Japan's Healing Ways

September 23, 2009

After the UN's General Assembly meeting, Japan's Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama and South Korea's President Lee Myong-bak had a summit. During the summit, Hatoyama spoke of the Japanese Government's desire to strengthen ties with S. Korea. Even though the neighboring state once was under Japanese rule during the 1910's until the 1940's, Hatoyama believes that policies like the Japan-South Korea free trade agreement could possibly build a lasting relationship between these neighbors. Also, unlike previous Prime Ministers, Hatoyama plans not to visit the Yasukuni Shrine honoring Japanese war casualties and 14 convicted class A war criminals, an act that has often caused anomosity from not only South Korea but China as well. In fact, Hatoyama insists on replacing the shrine to close out any doubts of his ideas for change. For more information please check out Ser Myo-Ja's article @ http://joongangdaily.joins.com/article/view.asp?aid=2910539