
Sir
My thanks and respect go to your esteemed magazine for publishing the analysis of Mr Amit Agnihotri on the failure of all attempts to bring about a truce in the Russia-Ukraine war, even as the Russia-Western prisoner swap was hailed a triumph.
Mr Agnihotri is right to say that the Switzerland peace summit ‘seemed more of a Western effort to rally international support around victim Ukraine and further isolate invader Russia’, and point out the stalemate over desired territories that exists between Ukraine and Russia.
In light of this, no long-term ceasefire that could bring a lasting peace seems to be possible. For how can Ukraine trust Russia under President Putin, who would no doubt use any truce simply to recoup Russian forcesto fight again? Conversely, Putin claims a lack of trust in NATO, which Kyiv still seeks to join, even if that would only be possible when the war is over, since no member state wants to be pulled into on-ground battle.
I see no light at the end of this tunnel.
AS Jadhav
Mumbai
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