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Japan Forward
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Japan Forward
South Korea Anti-Japan Attacks Leave No Room for Bilateral Trust
このページを 日本語 で読む Lee Jae-myung was just inaugurated by South Korea as its new president on June 4. However, we are forced to recognize that his new administration is already launching attacks on Japan and churning out anti-Japan propaganda that distorts historical facts. He has also nominated Seoul's former United Nations Ambassador Cho Hyun as foreign minister. Meanwhile, Cho has said that he intends to demand an explanation from Japan about the use of Korean workers for what he calls "forced labor" in the Sado Island Gold Mines in Niigata Prefecture. These mines have been named a UNESCO World Heritage site. The Lee administration has also demanded that UNESCO take action regarding another World Heritage site. Titled "Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution: Iron and Steel, Shipbuilding and Coal Mining," these industrial heritage sites were listed in 2015. There are 23 component sites, including Hashima Island (commonly known as Gunkanjima or "Battleship Island") in Nagasaki City. The South Korean government alleges that Japan has not admitted its history of "forced labor" in connection with these sites. Seoul's initiatives only rehash complaints that have been resolved in the past, and raising them again and again is unacceptable. Doyu-no-Warito, a site of open-pit mining, which has become a symbol of the gold and silver mines of Sado Island. (© Sankei by Kenichi Honda) During the Pacific War, many workers from the Korean Peninsula worked at numerous sites in Japan proper, including the Sado Gold Mines and Gunkanjima. At the time, the Peninsula was an integral part of the Empire of Japan. Their wartime labor was the result of a lawful nationwide mobilization that required the payment of wages. It was definitely not "forced labor" as the South Korean government suggests. The Lee administration should immediately desist from its unfounded criticisms of Japan. Japan's leadership should also strongly object to this behavior. In a written response he submitted for a confirmation hearing in the South Korean National Assembly, Cho said, "[Japan must correctly explain] its history of forcing Koreans to work at the Sado Gold Mines." The Sado Gold Mine became a World Heritage Site in July 2024. Nevertheless, after South Korea protested, Japan and South Korea held more talks. Both sides agreed to display panels at the local museum in Sado City explaining the harsh working conditions experienced by workers in the mines during the war, including workers of Korean origin. Nonetheless, Cho has also criticized this exhibition, saying it "lacks balance." A view of Gunkanjima, in Nagasaki, showing a cluster of ruins. (© Sankei) Cho coordinated the drawing up of the diplomatic pledges Lee made during the presidential campaign. And in May, Cho promised, "We will not move the goalposts." He thereby indicated an intention to maintain agreements previously concluded between the Japanese and South Korean governments, including those concerning historical issues. Hardly were the words out of his mouth before Cho changed his tune. Now, how can we be expected to believe anything he says? Furthermore, at the UNESCO World Heritage Committee meeting held in Paris on July 7, a South Korean representative criticized Japan's "lack of explanation" regarding Gunkanjima. He also called for the committee to look into the issue. The Japanese delegation objected, and the representatives of member nations voted to reject South Korea's request. Nonetheless, on July 15, the South Korean side returned with a similar motion. And it continues to criticize Japan. In his previously mentioned written response, Cho also emphasized that "we will develop Korea-Japan cooperation." However, if the Lee administration keeps launching anti-Japanese attacks, we will never be able to build a truly cooperative bilateral relationship in either security or economic terms. The South Korean government should also realize that such a course would not be in its own national interest. Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun このページを 日本語 で読む
Japan Forward
11-07-2025
- Politics
- Japan Forward
UNESCO Backs Japan's Position on Hashima Coal Mine Dispute
