[Japanese Side] "Japan's Apology Must Continue" Former Prime Minister Hatoyama Kneels to Korea

Visited Seodaemun Prison in 2015, Kneeling and Apologizing
Jihanpa Also Visits Itaewon Disaster Site

Editor's NoteJapan, a country both close and distant. Many have heard the name but wonder who these figures are. An international correspondent covering Japanese news introduces notable Japanese figures who made headlines over the past week, along with related stories.

While reading Japanese newspapers this week, I came across a familiar name: Yukio Hatoyama (鳩山由紀夫), former Prime Minister. He is the person who, in 2015, visited Seodaemun Prison and knelt before the memorial stone to apologize for Japan’s harsh acts including torture. At that time, this was widely reported not only in Korea but also in Japan.

I knew that former Prime Minister Hatoyama had visited Korea several times recently, so it was nice to see his name again in the articles. However, the content involved testimonies and conscience declarations that the old Unification Church had approached him and offered support if he appeared in videos, among other things. Since he is a figure known even in Korea, it seems there have been ongoing attempts to contact him. Today, I would like to share the story of former Prime Minister Hatoyama, a leading pro-Korea figure in Japanese politics, who once said, “Japan should continue apologizing until the victimized country says to stop.”

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Former Prime Minister Hatoyama was born in Tokyo in 1947. The Hatoyama family is a representative political dynasty with a golden spoon background. His grandfather founded the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), and his father, Iichiro Hatoyama, served as Foreign Minister in 1976. Although from a political family, he reportedly had little interest in politics initially. Defying his parents’ wishes to attend law school, he enrolled in the University of Tokyo’s Faculty of Engineering. Later, he studied abroad at Stanford University’s School of Engineering.

During his studies abroad in 1976, when the United States was celebrating its 200th anniversary, he was inspired by the strong patriotism of Americans and resolved to engage in politics to serve his country. After returning to Japan, he taught statistics as a professor before running for office in 1986 as a first-time candidate for the LDP in Hokkaido’s 4th district, winning his seat.

Within the LDP, he and his fellow first-term lawmakers formed a bipartisan group called the “Utopia Political Research Association” and investigated the “Recruit scandal,” one of Japan’s major historical collusions between politics and business. This scandal involved the company Recruit selling unlisted subsidiary stocks cheaply to high-ranking political and business figures, effectively a bribery case.

Disillusioned with the LDP, he left the party and founded a new party, eventually leading to the establishment of the Democratic Party. In the 2009 House of Representatives election, his party won 308 seats, and he became Prime Minister that same year. This marked a historic regime change, ending the LDP’s long-standing rule of 54 years.

His life story is extensive. Of course, within Japan, he has faced criticism, such as for failing to properly resolve the relocation issue of the U.S. military base in Okinawa, but what matters is his trajectory.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

He is considered a leading pro-Korea figure in Japanese politics. His and his wife’s love for Korea is said to be remarkable. In 2006, he criticized Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi’s visit to Yasukuni Shrine, raising his voice that “it is difficult to build trust with Korea unless visits to Yasukuni Shrine are stopped.” At that time, historical textbook controversies and the Dokdo issue erupted simultaneously, severely straining Korea-Japan relations. Former Prime Minister Hatoyama continuously sought meetings with Korean officials and met with then-Prime Minister Han Myeong-sook in 2006.

The most notable incident was on August 12, 2015, when he visited Seodaemun Prison and knelt to apologize. Japanese media criticized him as making a “sudden move” ahead of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s 70th anniversary postwar statement.

Since then, he has repeatedly emphasized Japan’s unlimited responsibility through lectures at various Korean universities, stating that “the perpetrator must continue to apologize until the victim says it is enough.” Recently, he told Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida that “if he takes a stance of unlimited responsibility, Korea-Japan issues can be resolved.”

[Image source=Yonhap News]

This perspective is related to the “Yuai (友愛) spirit” he advocates, which calls for resolving conflicts through mutual respect between nations. For this reason, he is also called an ally necessary for improving Korea-Japan relations in Korea.

He established a research institute to advance the concept of an East Asian community and serves as its chairman, continuing to visit Korea regularly. In November last year, ahead of the Gwangju Student Independence Movement anniversary, he visited Gwangju to apologize for past wrongs, and in January, he visited the Itaewon tragedy site to pay respects to the victims.

On January 11, former Prime Minister Hatoyama visited Korea again to receive the Udang Special Award, created to honor independence activist Udang Lee Hoe-young. At the event, he stated, “I will not forget the heart of apology under unlimited responsibility and will strive for the friendly development of both countries and the establishment of peace in East Asia from a future-oriented perspective.” In a Japanese society increasingly leaning right and Korea-Japan relations growing tense, his words make us reconsider the power they hold.