Those who occupied the ruling class called "Yangban" during the Joseon period of Korea (1392-1910) were neither obliged to work nor to pay taxes.
They enjoyed not only "exploitation of the lower class" and "unproductive life" but also affairs with Kisaeng (also spelled gisaeng), sometimes called ginyeo (기녀), were officially sanctioned Korean female entertainers or sometimes prostitutes.
Women of the Kisaeng class performed various roles fully recognized by the government of Korea. They were trained to entertain those in the ruling class at the special facilities established by the government of Korea. Not only serving to function as entertainers or prostitutes to the ruling class, they also performed diplomatic and military roles whenever necessary.
Major roles performed by the women of the Kisaeng classs:
1. They entertained the ruling class.
2. They entertained the Chinese missions with sexual services.
3. They were often shipped out as gifts to China.
4. They were ordered to live in the remote areas to entertain the Korean soldiers defending the borders.
The government of Korea had been viewed as "a large scale brothel" by China during the Joseon period of Korea.
A training school for the Kisaeng classs in Pyongyang, Korea
Too late now but if you meet at least the following condtions:
1. Deep apology to His Majesty the Emperor of Japan;
2. Return of Takeshima Island with compensation for the illegal occupation;
3. Accpeting Koreans (citizens of the Republic of Korea and of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea who illegally sneaked into Japan) to be repatriated by Japan;
4. Compensation for the damages incurred when the Republic of Korea invaded Takeshima;
5. Necessary punishment for those involved in repeated defamation of Japan and her people and apologies to Japan and her people;
6. Apologies to Japan and her people for having insulted the brave souls of the fallen soldiers enshrined at Yasukuni Shrine, ensuring that the Republic of Korea will never let anyone repeat insulting them;
7. Immediate reimbursement of Yen loans.
The above tweet has been selected as it well represents the general feelings Japanese people share towards the Republic of Korea.
The Republic of Korea must face history and must teach its people un-erasable history that Japan-Korea annexation in 1910 was properly executed with full recognition by the international community as it was done in accordance with international law.
Besides, no battles were fought between Japan and Korea in relation to the annexation except the fact that the 1st Prime Minister of Japan Ito was assassinated by a Korean terrorist named An Jung-geun, thereby realizing Japan-Korea annexation. Japan-Korea annexation of 1910 wouldn't have happened unless Prime Minister Ito regarded as a major obstacle to the annexation was assassinated.
The assassinated Prime Minister Ito, one of those well acquainted with the history of Korea and its culture had always opposed the annexation and also had insisted that Korea would no doubt be well controlled by Koreans themselves in view of its past when they once exhibited their talent.
Hirobumi Ito, four time Prime Minister of Japan (the 1st, 5th, 7th and 10th)
An Jung-geun, Korean terrorist who assassinated Prime Minister Hirobumi Ito in 1909.
Korea had been so miserable and uncivilized before Japan saved it from brutal China
"Comfort Women" movement in South Korea was sponsored by the Japan Socialist Party, which I confirmed through my direct interview with South Korean comfort women. I personally witnessed one of aides to Ms. Takako Doi, then chairperson of the Japan Socialist Party handing over cash to them----. Quite natural that everything has been politically twisted around.
As far as I have observed international criticism and disapproval of Japan's position on "comfort women" issue, it is a step to further justify victors' justice and to implicitly strengthen their political position over Japan while intentionally failing to understand a true motive hidden behind the issuance of Kono remark on "comfort women".
The Government of Japan should assume responsibilies for having given a wrong impression to the international community that Japan admitted forced recruitment of so-called comfort women. Those Japanese politicians and bureaucrats not fully aware of realities in international politics inadvertently recommended Kono to issue it (Kono remark prepared by those bureaucrats) without giving due consideration to the ensuing consequences, so as to pacify the govt of south korea always acting like a peevish kid who in fact jumped on a story of "comfort women" as the bandwagon soon after it was fabricated by Japanese leftists.
Japanese politicians and bureaucrats in those days somehow thought that "comfort women" issue could be taken as another way for the govt of south korea to ask Japan (as a father) for monetary assistance and/or as something rather close to a domestic affair between Japan and south korea. It strongly suggests that they were under the impression that south korea had been closely related to Japan since Japan-Korea annexation in 1910.
More precisely, they were tricked by the govt of south korea to believe that the govt of south korea would no longer harass Japan over the issue once Japan somehow pretended to admit Japan's fault (Note: Neither the Government of Great Imperial Japan nor the Great Imperial Japanese Army was involved in coercing comfort women into the plight the govt of south korea has been hassling about since no evidence to substantiate its claim has been presented.), in hopes that Japan-south korea relations would improve.
