A memorial for Korean victims of forced labor at Japan’s Sado Mine, jointly planned by South Korea and Japan for Nov. 24, was held with only Japan in attendance. South Korea announced on Nov. 23 that it would not participate, citing Japan’s memorial speech not meeting South Korea’s demands and Japanese representative Akiko Ikuina’s past visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, which honors Class-A war criminals. Japanese media reported that Ikuina, a parliamentary vice minister of Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, visited the shrine on Aug. 15, 2022. During the memorial, Ikuina said, “Korean workers endured harsh and dangerous conditions,” but did not acknowledge forced labor or express regret. South Korea plans to hold a separate memorial on Nov. 25 with the families of nine victims.
Japan was able to register Sado Mine as a UNESCO World Heritage site in July thanks to South Korea’s support. The mine is a historic site where Koreans were forced to work under Japan’s colonial rule. UNESCO requires all member nations to agree on World Heritage listings, meaning South Korea could have blocked it. In exchange for its support, Japan promised to hold a memorial service and create an exhibit about Korean workers. Trusting these promises, the South Korean government supported the listing to improve bilateral relations. However, Japan placed the exhibit 2 km from the mine and avoided using terms like “forced labor.” This time, Japan has also failed to keep its promise of a joint memorial.
Japan did the same when it sought to list a coal mine on Hashima Island as a World Heritage site. When the South Korean government strongly opposed, Japan admitted that “Koreans were forcibly mobilized in the 1940s to work in harsh conditions” and promised to include a memorial for the victims in the exhibit. But after the listing, Japan changed its stance.
Next year marks 60 years since South Korea and Japan normalized relations. North Korea’s nuclear threats continue, China’s power ambitions are growing, and the U.S.-China relationship is facing new challenges with Donald Trump’s election. South Korea has made political compromises on historical issues to improve ties with Japan. However, Japan has not responded with corresponding actions. How can South Korea and Japan build a better future together under these circumstances?