At the 47th session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee, held in Paris on July 7, delegates revisited the issue of sites related to Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution. Since their inscription on the UNESCO list in 2015, the South Korean government has argued that the Japanese side has not fully honored its commitments regarding the Hashima Island and its coal mine. Seoul claims that Tokyo has failed to properly acknowledge what it calls the forced labor of Koreans at the mine during its colonial rule. On Monday, the South Korean representative requested the committee to reexamine Japan's follow-up measures and suggested adding it to the formal agenda. Japanese representatives opposed, asserting that it had faithfully implemented earlier resolutions. With no consensus reached, the committee chair called for a vote. An anonymous ballot was conducted among the 21 member states, with Japan's revised proposal adopted by seven votes in favor, three against, and several abstentions. Aerial view of Hashima Island, also known as Gunkanjima. (© Sankei) Instead of reopening the issue as South Korea requested, the committee endorsed the position that disputes over the Hashima Island and its coal mine should be resolved through bilateral dialogue rather than UNESCO procedures. With this outcome, it is unlikely that the issue will be formally discussed again during the current session, which ends on July 16, or in future meetings. Hashima Island, also known as Gunkanjima, is a former undersea coal mine located off the coast of Nagasaki. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2015 as one of the 23 Sites of Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution. At the time of registration, Tokyo pledged to explain the full history of the site, including the conscription of Koreans under wartime labor policies. Seoul insists Japan has not fulfilled that promise, pointing in particular to the Industrial Heritage Information Center opened in 2020, which it says omits or downplays the history of what South Koreans allege was forced labor. Photos of former residents of Gunkanjima in Nagasaki at the Industrial Heritage Information Center in Shinjuku, Tokyo, March 30, 2020. (© Sankei) Over the past decade, the UNESCO committee has revisited the subject, adopting resolutions in 2015, 2018, 2021, and 2023. The 2021 decision echoed South Korea's concerns, expressing "strong regret" over Japan's limited follow-through. In contrast, the 2023 resolution took a more conciliatory tone, acknowledging Japan's additional efforts and encouraging further dialogue. The 2023 resolution also downgraded the reporting requirement from a "formal report," which requires committee review, to an "update report," which does not. Despite the latest vote, Seoul is expected to continue raising the matter in other forums and on the international stage. Meanwhile, Tokyo maintains that it has fulfilled its obligations, stating that conscription at the time applied to all nationals, including Koreans, and denies any discriminatory treatment. At the latest meeting, Japanese delegates expressed concern that discussing issues unrelated to the cultural heritage value could lead to the "politicization" of the World Heritage Committee. The recent UNESCO decision reflects the committee's tendency to steer politically sensitive historical disputes toward direct bilateral dialogue instead of prolonged arbitration. Author: Kenji Yoshida
Korea Herald
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
How Seoul's call to hold Japan to account was silenced at UNESCO
21-member UNESCO committee backed Japan over Korea, 7 to 3 South Korea lost its bid to spotlight Japan's longstanding failure to fulfill its promise to address its historical enslavement of Koreans at locations now listed as World Heritage sites, after losing a UNESCO vote Monday. The result was a stinging setback that exposed Seoul's limited sway at UNESCO, as well as UNESCO's lukewarm attitude to Seoul's pursuit of historical justice. For the first time, South Korea and Japan confronted each other in a formal vote at Monday's session of the UNESCO World Heritage Committee in Paris, over a historical dispute stemming from Japan's colonial rule of Korea from 1910 to 1945. Seoul's position was simple: Japan's failure to fulfill the commitments it made a decade ago in 2015 — when 23 sites from Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution were added to UNESCO's World Heritage List — should be addressed within the UNESCO platform. During the session, the South Korean government delegation pointed out that the Industrial Heritage Information Center in Tokyo, which opened in March 2020, focused solely on glorifying Japan's industrial achievements during the Meiji era (1868–1912), while neglecting the colonial-era history of forced labor involving Koreans. 'The materials on display still failed to reflect the experiences of Koreans and others who were brought against their will and forced to work under harsh conditions in the 1940s. This is not a minor omission — it silences the lived realities that official narratives too often exclude,' Ha Wie-young, the representative of the South Korean government delegation, said in English during the session. 