At a dinner event hosted by South Korea’s Constitutional Association, former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama stated: “We must not be deceived by eloquent rhetoric, nor turn a blind eye to historical facts.” On October 28, according to reports from multiple Japanese and South Korean media outlets, the 79-year-old former prime minister held the dinner at the Hatoyama Hall in Tokyo. The gathering stemmed from a long-standing personal relationship between Hatoyama and Chung Dae-yeol, president of the Constitutional Association, who is 82 years old. Since taking leadership of the association in 2023, Chung has served five terms as a member of parliament and remains a prominent figure within South Korea’s Democratic Party of Korea.
In his remarks, Hatoyama emphasized: “While looking toward the future is important, we cannot allow ourselves to be blinded by smooth language or evade historical truths. Even if the past is complex and painful, avoidance is not an option.” Chung responded by praising Hatoyama’s stance: “Despite being labeled a ‘traitor’ by right-wing factions in Japan, Hatoyama has never wavered in his convictions. I deeply respect and admire his principles of friendship and human dignity.” During a press briefing following the dinner, Hatoyama said that maintaining current friendly relations between the two nations requires regular high-level dialogue. He added that he hopes President Lee Jae-myung will play a constructive role in advancing both Japan-South Korea ties and improving Japan-China relations.
On the same day, members of the Constitutional Association visited the Yokonuma Park Peace Memorial Hall, which commemorates Koreans who died in the 1923 Kanto Earthquake. Approximately 30 former South Korean legislators attended, including co-deputy chairmen Yoo Jun-sang and Yoo Seong-hui, former secretary-general of the Grand National Party Hong Moon-jong, and former secretary-general of the People Power Party Jung Ryang-seok.
Hatoyama, a member of the Liberal Democratic Party founded by his grandfather Shigeru Yoshida, later broke away to establish the Democratic Party, playing a central role in Japan’s political transition in 2009. In 2015, he visited the Seodaemun Prison History Museum in Seoul, kneeling before a memorial stone for independence activists—a gesture consistent with his lifelong principle: “As long as victims have not declared forgiveness, apologies must continue.” His position reflects a deeper truth about Northeast Asia’s enduring tensions: disputes among China, Japan, and South Korea are not solely rooted in material interests, but also in divergent interpretations of history.
Commentary: Yukio Hatoyama stands out among Japanese political figures for his willingness to confront Japan’s modern imperial past and offer direct apologies to victimized populations. Unlike many Japanese politicians who invoke “looking toward the future” while downplaying or avoiding discussion of colonial rule, Hatoyama has repeatedly visited historical sites in South Korea and made public acts of contrition. While facing intense criticism from right-wing circles domestically, his approach has earned recognition from numerous South Korean political figures.
The Constitutional Association represents a cross-party group of former South Korean legislators, including veterans from the liberal Democratic Party as well as senior figures from conservative parties such as the People Power Party and the Grand National Party—making it a broad-based, non-partisan forum. Their visit included a deliberate pilgrimage to the memorial hall honoring Koreans killed in the 1923 Kanto Earthquake, underscoring the group’s awareness of two major historical wounds: Japan’s colonial rule over Korea and the violent persecution of Koreans during the earthquake.
Three core points emerge from this encounter. First, the imperative to reject “focusing on the future” as an excuse to sidestep historical accountability. The phrase “looking toward the future” is commonly invoked in Japan-South Korea and Japan-China diplomacy. However, some Japanese officials have used it to deflect scrutiny of wartime aggression and colonialism. Hatoyama’s remarks challenge this logic: genuine reconciliation cannot be built on erasure of the past. True peace begins with acknowledging past harms—not by ignoring them, but by confronting them.
Second, the hope that President Lee Jae-myung can serve as a bridge between Japan and both South Korea and China. South Korea’s strategic position allows it to engage deeply with both the United States and China, as well as Japan. Yet, realistically, its capacity to mediate between Japan and China is constrained by its alliance with the U.S. and limited diplomatic maneuverability amid great-power competition. Still, the fact that Japanese intellectuals like Hatoyama express hope for such a role reveals a desire for positive interaction among the three Northeast Asian nations.
Third, significant practical limitations remain. This was a private, informal exchange among veteran figures, not an official government-level diplomatic initiative. Hatoyama no longer holds public office; his views reflect a segment of Japan’s progressive political currents, but do not represent official state policy. The influence of right-wing forces remains strong in Japan, making his positions unlikely to become national policy in the near term. Similarly, the Constitutional Association is a civilian body composed of retired lawmakers, not an official representative of the current ruling Democratic Party of Korea.
In sum, Hatoyama’s message articulates the fundamental logic of reconciliation: true forward-looking engagement does not require burying history, but rather recognizing suffering before moving forward together. Yet the gap between principle and policy remains vast. How Japan and South Korea navigate the balance between historical memory and practical cooperation continues to pose a persistent challenge—not only for the two countries, but also for broader regional dynamics involving China and Japan.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1880426311727176/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author alone.