Time Not Right For Visit From Japanese Emperor

Korean President Roh Moo-hyun has offered an invitation for Japanese Emperor Akihito to visit Korea according to the Japan Times.

SEOUL — South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun said Thursday his country would welcome a visit by Emperor Akihito, despite the sensitive issue of Japan’s past colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.
However, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said in Tokyo later in the day that the time is not ripe for the Emperor to visit South Korea.

“It’s not at such a stage yet. The Imperial Household has a full schedule for the family,” Koizumi told reporters in response to Roh’s remark.

Roh told a news conference that Emperor Akihito has a “standing invitation” to visit. The country was under Japan’s colonial rule between 1910 and 1945.

“We are ready to welcome him and he would be met with the most cordial reception here,” he said during the nationally televised conference from the Blue House presidential office.

A visit to South Korea by the Emperor is a highly contentious issue because of lingering anti-Japanese sentiment over Japan’s colonial occupation. Japan has been reluctant to proceed with such a visit due to such animosity.

This would really be a great opportunity for Japan to offer an apology for past war crimes against Korea but apparently either Prime Minister Koizumi does want to make such an apology on his watch or he doesn’t want the spectacle of massive protests that are sure to happen if the Emperor ever did come to Korea. Probably a little of both. However, a compromise on this might be on the way.

Tokyo is reportedly considering sending Crown Prince Naruhito and Crown Princess Masako to South Korea this fall to deepen relations between the countries. 2005 is the 40th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties between Japan and South Korea.

A trip by the Crown Prince and Princess could help pave the way for a visit by the Emperor.

In Tokyo, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyuki Hosoda would not confirm whether such a trip is being planned by the Crown Prince and Princess.

If the Crown Prince comes to Korea and offers a real apology about past Japanese war crimes this should really set conditions for a visit by Emperor Akihito. Hopefully the Japanese offer an apology to finally let history be history but I just don’t see the Japanese doing it though. If they don’t do it there will always be a level of animosity towards the Japanese in Korea.