Korea Warns Japan Over 'Useless' Dokdo Bill Greater Issues Than Dokdo Are at Stake Roh, Koizumi in War of Nerves Answer Japanese Provocations from Moral Strength Seoul Announces New Hardline Japan Doctrine Japan's 'Neocons' Feel No Debt to Korea Seoul Continues War of Words With Japan Masan City Cocks Snook at Shimane Prefecture

For the Japanese government to convene an emergency meeting and issue a statement generally sympathetic to the position of the Korean people, and on the very same day that Seoul made it clear where it stands, is at first glance a good thing, contrasting as it does with the country's earlier dismissive attitude.

But the statement reveals many problems with the way Tokyo sees individual issues. Referring to the Dokdo Islets, the statement merely said respective positions should be seen in a broader perspective, nor did it apologize in the least for provocations like the Shimane Prefecture council's passage of a bill designating a "Takeshima Day," after the Japanese name for the islets.

It is depressing that even portions of the Japanese press that ostensibly represent good sense take the line that Takeshima is Japanese territory but Japan is restraining itself in consideration of Japan-Korea relations.

The Foreign Ministry statement also assumes that nothing is wrong with whitewashing past atrocities in a history textbook, saying, "Textbooks are being inspected fairly and adequately." On the question of victims of conscription under Japanese colonial rule, too, the statement ruled out any additional compensation, saying, "The matter was resolved when diplomatic relations were normalized; it is not wise to turn back the wheels of history."

If Japan really "humbly" accepts the feelings of the Korean people and reflects on what it should reflect on, it must translate words into action. The souring of relations is entirely due to Japanese provocations, so it is reasonable to expect Japan to remedy them. Tokyo should endeavor to stop the country's rightwingers from eyeing the territory of a neighbor, and in the course of screening the Fusosha textbook correct all distortions of history it finds there.

Nonetheless, the Korean people too will have to realize that Korea and Japan are destined to live as neighbors. The countries are bound to have some differences, but if we only magnify those differences, conflicts will deepen irrevocably. Assuming that Japan is genuine in humbly accepting our feelings, Korea, too, should search for ways of restoring relations.