Today, I happened to talk to a Japanese woman aged 97 who has lived in a home for the aged for 8 years or so. She still reads newspapers and watches TV news programs every day. Her interest ranges from home economics to international political issues. She is well versed in every subject the average Japanese adults find interested in.
She all of a sudden started to talk about "comfort women" now drawing public interest in Japan, obviously knowing that Osaka Mayor Hashimoto's repeated statements on "comfort women" have stirred up criticism and disapproval from overseas.
She recalls that in 1940s no one had ever questioned about parents selling their daughters for the sake of alleviating poverty since there existed no such a system publicly established as to extend help to the poor families both in Japan and in Korea.
Daughters sold to brothels or others were well aware that their families would not survive if they refused to be sold. It was not a matter of willingly or unwillingly at all but it was a matter of helping their families to survive.
None denies that some women were tricked into prostitution by swindlers or even by their neighbors. None denies that some women were abducted and sold to brothels. However, neither the Government of Japan nor Imperial Japanese Army was involved in forcing them into prostitution, contrary to what some Japanese leftists claim in collaboration with the government of south korea.
"Comfort women" had felt better off and had found it joyful and fulfilling to serve as professional prostitutes, thinking that they were supporting their families. However, nothing changed the fact that they were virtually sold as prostitutes in a sense that swindlers found loopholes in the laws being enforced since 1872. One of the typical loopholes often used among swindlers was to conclude a loan agreement allowing the poor parents to receive advance payment as a means of evading compliance with the laws that formally prohibited human trafficking. They viewed this practice not as slavery or any sort in a western sense but as a way to pay back debts to them as loan sharks. There were cases in which those involved in this sort of business had been found guilty of violating the laws.
The most important thing we must keep in our mind when dealing with an issue of "comfort women" is that we must examine the issue in terms of the historical context, in which the prevailing concepts of human rights and human rights violations were practically non-existent in the world, or at least not as much as we emphasize them now, particularly as seen in the United States of America that still struggles with a number of the worst examples of human rights violations.
The above photo shows the travelling Korean comfort women joyfully crossing a river. The term "Comfort Women" is a translation of the Japanese word 慰安婦 pronounced ianfu, a euphemism for the word prostitute.
The Dong-a Ilbo reports on rampant abduction of more than 100 Chinese girls by Korean swindlers (those agents engaged in recruiting personnel) from villages in Mukden, Manchukuo on August 31, 1939. Police investigators have been immediately dispatched to Mukden from Busan, Korea.
Many articles of this sort have been found in Japan, informing the public that police was determined to eradicate abduction of girls both in Korea and in China.
Notes:
1.The Dong-A Ilbo (literally East Asia Daily) is the leading newspaper in Korea, established in 1920, 10 years after Japan-Korean annexation. 2. The Great Empire of Manchuria was established in 1932 and continued to exist until 1945.
A South Korean journalist aged 28 says that we dropped nukes on Hiroshima and Nagasaki and that our nuclear attacks on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were our reprisal for the Asian people victimized by Japan's imperialism.
As the above statement suggests, not every South Korean but at least some of them have been brainwashed to believe that they were sided with US and its allies during the Greater East Asia War (called either the Pacific War or the World War II in the West), contrary to the historical fact that Korea was part of Japan as both Japan and Korea were tightly united under the common destiny alliance called Japan-Korea annexation fully recognized by the international community.
This is a remarkable achievement US has done in its brainwashing activities since the foundation of the Republic of Korea on August 13, 1948.
A reality in Japan: South Korean man has been arrested on suspicion of faking his income and at the same time having received welfare money from the Government of Japan.
許愛栄(허 아사카), nightclub owner, aged 54, South Korean citizen now residing in Toyama, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan confesses to Japanese police that he wanted to have lots of money. His annual income is estimated to be at least JPY 100 million (almost equivalent to USD 1 million at the current rate). It is reported that he not only has received welfare money but also has resided in a house for the poor.
There are many reported cases of welfare fraud committed by Korean citizens residing in Japan since municipal government offices tend to grant Korean citizens welfare support without thoroughly investigating their economic situation.
The Government of Japan has approved of two bills on May 17, 2013, strengthening countermeasures against welfare fraud and supporting the poor families by extending help for them to get back on their own feet again.