'We also believe this discussion serves the World Heritage system. Interpretation shapes how heritage is understood, and thoughtful, historically grounded approaches are vital to upholding the Convention's credibility and relevance.' Seven of 23 sites, including coal mines on Hashima Island, also known as Battleship Island, are locations where numerous Koreans were forcibly mobilized and subjected to harsh conditins during Japan's colonial rule over Korea from 1910 to 1945. Seoul's last-ditch efforts During the session, the Korean government delegation made last-ditch efforts to persuade other members of the WHC, taking the floor six additional times ahead of the vote to underscore the legitimacy of revisiting Japan's unfulfilled pledge at UNESCO. In contrast, the Japanese delegation remained silent throughout the debate, speaking only once during its opening statement. Takehiro Kano, a representative from the Japanese delegation, argued that Japan's unfulfilled commitments had 'nothing to do with Outstanding Universal Value,' and maintained that bilateral dialogue between Korea and Japan — outside UNESCO — was the most appropriate way forward. 'Unlike in previous decisions, the World Heritage Committee did not request Japan to submit a State of Conservation report for examination by the World Heritage Committee, thus concluding the discussion," Japanese Ambassador to UNESCO Kano said during the session. Ha, from the Foreign Ministry in Seoul, immediately responded, 'My distinguished colleague from Japan just mentioned that we are trying to reopen this case. However, to the best of my knowledge, this case has never been closed.' Expected but bitter defeat South Korea initially proposed discussing the issue during the session of the World Heritage Committee that kicked off Monday. Japan later submitted an amendment to exclude the issue from discussion, which was eventually put to a vote. However, of the 21 World Heritage Committee members, only three supported South Korea's position, while seven backed Japan's amendment. Eight countries submitted blank ballots, and three were deemed invalid. With just six votes required for adoption under majority rule, Japan's proposal passed, effectively blocking further discussion of its unfulfilled commitments. South Korea's defeat at UNESCO was not entirely unexpected, especially given the structural imbalance of power between Seoul and Tokyo within UNESCO. South Korea ranks 14th in overall financial contributions to UNESCO. Japan ranks third — behind only the United States and China — with around $91.7 million pledged for the 2024–2025 period as of the first quarter this year, compared to South Korea's $31.9 million. This funding gap highlights the limits of Seoul's leverage in key decision-making processes within the institution. The latest session laid bare that disparity. The South Korean government delegation had to ask the same question multiple times — whether the matter of Japan's unfulfilled commitments had been formally concluded — as UNESCO officials initially avoided giving a clear answer. "I haven't heard anything about my first question, so again: has this case ever been closed? My delegation would like to know what we are trying to do here,' Ha said. "It's a simple question.' Korea's voice unheard Lazare Eloundou Assomo, director of the World Heritage Center, offered a procedural explanation that effectively echoed Japan's claim that Tokyo's failure to fulfill its historical pledge did not warrant further review at the current committee session. The director explained that the issue is not a threat to a World Heritage site and not a threat to its Outstanding Universal Value and integrity and authenticity of the sites under UNESCO mechanisms. 'The conclusion of the review did not conclude to take the site back to its status of conservation ... for examination by the World Heritage Committee, and this is what both the Secretariat and ICOMOS have concluded and communicated officially,' he said. 'So, I hope this time I have been clear.' In a somewhat cynical tone, Ernesto Ottone Ramirez, assistant director-general for Culture at UNESCO, responded, "Just to add: We are not a tribunal — there is no case. We don't discuss cases; we discuss inscriptions and state of conservation." Ottone Ramirez went on to say that 'it would take eight months to have this meeting' if the Committee were to review all 1,223 properties inscribed on the World Heritage List. 'That's the answer. So it's not a yes or no — and you know that very well.'
