Why suddenly an increasing number of the Japanese started to hate Korea? 2014.4.4. Reflection
Due to some reasons human beings like or hate others. The problem in the like-dislike behavior is that there is a tendency of escalation. That is, if you like someone, your friend or child, almost everything of him or her looks good and you will like all of them. The opposite is also true. Objectively this is not a reasonable behavior, but emotional behavior. Human emotion tends to escalate. About ten years ago, the Japanese, especially middle aged women, started to like Koreans and Korea after they watched the Winter Sonata (겨울연가), which escalated to generate the Winter Sonata syndrome. So-called 'Yonsama (Korean actor Bae Yong-Joon in the drama) fever' was the outcome of that. Since then they became increasingly interested in Korea and liked Koreans.
Personally I had an occasion to invite and guide 27 Japanese moutain lovers, husbands and wives in their fifties or sixties to Dobobgsan Mountain in Seoul. They enjoyed and liked the mountain hiking, Korean foods, shopping and what not. We had wonderful three days' encounter. In fact they were best friends in a hiking club when I visited Japan for a year as a visiting scholar just before the event. I still have many good Japanese friends and like them. I think the majority of ordinary Japanese people are very kind, diligent, considerate and loving their country.
The sudden change is closely related to the recent change in the Japanese society. After a long period of recession (almost two decades) and precarious leadership changes, finally Japan chose the Abe administration and leadership, which clearly declared a right-wing national agenda. The right-wings should find a scapegoat to blame and to justify their line. These scapegoates are North Korea, China and South Korea. Since Japan colonized Korea in the first half of the 20th Century and invaded in the 16th Centry, the right-wings regard Korea as an inferior country compared to their country. In fact, they has nurished this kind of prejudice since the 7th Centry when Japan could not depend on Korea (especially Baekje, "Kudara' in Japanese) any more and had to stand up alone. Because Japan had larger furtile land and population than Korea, and by then they almost mastered civilization transferred through Korea or directly from the Tang dynasty in China, they could grow fast. The Japanese history shows that a part of the Korean rulers and upper classes moved to Japan and made new nations in the island. Even many Japanese emperors have Korean blood although it may be a small portion now and an open secret.
Japan's view and emotion of Korea is ambivalent. They appreciate the role of Korea in the earlier history until the 7th Century and they admit the superiority of Korea at that time, but they despise Korea after they became stronger. Probably many countries in the world have this kind of mentality towards other neighboring countries. I am not blaming this kind of mentality.
However, I would like to point out that an excessive despising of others is just the other side of inferiority complex (or at least, being afraid of losing again the superiority).
Ultra right-wings in Japan have suppressed Koreans in their country (most of them are those that they forced to move to Japan for hard works during the colonized period) and always dispised Korea. By despising Korea as an inferior country they have justified their imperialism over Korea. The 'superior' Korea cannot be imagined by them. They cannot even think about that. How Samsung can be superior than Sony? "Well we have 10 Sonies whereas Korea has only one Samsung." Reunited Korea? It is good for Japan if the NK's threat disappears, but if the One-Korea eventually would become stronger than Japan? Again they are ambivalent.
In this free-trade era enjoying other countries attractive things is nothing wrong. This is an age of competition and cooperation. Exaggerating others' shortcomings is an undesirable attitude. It just reflects a complex.
Another reason that they hate Korea and Koreans is due to the defeat of the Pacific War with America. Not only they lost the war but also Japan is the only country in the world history in that two cities were completely destroyed by nuclear bombs. Almost all the people, constructions, culture, and whatever in those cities had gone. Whatsoever the causes of the bombing, they tend to think they are victims. These ultra wright-wings in fact hate America, but they cannot express it directly now because of the 'special' relationship with America. Instead, they should find some targets to hate and sacrifice.The Dokdo Island dispute (provocation in fact) or the Comfort Wemen issue, as an example, is a good intentional means for this.
The third reason is to resume the status of 'Emperial Japan'-like military power. Japan is already an economic super power, even thogh it has been suffering for the lost decades. Now it wants to be a 'normal nation'. What is the meaning of a normal nation in their sense? I agree on that the country should be a normal nation. However, if the country uses its military power to threat others, it cannot be acceptable. They hate Korea because Korea is not welcoming their movement. In fact, to their eyes, Korea is just a shrimp, but they dislike the Korean government's attitude in line with China and other neighbors. This ultra right-wing conservatives try to consolidate their power and to brain wash their younger generations with distorted historical teachings.
