Japan and Korea, GIVE UP and shake!

[stealstreet]

Originally Posted by ozkai

On another note towards the original thread topic, it would be great to see more friendship between Japan and South Korea and I really do think that Japan should offer a formal apologoy for war time attrocities it commited towards the South.

I couldn't agree more. I think what the other Asian countries are bitter about is that Japan sweeps that aspect of history under the rug per say. I'm Chinese and want to branch out and learn more about Japanese culture etc. But yeah, I think the key issue is that the Japanese DID carry out horrible atrocities. Its history and it happened. I mean if someone came to your country and stole your women, resources, and kill your men (all in horrible fashion), bitterness would remain as well. However, I feel that most of the newer generation just want some recognition of their countries suffering, maybe some of the old too. I've read up a little on the old Japanese codes of honor, ways of the samurai, etc, not to in depth but it didn't really seem to fit what they did during the war. The Asian countries rarely get any respect or recognition for what happened to them during the war, and Japan is rarely reminded of it the way say Germany was. But yeah, I really wish Japan comes out like the Germans did and just mass apologize sympathize recognize.

[ozkai]

Originally Posted by stealstreet

I couldn't agree more. I think what the other Asian countries are bitter about is that Japan sweeps that aspect of history under the rug per say. I'm Chinese and want to branch out and learn more about Japanese culture etc. But yeah, I think the key issue is that the Japanese DID carry out horrible atrocities. Its history and it happened. I mean if someone came to your country and stole your women, resources, and kill your men (all in horrible fashion), bitterness would remain as well. However, I feel that most of the newer generation just want some recognition of their countries suffering, maybe some of the old too. I've read up a little on the old Japanese codes of honor, ways of the samurai, etc, not to in depth but it didn't really seem to fit what they did during the war. The Asian countries rarely get any respect or recognition for what happened to them during the war, and Japan is rarely reminded of it the way say Germany was. But yeah, I really wish Japan comes out like the Germans did and just mass apologize sympathize recognize.

I had a similar discussion not long agao with a German friend.

It wasn't that long agao that German's were to embarassed to say they were actually German.

Let's hope one day Japan does the right thing for it's Asian neaighbours.

[zielony]

Originally Posted by ozkai

It is causing some problems between my current partner and I, so how would you handle this?

I can only say Japanese and Koreans are almost born to hate each other... So the best policy is to avoid talking about nationalities... It can easily motivate one's extreme emotions which will do no good to your relation...
While you never mention this stuff initiatively, it is almost inevitable for the other to do the opposite sometimes, in this case, simply listen and say that I understand your feelings and switch to another topic.
As I said, continental Asians are born to hate Japanese, and Japanese are born to be unfriendly to the other group. Don't try to change this, it is impossible. Find some topics that interest both.
I'm Chinese and dozens of my elder family members[none of them joined the army] were killed, almost killed or humiliated by the Japanese army in the WWII. It will be shameful to ignore this. But I can still personally make friends with Japanese, along with many other Chinese, by only discussing about topics that makes us closer and will not rage national emotions. We don't like Japanese, but we can make friends with Japanese individuals, in a way we simply neglect the fact that they are from Japan and consider them just a human, and we're human all the same. Contradictory but true.