Mr. Nariaki Nakayama, graduated from Faculty of Law, Tokyo University.
Currently serving as a member of the Lower House, the Diet (Japan's national legislature).
Ex-government official of the Ministry of Finance.
Ex-Minister for the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT) and for the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism.
I regret that recently I've kept tweeting on South Korea. But Ms. Park! I have seen your recent meeting with President Obama as a slander about Japan. What wicked character are you? Is it only me who saw it that way? Japan's involvement in the issue of nuclear aresenal development by North Korea will produce nothing since North Korea will never give up nukes, anyway. We should look at this situation as the best chance for Japan to deal with our own defense issues, thereby helping us improve our diplomacy.
At the Budget Committee of the Upper House, the Diet (Japan's national legislature) held on April 25, the Democratic Party of Japan, better known as so-called "Anti-Japan Political Party" or "A group of leftist operatives" or "A group of traitors" among many Japanese cybercitizens has failed a surprise attack on Prime Minister of Japan Mr. Abe Shinzo and Mr. Furuya Keiji, State Minister in charge of North Korea's abductions of Japanese nationals over the Abe Cabinet members' visit to Yasukuni Shrine where 2.4 million brave souls of the fallen soldiers are enshrined at for remembering and honoring their dedicated services to Japan and her people.
Ms. Tokunaga Eri, representing the Democratic Party of Japan clearly stated in her question that families of abductees (those abducted by North Korea) have lost all hope (of rescuing the victims) due to the Abe Cabinet members' visit to Yasukuni Shrine, subsequently raising a question of whether the Abe Cabinet will further address the abduction issue or not.
Her story came as a bolt from the blue. Mr. Furuya Keiji then immediately returned a question to her "Can you tell us which one of the families of abduction victims has actually criticized our visit to Yasukuni Shrine? I just can't overlook your accusation. So, give us their names if it is true?."
Without clarifying the accusation she just made against Mr. Furuya Keiji, she suddenly started firing words of accusation at PM Abe Shinzo as she seemed having been cornered, facing a question of who has criticized the visit to Yasukuni Shrine. Although she seemed to have lost her confidence in winning her battle, she asked PM Abe what he thinks of their visit to Yasukuni Shrine she believes undeniable in having negatively impacted South Korea and China.
Before replying her question, PM Abe asked her to answer the question raised by Mr. Furuya Keiji as he believes it extremely essential in view of the importance attached to the functions of the Budget Committee. PM Abe further stated that not only she as a questioner will lose her credibility but also she will damage credibility of her party if she can't produce evidence to substantiate her claim.
PM Abe emphatically reminded her that in the area of diplomacy, there exist a number of attempts to repudiate truths, for example, Chinese denial of a truth that Senkaku has long been historically and internationally recognized as being an integral part of Japan.
As for the visits to Yasukuni Shrine, PM Abe introduced her to the historical account that no South Korean president had ever criticized Japan until Roh Moo-hyun became the ninth president of South Korea (2003–2008). PM Abe believes it important to look into why South Korea has all of a sudden posed in such a manner as to show its current stance toward our visit to Yasukuni Shrine.
He further emphasized that even China had never protested Japan against ex-Prime Ministers' visit to Yasukuni Shrine when and after 14 Japanese, so-called war criminals (Note: no war criminals legally acknowledged in Japan. They were either executed=murdered by US or died in jail.) were enshrined together with other brave souls in 1978. He said it was just recently that Chinese criticism came out of the blue.
He continued to say that similarly China had never protested Japan against her sovereignty over Senkaku Islands during the period from 1895 to 1971. PM Abe believes it necessary to fully recognize these facts, so that we will properly deal with China and at the same time he believes it natural to express a sense of reverence for those who devoted their lives to our country. He believes that his cabinet members will not accept any threats whatsoever.
Concluding her question over Yasukuni Shrine, Ms. Tokunaga Eri asked PM Abe how he will deal with unpleasant feelings expressed by China and South Korea.
PM Abe said that Yasukuni Shrine is here in Japan and just nearby here, and that he strongly questions those who accept their criticism of our visit to Yasukuni Shrine for praying for the brave souls without feeling unjustified pain and that he believes it wrong for them to condemn our visits. PM Abe continued to say he believes it is his duty to defend our national interests and to preserve pride of our history and tradition. He finally said he would like to make it clear that we will not compromise our pride just for the sake of harmonizing.
Ms. Tokunaga said feebly she has some sentiments about this matter; therefore, she will discuss them with PM Abe whenever possible in the future. She sounded like she was learning an important lesson by this failed attack.
