Multiple civic groups in the Republic of Korea (ROK) gathered on Wednesday in Seoul to call on the Japanese government to face up to its history and offer a sincere apology and remorse.
The civic groups, composed of student representatives and social activists from various organizations, including those advocating for the rights of "comfort women," rallied in front of the embassy of Japan.
Demonstrators said recent moves by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi deny Japan's history of aggression and are a sign of the resurgence of militarism.
Since Takaichi took office as prime minister, Japan has embarked on an accelerated path toward military buildup, steadily departing from its exclusively defense-oriented policy.
Recent risky steps -- sharply increasing the defense budget, restructuring the Self-Defense Forces to enhance combat capabilities, deploying long-range missiles with so-called "counterstrike capabilities," as well as relentless efforts to revise the Constitution, the "Three Non-Nuclear Principles" and the three security documents -- all point to a deliberate departure from Japan's postwar pacifist principles and an advance toward remilitarization.
Takaichi, on April 21, sent a ritual "masakaki" tree offering and made a monetary offering to the controversial shrine, which honors 14 convicted Class-A Japanese war criminals from World War II alongside the war dead.
"The Yasukuni Shrine, which honors Class-A Japanese war criminals from World War II (WWII), stands as a symbol of Japanese militarism," said Kim Tae Jung, a civic group member.
"Presenting offerings at a shrine that honors war criminals demonstrates that the Japanese government has shown no remorse for its war crimes and the move is a ruthless trampling on the feelings of war victims," said Han Kyung Hee, another civic group member.
Demonstrators said the international community should be vigilant against Japan as the country seeks to revert to militarism.
"The international community should make it clear that Japanese militarism is threatening stability in Northeast Asia. Only by voicing support for peace rather than strengthening military cooperation can Japan’s ambition of rearmament be contained, and the war be prevented," said Kim.
"Japan has shown no remorse and has not adopted a responsible attitude. On the contrary, it has repeatedly blocked the erection of statues of young women who symbolize 'comfort women.' A country like this now seeks to regain the right to wage war, which undoubtedly poses a grave threat to peace in Northeast Asia," said Han.
ROK civic groups call on Japanese government to face up to history
ROK civic groups call on Japanese government to face up to history
ROK civic groups call on Japanese government to face up to history
