TOKYO – A Japanese mayor expressed deep regret on Friday over South Korea’s absence from a memorial ceremony honoring victims of wartime forced labor, amid ongoing tensions between the two nations over historical grievances.
South Korea pulled out of the Nov 24 event, citing concerns over the participation of Akiko Ikuina, a Japanese parliamentary vice-minister, who had previously visited the controversial Yasukuni Shrine. The shrine is a flashpoint in South Korea-Japan relations, as it honors Japan’s war criminals alongside 2.5 million war dead.
Mayor Ryugo Watanabe of Sado, where the ceremony took place, called the absence of South Korean officials and bereaved families “extremely regrettable,” according to Kyodo News. During the event, Ms. Ikuina acknowledged the harsh labor conditions faced by Korean workers conscripted during Japan’s colonial rule (1910–1945) and offered condolences to those who lost their lives.
The mines in Sado, known for exploiting wartime labor, were added to UNESCO’s World Heritage list after South Korea dropped its objections, provided Japan acknowledged the full history of the site. The memorial was part of Tokyo’s efforts to fulfill that promise.
In response, South Korea’s Foreign Ministry announced plans to hold a separate memorial on Nov 25 at the site of former Korean laborers’ dormitories. This highlights the enduring sensitivity surrounding wartime issues between the two nations.