Member of the House of Representatives, The Diet (Japan's national legislature)
LDP Policy Chief commented on Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo on April 24 as follows;
I believe that Japan-China relation is extremely important, however, it is none of their business how we Japanese honor and remember our soldiers who lost their lives during their services to our country. We decide on how we appreciate their services, therefore, I question why our visit to Yasukuni Shrine develops into a diplomatic issue.
(The above translation of her comment is provisional)
Tweets as follows; Calmly putting my hands together, I paid the fullest respect and the highest tribute to the souls of the war dead enshrined at Yasukuni Shrine with other 212 members of the Diet (Japan's National Legislature). Compared with the last years, the number of politicians who visit Yasukuni Shrine has considerably increased. I regard this increase as a clear indication of the public will, well evidenced in the general election held in the last December. Obviously, we must stay vigilant of the Chinese movements including the Chinese government ships.
The following two Professors discuss "Who's stirring up anti-Japan sentiments in Japan" in the video below.
Dr. Shoichi Watanabe, Professor Emeritus, Sophia University ( http://bit.ly/eJPYQn )
Dr. Hiroaki Kobayashi, Professor Emeritus, Nippon University ( http://bit.ly/f7iIXI )
Dr. Shoichi Watanabe said: I have spent a few decades, wondering why we have such politicians as acting against the interests of Japan and why we have such editors as preferring to publish the articles damaging to Japan. I finally concluded that we had those leftists bearing a grudge against Japan who were inevitably purged in the prewar era because they were financially supported and directed by Коминтерн=Comintern short for Communist International. They lived in darkness, hating the era they lived through.
Dr. Hiroaki Kobayashi said: Yes, I think the treatment they received was inevitable.
Dr. Shoichi Watanabe said: During the occupation era, they and their supporters had rapidly risen to dominance in the press and the field of academics,well assisted by General Headquarters of U.S. Occupation Troops. As a matter of fact, the well-disciplinedJapanese leftistslike Mr. Manabu Sano ( 佐野学http://bit.ly/enTGgU ) and Mr. Kiyoharu Tanaka (田中清玄http://bit.ly/f0OYeS ) all left the communist movement as soon as they received an order from Comintern to start an attempt to abolish Japan's Imperial System. However, those who fanatically believed that everything about Japan was bad, remained to be leftists. They were very weird. And, they were mostly ethnic Koreans. They had no reason to give up the idea of abolishing Japan's Imperial System.
I am not saying those people are still working at Asahi Shinbun but journalists much influenced by those Korean leftists have been writing and publishing the articles very critical of Japan, thereby stirring up anti-Japan sentiments in Japan and having Japan say anything against her interests. That is my conclusion.
Dr. Hiroaki Kobayashi said: Oh, that is something I have never noticed because I wasn't looking at those things that way. I feel that those people who are in fact believers in totalitarianism perhaps tend to have such a thought. The fact that they were financially supported and directed by Starlin clearly indicates what I feel is right. Because of their influence, we observed emergence of the radical leftist students in the 1960s and 1970s.
Dr. Shoichi Watanabe said: Hitler and Mussolini were not only believers in totalitarianism but also patriots. Regardless of what Starlin said, he was in fact a patriot. However, it is very strange that those who believe in totalitarianism seem to dislike Japan.
Dr. Hiroaki Kobayashi said: Well, I think so. They are anti-Japan journalists and politicians. But I didn't notice what you have just said.
Dr. Shoichi Watanabe said: It is not a matter of whether they are ethnically Koreans or not butthey still harbor the Korean leftist ideology that condemns Japan as being bad.
Dr. Hiroaki Kobayashi said: Well, that is something I haven't noticed.
Dr. Shoichi Watanabe said: I say that because they are the Japanese nationals, I will have to be patient with them only if they are just totalitarians. In fact, they are not just totalitarians but they hate everything about Japan.
Dr. Hiroaki Kobayashi said: A week ago, I received a mission of 100 Korean members. They are ex-politicians, retired military men, press people, etc. I was requested to discuss East Asian security and Japan-China relations. I emphasized that Japan and Korea have shared common values such as democracy and freedom and that Korea should not be value-neutral when considering Japan and China, as practiced by Korea either placing equidistantly Japan and China or being sided with China while criticising Japan. I feel that their reasoning gets to be obscured by emotions.
Dr. Shoichi Watanabe said: South Korea has not reached the level of civilization that makes them understand what treaty is because they keep bringing up the same old storieseven if we have a good and effective treaty called Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea.
