A "Sado Island Gold Mine" memorial ceremony was held in Sado City, Niigata Prefecture on the afternoon of November 24. The empty chairs were there for representatives of the Korean government and others who refused to attend. (Sado City, Niigata Prefecture)
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Enough with the anti-Japan sickness that continues to afflict South Korea. In its latest manifestation, South Korean representatives boycotted the memorial service for laborers at the Sado Island Gold Mines. The ceremony was held at the UNESCO World Heritage site on Sado Island in Niigata Prefecture on Sunday, November 24.
Seoul's ambassador to Japan, Park Cheol-hee, was among those absent. Ambassador Park apparently declined to attend following a fierce backlash in South Korea triggered by certain news reports. Those reports in South Korean media and other sources said that Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs Akiko Ikuina had worshipped at Yasukuni Shrine. Ikuina was also the Japanese government's official representative at the November 24 ceremony.
In fact, the reports were erroneous. In response to the Sado Gold Mines incident, Ikuina stated that she had not visited the shrine since becoming a member of the House of Councillors. Kyodo News, which originated the false account in 2022, investigated, apologized, and retracted the report. All Japanese and South Korean platforms that spread that false information, should be ashamed of the damage they caused.
That is not the only point, however. Irrespective of Ikuina's response, it is only natural for Japanese politicians to visit Yasukuni Shrine. Yasukuni is where the nation's war dead from all wars are enshrined. Other countries have no justification to criticize politicians or citizens who pray there.
Promises Made in July
The Sado Gold Mines were registered as a World Heritage Site in July. At that time, Japan and South Korea agreed to hold a memorial service for all workers. Their promise specifically included laborers from the Korean Peninsula. Thus, the boycott by the South Korean government represents a breach of good faith.
It is normal for Diet members who have visited Yasukuni Shrine to hold important government positions. There is no basis for the South Korean government's refusal to participate in the ceremony for that reason. As a consequence, we cannot help but wonder whether South Korea truly intends to have a proper relationship with Japan.
Other Japanese Cabinet members have visited Yasukuni Shrine while in office. One is Defense Minister Gen Nakatani, who is scheduled to visit South Korea by the end of 2024. Nakatani visited the shrine on the anniversary of the end of World War II in 2002. At the time, he was serving as director general of the Japan Defense Agency. Under the circumstances, is the South Korean government going to cancel the invitation?
Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya should demand an explanation from the South Korean government for its failure to attend the Sado labor ceremony. Moreover, Iwaya should strongly protest if the reason had anything to do with Ikuina's alleged visit to Yasukuni Shrine.
Ikuina Should Visit Yasukuni
We would like to see Ikuina visit the Yasukuni Shrine as soon as possible. She should commemorate the heroic spirits who sacrificed their precious lives to protect Japan.
The Sado Gold Mines were designated a World Heritage Site because of their unique cultural value as mines operating through the end of the Edo period. Indeed, it boasted one of the world's largest gold production volumes at the time. That was thanks to unique Sado mining and refining techniques.
Nevertheless, the South Korean government objected. It claimed that Koreans from the Peninsula had been forced to labor in the mines during the Pacific War. However, that was nonsense with no basis in historical facts.
To get the South Korean government to drop its opposition, Japan compromised. Tokyo agreed to hold a memorial service and display explanation panels describing the "harsh working conditions during the war, including for workers from the Korean Peninsula."
Perverted politics were thereby introduced into the treatment of a cultural heritage site that should honestly convey historical facts. This latest boycott highlighted the negative effects of this phenomenon. The Sado Gold Mines are a valuable cultural heritage. Japan must not allow inappropriate interference from meddling foreign countries.
RELATED:
- Kyodo News Apologizes for False Report on Lawmaker's Yasukuni Visit
- Sado Gold Mines Earn World Heritage Status: Expert Reacts
- A Trip to the Sado Gold Mines, Where History is Etched in the Mountains
Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun
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