Publishers had refused to consider Ken Kanryu as inflammatory for two years, until July. Now Sharin Yamano has become a bestselling author, having sold more than 300,000 copies. His comic, catching a new conservative wave in Japanese politics, is meanwhile meeting a strong emotional response from Koreans and Chinese who suffered from Japan's wartime aggression.

"When I was young, I liked Japanese pop music, drama, and manga, but these days, because of issues surrounding politics and history, many Chinese youngsters dislike Japan even more so than the older generation," a Chinese citizen said. "I think Japan feels threatened because its influence in the region and in the world is diminishing, while China's economy is growing rapidly and Korean culture is spreading throughout Asia."

Those who closely follow relations between Korea and Japan urge a moderate response to provocations such as the comic book. "We should not react rashly to such moves, because that will only incite Japan's conservative, right-wing groups. We have to remember, there are many intellectuals in Japan with good judgment, who are a lot more concerned about bilateral issues than we are."

A high-ranking Tokyo official agreed, taking the view that any anti-Korea sentiment comes only from a tiny minority. "I don't think there is a kind of resentment or hatred or ill-feeling toward Korea mounting in Japan, not at all. There are some groups of people who entertain those sentiment, the so-called conservatives. This is not a prevailing trend, I would say."

Despite such calm appraisals, the book is a runaway success. Because of the high demand, Amazon-Japan says delivery can take up to six weeks. Nonetheless, there's a growing appetite. A sequel -- called simply “Anti-Korean Wave 2” -- is coming out by the end of the year.

Arirang News