Entry ban on Japanese lawmakers

Rep. Yoshitaka Shindo of Japan’s main opposition Liberty Democratic Party claims that Japan has regretted its past history enough. He is the grandson of Lt. Gen. Tadamichi Kuribayashi, commander of Japanese ground forces on Iwo Jima in the Pacific during World War II. Rep. Tomomi Inada is a Japanese ultranationalist who favors visits to the Yasukuni Shrine. He said, “The Nanjing Massacre was a myth.” Fellow lawmaker Masahisa Sato, who served as chief instructor of the National Defense Academy of Japan, claims the Korea-Japan consolidation treaty was legal under international law.

These three Japanese lawmakers flew to Korea to visit Ulleung Island but were rejected by immigration authorities at Gimpo International Airport. The invasive nature of Japan, which colonized Korea 101 years ago, apparently remains in the lawmakers` blood. They completely ignored the Korean government’s advance warning that it will disallow their visit to Korea. “The entry ban will be effective only if we go (to Korea) and attempt to enter. I will neither be scared nor cave in to Korea,” said Shindo. Even arriving at the airport, he resisted leaving Korea for hours. This type of diplomatic violence has no consideration of how Koreans think.

Korea as a sovereign country has the right to refuse entry to anyone, and guaranteeing the safety of the three Japanese lawmakers if they were allowed entry would be tough. Seoul had to think of emergencies that could arise from angry Koreans. Despite President Lee Myung-bak’s appeal, the lawmakers remained defiant. They used the term “inspect” instead of “visit” to look around Ulleung Island, which also includes Dokdo that they claim sovereignty. If such rude behavior is the only way the lawmakers can get votes in Japan, this will only lead to serious doubts over the relationship between the two countries.

Japan and China both claim the Senkaku Islands, which belong to China historically but are effectively ruled by Japan. The Kuril Islands, which Japan has a territorial dispute with Russia, were taken back and forth between the two countries, but Russia has effectively ruled them since World War II. The Dokdo islets, however, are historically and effectively Korean territory. Russia prevented a Japanese Foreign Ministry official from entering the Kuril Islands in 2009. There is nothing wrong with Korea’s action to reject the entry of Japanese politicians who claim Dokdo as their territory.

In general, Japanese are not interested in Dokdo, which is called Takeshima in Japan. The islets were only known among Japanese fishermen until Shimane Prefecture legislated “Takeshima Day” in 2005. They cannot pose an obstacle in bilateral relations unless Japanese ultranationalists distort history and incite their people. Nonetheless, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yukio Edano told a news conference Monday, “We cannot accept a ban on the entry of lawmakers who legally try to enter the country. We hope that it will not happen.” This is a different response from the past, which Tokyo used to say it is no position to comment on visits abroad by Japanese lawmakers. This shows that this case is not simply caused by the bravado of a few politicians but related to Tokyo’s basic stance.

Korea needs to take a careful approach to avoid being caught up in Japan’s plot of turning Dokdo into disputed territory. Historically, Japanese right wingers have been seasoned to start provocations. As for the islets, Korea need not be anxious. Like this time, it can quietly respond through principles.