(To be continued)
Due to some reasons human beings like or hate others. The problem in the like-dislike behavior is that there is a tendency of escalation. That is, if you like someone, your friend or child, almost everything of him or her looks good and you will like all of them. The opposite is also true. Objectively this is not a reasonable behavior, but emotional behavior. Human emotion tends to escalate. About ten years ago, the Japanese, especially middle aged women, started to like Koreans and Korea after they watched the Winter Sonata (겨울연가), which escalated to generate the Winter Sonata syndrome. So-called 'Yonsama (Korean actor Bae Yong-Joon in the drama) fever' was the outcome of that. Since then they became increasingly interested in Korea and liked Koreans.
Personally I had an occasion to invite and guide 27 Japanese moutain lovers, husbands and wives in their fifties or sixties to Dobobgsan Mountain in Seoul. They enjoyed and liked the mountain hiking, Korean foods, shopping and what not. We had wonderful three days' encounter. In fact they were best friends in a hiking club when I visited Japan for a year as a visiting scholar just before the event. I still have many good Japanese friends and like them. I think the majority of ordinary Japanese people are very kind, diligent, considerate and loving their country.
The sudden change is closely related to the recent change in the Japanese society. After a long period of recession (almost two decades) and precarious leadership changes, finally Japan chose the Abe administration and leadership, which clearly declared a right-wing national agenda. The right-wings should find a scapegoat to blame and to justify their line. These scapegoates are North Korea, China and South Korea. Since Japan colonized Korea in the first half of the 20th Century and invaded in the 16th Centry, the right-wings regard Korea as an inferior country compared to their country. In fact, they has nurished this kind of prejudice since the 7th Centry when Japan could not depend on Korea (especially Baekje, "Kudara' in Japanese) any more and had to stand up alone. Because Japan had larger furtile land and population than Korea, and by then they almost mastered civilization transferred through Korea or directly from the Tang dynasty in China, they could grow fast. The Japanese history shows that a part of the Korean rulers and upper classes moved to Japan and made new nations in the island. Even many Japanese emperors have Korean blood although it may be a small portion now and an open secret.
Japan's view and emotion of Korea is ambivalent. They appreciate the role of Korea in the earlier history until the 7th Century and they admit the superiority of Korea at that time, but they despise Korea after they became stronger. Probably many countries in the world have this kind of mentality towards other neighboring countries. I am not blaming this kind of mentality.
However, I would like to point out that an excessive despising of others is just the other side of inferiority complex (or at least, being afraid of losing again the superiority).
Ultra right-wings in Japan have suppressed Koreans in their country (most of them are those that they forced to move to Japan for hard works during the colonized period) and always dispised Korea. By despising Korea as an inferior country they have justified their imperialism over Korea. The 'superior' Korea cannot be imagined by them. They cannot even think about that. How Samsung can be superior than Sony? "Well we have 10 Sonies whereas Korea has only one Samsung." Reunited Korea? It is good for Japan if the NK's threat disappears, but if the One-Korea eventually would become stronger than Japan? Again they are ambivalent.
In this free-trade era enjoying other countries attractive things is nothing wrong. This is an age of competition and cooperation. Exaggerating others' shortcomings is an undesirable attitude. It just reflects a complex.
Another reason that they hate Korea and Koreans is due to the defeat of the Pacific War with America. Not only they lost the war but also Japan is the only country in the world history in that two cities were completely destroyed by nuclear bombs. Almost all the people, constructions, culture, and whatever in those cities had gone. Whatsoever the causes of the bombing, they tend to think they are victims. These ultra wright-wings in fact hate America, but they cannot express it directly now because of the 'special' relationship with America. Instead, they should find some targets to hate and sacrifice.The Dokdo Island dispute (provocation in fact) or the Comfort Wemen issue, as an example, is a good intentional means for this.
The third reason is to resume the status of 'Emperial Japan'-like military power. Japan is already an economic super power, even thogh it has been suffering for the lost decades. Now it wants to be a 'normal nation'. What is the meaning of a normal nation in their sense? I agree on that the country should be a normal nation. However, if the country uses its military power to threat others, it cannot be acceptable. They hate Korea because Korea is not welcoming their movement. In fact, to their eyes, Korea is just a shrimp, but they dislike the Korean government's attitude in line with China and other neighbors. This ultra right-wing conservatives try to consolidate their power and to brain wash their younger generations with distorted historical teachings.
(To be continued)
r-reflection_series.pptx | |
File Size: | 45 kb |
File Type: | pptx |