Korea Herald
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
How Seoul's call to hold Japan accountable was silenced at UNESCO
21-member UNESCO committee backed Japan over Korea, 7 to 3 South Korea's bid to spotlight Japan's longstanding failure to fulfill a promise to have its World Heritage sites address the country's historical subjection of Koreans to forced labor ended in defeat at a UNESCO vote on Monday — a stinging setback. The result exposed Seoul's limited sway at UNESCO in highlighting the enduring scars of colonial history and its ongoing pursuit of historical justice. For the first time, South Korea and Japan confronted each other in a formal vote at the UNESCO World Heritage Committee over a historical dispute stemming from Japan's colonial rule of Korea from 1910 to 1945. Seoul lost the vote during the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee held on Monday in Paris. What Seoul sought to do was simple: Japan's failure to fulfill the commitments it made a decade ago in 2015 — when 23 sites from Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution were added to UNESCO's World Heritage List — should be addressed within the UNESCO platform. During the session, the South Korean government delegation pointed out that the Industrial Heritage Information Center in Tokyo, which opened in March 2020, focused solely on glorifying Japan's industrial achievements during the Meiji era (1868–1912), while neglecting the colonial-era history of forced labor involving Koreans. 'The materials on display still fail to acknowledge the experiences of Koreans and others who were forcibly brought and made to work under harsh conditions in the 1940s. This is not a minor omission; it erases the lived realities that official narratives too often ignore,' Ha Wie-young, the representative of the South Korean government delegation, said in English during the session. 'We also believe this discussion strengthens the World Heritage system. Interpretation shapes how heritage is understood, and historically grounded, thoughtful approaches are essential to maintaining the (World Heritage) Convention's credibility and relevance.' Seven of 23 sites, including coal mines on Hashima Island, also known as Battleship Island, are locations where numerous Koreans were forcibly mobilized and subjected to harsh labor during Japan's colonial rule over Korea from 1910 to 1945. Seoul's last-ditch efforts During the session, the Korean government delegation made last-ditch efforts to persuade other members of the WHC, taking the floor six additional times ahead of the vote to underscore the legitimacy of revisiting Japan's unfulfilled pledge at UNESCO. In stark contrast, the Japanese delegation remained silent throughout the debate, speaking only once during its opening statement. Takehiro Kano, a representative from the Japanese delegation, argued that Japan's unfulfilled commitments had 'nothing to do with Outstanding Universal Value,' and maintained that bilateral dialogue between Korea and Japan — outside UNESCO — was the most appropriate way forward. 'Unlike in previous decisions, the World Heritage Committee did not request Japan to submit a State of Conservation report for examination by the committee, thus concluding the discussion," the Japanese representative said during the session. Ha, from the Foreign Ministry in Seoul, immediately responded: 'My Japanese colleague mentioned that my delegation is trying to reopen this case. To the best of my knowledge, however, this case has never been closed.' South Korea initially proposed discussing the issue during the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee held on Monday in Paris. Japan later submitted an amendment to exclude the issue from discussion, which was eventually put to a vote. However, of the 21 World Heritage Committee members, only three supported South Korea's position, while seven backed Japan's amendment. Eight countries submitted blank ballots, and three were deemed invalid. With just six votes required for adoption, Japan's proposal passed, effectively blocking further discussion of its unfulfilled commitments made in 2015. South Korea's defeat at UNESCO was not entirely unexpected, especially given the structural imbalance of power between Seoul and Tokyo within UNESCO. South Korea ranks 14th in overall financial contributions to UNESCO. Japan ranks third — behind only the United States and China — with around $91.7 million pledged for the 2024–2025 period as of the first quarter this year, compared to South Korea's $31.9 million. This funding gap highlights the limits of Seoul's leverage in key decision-making processes within the institution. The latest session laid bare that disparity. The South Korean government delegation had to ask the same question multiple times — whether the matter of Japan's unfulfilled commitments had been formally concluded — as UNESCO officials initially avoided giving a clear answer. 'I haven't heard anything about my first question, so again: has this case ever been closed? My delegation would like to know what we are trying to do here,' Ha said. 'Are we trying to open — or reopen — this case, or has this case never been closed? It's a simple question.' Korea's voice unheard Lazare Eloundou Assomo, director of the World Heritage Center, offered a procedural explanation that effectively echoed Japan's claim that Tokyo's nonfulfillment of its historical pledge did not warrant further review because the issue is not a threat to a World Heritage site and not a threat to its Outstanding Universal Value under UNESCO mechanisms. 'The conclusion of the review did not conclude to take the site back to its status of conservation ... for examination by the World Heritage Committee, and this is what both the Secretariat and ICOMOS have concluded and communicated officially,' he said. 'Of course, the Committee takes its own decision. The Secretariat has communicated this clearly, so I hope this time I have been clear.' Ernesto Ottone Ramirez, assistant director-general for Culture at UNESCO, dismissed the premise, arguing that the notion of a 'case' being closed does not apply to the Committee's work — thereby implicitly rejecting Seoul's line of reasoning. 'Just to add: we are not a tribunal — there is no case. We don't discuss cases; we discuss inscriptions and States of Conservation,' Ottone Ramirez said.
