Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Regret for the Continuous Absurd Remarks

Ishihara Shintaro, a governor of Tokyo province, Japan, (71) elicited much criticism by saying, “The Japanese annexation of Korea was chosen by the Koreans.”

According to the Mainich Shinbun’s report on October 29, Ishihara attended a meeting of kidnapped people to North Korea held in Tokyo on October 28, and revealed his opinion about the Japanese annexation in 1910 through his keynote speech.

Ishihara explained, “Among Russia, China and Japan, one was to be the country to annex them upon their (Chosun’s) general opinion.” He distorted the historical fact, saying, “The annexation was attained under consent of countries all around.”

He also disparaged Koreans by saying, “It might be a shame for them (Korean). However, in the strict sense, it is the responsibility of their ancestors.”

Asahi Shinbun reported Ishihara’s speech citing “(Japan’s occupation of Korea) was not brutal because it was an advanced one even though it was colonialism.”

Ishihara, working as a patron of the “Meeting for making a new history textbook,” the right wing organization which published the distorted textbook in 2001, have elicited much criticism for his racially discriminating words towards Korean and Chinese.

While Japanese society has been veering to the right recently, absurd remarks of the political statesmen is increasing.

Aso Daro, chairmen of the Liberal Democracy Party, Okuno Seiske, member of the Liberal Democracy, and Eto Dakami, former minister of General Affairs Department have made absurd remarks distorting the fact regarding the forced change of Korean names and the Japanese annexation of Korea this year.

Young-Sik Kim spear@donga.com