Soap Opera in Asia

Man: “I really love you, sweetie. Believe me. Hey, let me see your smile.”

Woman: “No, you liar. Don’t you ever kidding me. I have another good man, sorry.”

That was a silent conversation exchanged between the leaders of Japan and South Korea, Shinzo Abe and Park Geun-hye, at the first direct meeting in The Hague, Netherland, on Tuesday. It actually produced nothing in terms of their personal relationship. The mediator, President of the United States Barack Obama, was just dismayed.

The trilateral meeting was held at the official residence of U.S. Ambassador to Netherland, taking opportunity of the third Nuclear Security Summit. To set the meeting, Obama sent Secretary of State, John Kerry, to South Korea, urging Park to improve the relationship with Japan. Having received the sign of irritation from U.S., Japan started making diplomatic effort toward the South. After sending a director-general and deputy minister to Seoul, Abe announced a message to Park that he would maintain Murayama and Kono Statemets, which assured recognition of aggression and colonization of Japan and its responsibility of comfort women issue. With those backgrounds, Obama tried to show himself as a conductor of reconciliation of Asian alliance.

Nevertheless, unfortunate to Obama, Abe was a ham. He opened his remarks with unskilled Hangul, which could be translated to “President Park Geun-hye, I am glad to see you.” That was nothing but a simple appeal that meant “I am more sophisticated than you in international relationship, because I can speak to you in your language.” No, prime minister. You were just a puppet on the scenario scripted by diplomatic bureaucrats. Everybody knows that you have no idea to reconsider your conviction in justifying what Japan did in wartime.

Deeply frustrated was Park. She apparently ignored Abe’s Hangul message with no slight smile. If she had shown any easy compromise to Japanese revisionist leader, she would be facing backlash of anti-Japan groups inside. South Korea. Before the meeting, Park met with Chinese President, Xi Jinping, to agree with not tolerating unilateral change of interpretation of post-war history. Xi is a better guy for Park than the macho coalition between Barack and Shinzo.

However, old man said that women’s heart and fall weather was unreadable. Korea and Japan is having new high level of talks, according to Yomiuri Shimbum. They are talking about further reconfirmation of apology on Japan’s aggression and hiring comfort woman. Its result will be the same, anyway.

“Well, I’m sorry. But I’m saying it, because my boss insists.”

“Unbelievable, how can you say it was a real apology?”

“I don’t know.”

“You, bastard.”
Reconciliation needs change of leaderships.