Korea Herald
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
Seoul fails to bring Japan's forced labor issue to fore at UNESCO
South Korea has failed to place Japan's failure to address colonial-era forced labor at UNESCO-listed Meiji Industrial Revolution sites on UNESCO's official discussion agenda. The outcome was marked by tense negotiations with Tokyo and behind-the-scenes efforts to rally international support, particularly from the 21-member World Heritage Committee under UNESCO. South Korea initially proposed discussing the issue during the 47th session of the World Heritage Committee held on Monday in Paris. Japan later submitted an amendment to exclude the issue from discussion, which was eventually put to a vote. Of the 21 committee members, there were eight blank ballots, three invalid ballots, seven votes in favor of Japan's amendment to exclude the issue from discussion and three votes against. With a simple majority of six required, Japan's proposed amendment was adopted. The vote followed Seoul and Tokyo's inability to narrow their differences over whether Japan's neglect of its 2015 public commitment to address the history of forced mobilization of Koreans at UNESCO-inscribed sites should be included as an official agenda item at this year's session. "We regret that the necessary votes for the adoption of the agenda were ultimately not secured," the Korean Foreign Ministry said in a statement following the vote. The UNESCO vote marked the first time the longstanding dispute between Seoul and Tokyo over historical issues stemming from Japan's occupation of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945 was voted on at the committee. During the session Monday, the South Korean government delegation reiterated its position that Japan's failure to fulfill the commitments it made in 2015 — when 23 sites from Japan's Meiji Industrial Revolution were added to UNESCO's World Heritage List — should be discussed with UNESCO. Among the 23 sites, Koreans were forcibly mobilized at seven — including the coal mines on Japan's Hashima Island, also known as Battleship Island. Japan maintained its claim that the issue should be addressed bilaterally between Seoul and Tokyo, not on the UNESCO platform. In 2015, Japan pledged to 'take measures that allow an understanding that there were a large number of Koreans and others who were brought against their will and forced to work under harsh conditions in the 1940s at some of the sites.' Japan also promised to 'incorporate appropriate measures into the interpretive strategy to remember the victims, such as the establishment of an information center.' How vote started South Korea had additional hurdles to clear in raising the issue as an official agenda item at this year's meeting because Japan's upholding its UNESCO pledge was not automatically included on the World Heritage Committee's official agenda. In the resolution adopted in 2023, the WHC did not request a formal SOC report from Japan regarding its fulfillment of the commitments made at the Meiji Industrial Revolution sites. Such a report is a prerequisite for placing the related issue on the committee's official agenda for the following session. The 2023 resolution was adopted at a time when South Korea was not among the 21 members of the World Heritage Committee, but Japan was. In contrast, in past resolutions on the same matter adopted in 2015, 2018 and 2021, the WHC formally requested Japan submit SOC reports. As a result, Japan's failure to uphold its pledge was discussed as an official agenda item. Japan used the 2023 resolution technicality to claim the issue should not be included as an official agenda item at this year's session — a position South Korea firmly rejected. 'The South Korean government finds Japan's argument completely unconvincing,' a Foreign Ministry official said on condition of anonymity. 'While it is true that the 2023 resolution does not state that the update submitted by Japan is subject to review by the World Heritage Committee, there is also no rule that says it cannot be discussed at the committee.' In Seoul's view, a fundamental principle and rule of the World Heritage Committee is that any issue should be brought to the table if a member state believes there is a problem with the implementation of a decision concerning a specific heritage site. 'Therefore, we requested that this matter be added to the provisional agenda so that it could be discussed by the committee,' the official said. The official explained that, 'After months of back-and-forth, the UNESCO Secretariat ultimately agreed and circulated the document listing the item as part of the provisional agenda to member states on June 12.' Provisional agenda items are typically adopted through consensus at the World Heritage Committee session. But in this case, Japan proposed an amendment to exclude South Korea's proposed provisional agenda during the session, effectively nullifying South Korea's original proposal.