Dr. Hiroaki Kobayashi said: That is a good and effective treaty. I really feel that I find it extremely difficult to discuss something with them because they asked me a question of whether Japan advanced into or invaded the Korean peninsula and China even after all I had to say to them. I told them to remember what I have already said to you. Since I am specialized in international laws, I am a kind of reluctant to use the terms "Advance" or "Invade" at all. I told them not to expect any words like advance or invade from me. I may discuss it from the perspective of "colonization" and "Imperialism". I told them that I have nothing to do with what our politicians have said.
Notes:
1. I try to be accurate when translating all the discourses I came across in preparing for this presentation. 2. I try to be concise enough to point out the aspects when translating all the discourses I came across in preparing for this presentation. 3. Whatever discourses I translate will remain tentative until I get satisfied with their accuracy.4. I reserve the right to decide which discourses I choose for this presentation.
5. The Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea (Japanese: 日韓基本条約 (Nikkan Kihon Jōyaku?); Korean: 한일기본조약, 韓日基本條約, Hanil Gibon Joyak) was signed on June 22, 1965 to establish basic relation between Japan and the Republic of Korea (South Korea). For details, access http://bit.ly/g9xhE8
We have learned a lot of history (see Note 1. below) from south korea, haven't we? Just remember how often korea invaded Japan even before The Mongol invasions of Japan (元寇, Genkō?) of 1274 and 1281 (see Note 2. below). Japan should demand south korea to apologize to Japan for having invaded Japan in 813, 871, 880, 894, 906, 943, 998, 999, 1014, 1019, and 1097.
Note 1: A south korean Assistant Professor Ms. Kim appeared on Japanese TV just a few days ago (March 4, 2013) and stated that south korea will never forget a history of Japanese invasion into korea even for 1,000 years. Japanese commentators strongly dismissed her statement as being false and further demanded her to remember the korean brutal invasions into Japan in the last 1,000 years. They are two invasions generally called "The Mongol invasions of Japan.
Note 2.:The Mongol invasions of Japan (元寇, Genkō?) of 1274 and 1281 was in fact brutally and mercilessly executed by koreans as korea was a vassal state of The Mongolian empire.
South Korean private sector has been boycotting Japanese products in protest against Japan celebrating "Takeshima Day". South Korea means nothing to Japan in terms of her economy. Japan's import from South Korea is only 0.68% of Japan's GDP while her export to South Korea is 1.12% of Japan's GDP. South Korea will collapse if South Korea stops importing machine tools and industrial materials from Japan.
It is reported that US Secretary of State Dulles had repeatedly threatened Japan over territorial issues while Japan was trying to straighten out the entangled territorial issues intentionally created by U.S. government, thereby keeping those irritants effectively damaging to Japan's relations with China, Taiwan, ROK, and the Soviet Union (now Russia).
An Indisputable Fact: South Korea claims that Korea was independent for 5,000 years, however, it is nothing but a lie. No reason to hide a historical fact that the old Korea was a complete vassal state of Qing Dynasty (the last imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912). This is the flag used when ruled by China. Chinese characters above the Korean flag say "Great China's vassal state Korea".
驚愕すべきことに、韓国の若者は、自国が支那の属国だった歴史を全く教わっていない。ここに、韓国人の強烈なコンプレックスを見る。 tweets as follows; A fact that startles me is that young South Koreans have never been taught "Korea was a vassal state of China". I can sense "their severe inferiority complex" in this mere fact.
Do you know what the old document says in Chinese? It says that Korean language Hangul has been invented for the ignorant people.
Before Japan-Korea annexation in 1910, almost 100% of Koreans were illiterate as they were oppressed by Chinese. Japan promoted use of Hangul by establishing more than 3,000 schools and one national university (now called Seoul University). The current education in South Korea has unjustifiably denied an apparent historical fact that Japan had long helped South Korea rebuild its nation even after it was devastated during the Korean war and that Japan had earlier developed Korea into a civilized peninsula during 35 years of annexation after Koreans vehemently sought help from Japan before 1910. Before Japan defeated Qing Dynasty (the last imperial dynasty of China, ruling from 1644 to 1912) in 1895, Korea was a complete vassal state of Qing Dynasty who had practiced brutal rule over Korea.
Read Koreans Return Evil for Good for readers' better understanding of Japan-Korea relations during 35 years of annexation.
Taylor Washburn@washburnt
Ted Yokohama 富嶽@TedYokohama
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