4 NE Asia nations join hands over Japanese atrocities

History organizations in the two Koreas, China and Japan have joined forces to deal with Japan’s distortion of history textbooks and the return of cultural assets looted by Japan.

For a joint response to Japan’s past wrongdoings, the International Solidarity Council for Redress of World War II Victims by Japan, or ISCR, and an association of Chinese victims of germ warfare held an international symposium Friday under the theme “Japan’s liquidation of the past and resolving issues on textbooks and cultural assets” in Beijing at the Modern History Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Science.

Founded in 2003, the association is a global consultative body that seeks to correct Japan’s past wrongdoings and receive compensation for damage by Japan in World War II. The organization consists of eight countries including the two Koreas, China, Japan, the U.S., the Philippines and the Netherlands, and has national committees in those countries.

Those attending the symposium included Lee Shin-cheol, head of the South Korean Committee of the ISCR; Nam Sang-gu, a researcher at the Northeast Asian History Foundation; Hwang Ho Nam, vice chairman of the North Korean committee on comport women and victims of forced labor in Japan; and researchers and officials at the Modern History Institute of the Chinese Academy of Social Science and the secretariat of the Network for Redress of World War II Victims in Japan.

Lee said, “History-related organizations in four countries have gathered to jointly deal with past history involving Japan and the return of cultural assets looted by Japan under the perception that peace in Northeast Asia cannot be guaranteed without redress of World War II victims by Japan.”

Hwang said, “North and South Korea and China, which are the victims of Japan’s past atrocities, should join forces with conscientious Japanese to bring to light Japan’s past crimes and make Japan apologize and compensate victims.”

After the symposium, the international organization will hold a meeting of committee heads Saturday on action plans to resolve Japan’s distortion of textbooks and return looted cultural assets.