Rather, I kind of think that’s one of the only things the MOFA gets to do by itself, if they decide to do anything at all. The other foreign policy goodies is up to other guys- e.g., trade (MITI), protection of IT (MITI), natural resources (MITI), financial stuff (MOF, BOJ), defense (Ministry of Defense), Fishing rights and Agriculture (not sure of the acronym- MAF?), inter-stellar relations (probably not MOFA)…etc.

Probably does hurt Japanese businesses in China if Japan keeps getting hated there. So I wouldn’t be so confident that all these WWII-stuff can be disgarded as mere rubbish. Oh, don’t get me wrong for those who like to glorify the past. Never said that, even once.

I just don’t see those things being factors that keep foreign policy shapers (for example in the State Department or MOFA) up at night.

Bender has a great point: “if anyone cared to look at the ad at all”

Tempest in a teacup.

The #1 and #2 economies in the world? I don’t see either losing here.

I’m not sure what winning and losing means here, but America is always bombarded by anti-Americanism and Japan is by anti-Japan. It looks kind of different because many see as Japan as a non-democratic, “eastern” regime filled with unapologetic revisionists (oh my…). So in this sense, Japan is losing. In Japan, when the media says “western nations(countires)”, it includes Japan, but in the US, definitely not included. So I think this needs to be worked out, and the Washington Post ad surely had adverse effects on how Japan will be perceived (if anyone cared to look at the ad at all).

BTW, talking some Europeans, I’ve realized that Germany and the Germans haven’t been completely embraced by their neighbors as well. So it’s a difficult path for both nations.

The #1 and #2 economies in the world? I don’t see either losing here.

I am not sure if they have lost the trust in Korea.
But if you say so…
In any case I think Mofa should do something about Korea. It has been sending wrong messages.

“They killed Asian Women Fund and harassed those who have been faithfully working for the salvation of the ex-comfort women long before Koreans taint the issue from human rights issue to nationalstic one.”
I can’t agree more.

“We will kiss America’s ass no matter how wrong they are and it is evident in the current situation relating war on terror.”

I don’t like the wording, but I got the message.I think Japan need a friendly relations with the U.S. That is the best choice considering geopolitical, and ideological situation—-you need allies but China is not a candidate, and the U.S. is the best liberal democracy in the world.
But, you know, to be honest, I’ve come to understand, through the U.S-Japan relation, what some feminists say about a sentiment of the women who has to rely on a strong man for survival.

“If there is a loser in this whole issue, it will be the liberal and internationalist Japanese seeking enlightened self interest in bilateral ties with Seoul.”

We’ll see it.

I read the book ““Ianfu mondai toha nani dattanoka”
at the bookstore.
Probably, it should be “…..nannanoka?”; It is ongoing issue.

Pretty much interesting. Here is an interesting review from a blog written by a public servant who has also donated to the “Asian women’s fund”.
http://bewaad.com/2007/07/03/190/

Anyway, recently even the once over (or blindly) pro-korean leftist and feminist like Ueno Chizuko and Wada Haruki has began to criticize the ultra nationalistic movement of some Korean NGO’s and feminists.

But it’s too late. They should have done that 10years ago. Once I have read an interview of Noam Chomsky, shortly after 9/11. I don’t agree with his political view, but what was impressive was, although being harshly critical against the American government and President Bush, he never used the anti-american feeling of the Japanese interviewer.

He questioned and counter argued the anti-american view of the interviewer.

Criticizing the Japanese government and the ruling LDP doesn’t mean that you have to nod at everything what the Korean and the Chinese are saying. If you are against nationalism and want to fight with nationalism then you should do that also with Korean or Chinese nationalism.

Otherwise it is just hypocrisy. Even Noam Chomsky did it. The Japanese Liberals did not. They’ve got the lesson too late.

Not exactly,Asahi has been pretty calm and reasonable on this matter and same with Mainichi.Monthly Ronza could be somewhat sympathetic but Weekly Asahi had non-Asahi like turnaround to jingoism lately.

Sure,Japanese media would write about the resolution just as we’ve been covering this issue for past decade or two.But the thing is neither Abe nor MoFA is wrong on the issue(perhaps they’ve handled it badly,but that’s another story).

The real problem is that the trust to Koreans will dissappear in all wings of politics.
It has been the right who had supported Seoul for pol-mil reasons,Left for idealism regarding democracy and historical reconcilliation and overcoming the prejudice toward zainichi.Business community and bureaucracy was keen on neutral economic ties.
Now it’s all gone.Seoul is doing everything they can to support Pyongyang and damage Japan’s diplomatic effort to pressure the North to solve nuclear/abductee issue.They’ve also dumped FTA negotiation with Tokyo which has been carefully researched for nearly a decade and suddenly switched to FTA with Washington taking just couple of months of negotiation period.They killed Asian Women Fund and harassed those who have been faithfully working for the salvation of the ex-comfort women long before Koreans taint the issue from human rights issue to nationalstic one.

We will kiss America’s ass no matter how wrong they are and it is evident in the current situation relating war on terror.But this is real politics and not much else.
If there is a loser in this whole issue,it will be the liberal and internationalist Japanese seeking enlightend self interest in bilateral ties with Seoul.

The Japanese group that published the Ad is hardly “Japan”.

I don’t think Japanese media will ignore the resolution.
And of course Korean media will be rejoiced.
Asahi and other media will use the resolution to attack the government whoever will be next Prime Minister.
Then some factions of Japanese conservative will counter it.
I am not worried that military alliance with the US will be shaken;military people in both the U.S. and Japan know quite well how important the alliance is.

What I am worried about is it might cause some kind distrust in the U.S. among Japanese people.
Notice almost all the media including Asahi is not satisfied with the resolution.

Who is loser? —Japan and the U.S.