Hallyu in Japan

I found this article in the Korea Times. Apparently, Japan and South Korea were experiencing increased good will and diplomatic relations before Japan once again claimed Tokto as its territory. One way that the two countries are trying to resolve this issue is by taking advantage of hallyu, make the flow of culture bilateral, instead of just unilateral from Korea to Japan. What I don't understand is, isn't Japanese pop culture already a big part of Korea? Are the Japanese just jealous that now Korea is supplanting some of their popular influence? Plus Chua's article made it pretty clear that Japan wasn't interested in spreading its popular culture to other countries. The products were designed for Japanesem, and they weren't really interested in its exportation. Why the sudden need for a bilateral spread? If Korea ever experienced anti-Japanese popular culture backlash, would they ever have the power to ask that Korea get an equal opportunity to spread culture in Japan?

http://times.hankooki.com/lpage/200503/kt2005030819464210230.htm

South Korea and Japan designated 2005 as the ``Year of Korea-Japan Friendship'' to mark the 40th anniversary of diplomatic normalization between the two nations.

However, the two nations' plans for a better relationship faces a big obstacle following Japan's renewed claims to Korea's easternmost islets of Tokto.

As part of this year's programs, the two nations also named 2005 ``Visit Korea-Japan Year'' to boost tourism and attract more visitors to both countries.

In the past 40 years, the number of Korean and Japanese visitors to each other's country has seen a 400-fold increase from 10,000 to 4 million last year.

Following the Korean pop culture boom, or ``hallyu,'' in Japan, 2.4 million Japanese visited Korea in 2004, accounting for 40 percent of the nation's total visitors.

An opening ceremony officially kicked off the joint promotion plan on Feb. 17 with various events and festivals scheduled throughout the year.

Japan has also decided to waive visas for Koreans during the Aichi Expo from March 25.

However, an icy chill has cast a cloud over the friendship year on account of a series of claims by Japan that Tokto is its territory.

On Feb. 23, members of the council of Japan's Shiname Prefecture submitted a bill to establish an ordinance designating Feb. 22 as ``Takeshima Day.'' Tokto is known as Takeshima in Japan.

Also, Japanese Ambassador to Korea Toshiyuki Takano said during a news conference on the same day that Tokto is historically and legally Japanese territory.

The statement immediately provoked strong protests from Koreans. It is not the first time that Japan has staked claim to Tokto. But Koreans regard this time more seriously, as the push for legislative prefectural status on the islets as well as the Japanese ambassador's comments are viewed to have gone too far.

Government officials, lawmakers, civic groups and the public are demanding Japan officially apologize for these actions. The council of North Kyongsang Province, which governs Ullungdo and Tokto, severed its sisterhood ties with Shiname Prefecture.

The National Assembly passed a resolution urging the government to cancel some of the friendship year's planned festivities.

During a speech marking the anniversary of the March 1 Independence Movement of 1919, President Roh Moo-hyun urged Japan to make a sincere apology and compensate Koreans for its misdeeds during World War II and its colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.

Foreign Affairs and Trade Minister Ban Ki-moon delayed his plans to visit Japan on March 11-13 indefinitely. ``The government has decided it is improper for Korea's top diplomat to visit Japan at a time when the public's sentiment against the country is unfavorable,'' a ministry official said.

There are growing concerns that amicable feelings between Koreans and Japanese might be damaged, and that events for joint tourism promotion could be jeopardized.

``It is true that we are cautious in promoting government-level festivities,'' said Kim Man-jin, manager of the Japan team at the Korea National Tourism Organization (KNTO).

The tourism body has prepared different events this year to enhance bilateral exchanges between the two nations by taking advantage of hallyu.

``As hallyu has been in one direction from Korea to Japan, anti-hallyu sentiment has emerged among some Japanese. So we have decided to focus more on the introduction of Japanese culture into Korea by staging Japanese festivals here,'' Kim said

He predicted the Assembly or the government would not cancel scheduled festivals, but Japan's moves over Tokto would affect Koreans visiting their neighboring country.

``People tend to take the matter with an extreme viewpoint and blind anti-Japanese sentiment. Under these circumstances, it is hard for someone to discuss his of her trip openly with others,'' Kim said.

Travel agencies are trying to downplay the aftermath of Japan's claim over Tokto, saying it will have little impact on tourism.

``There have always been provocative remarks like that several times a year. The number of travelers to Japan will not significantly decrease as people make reservations for trips months in advance,'' an official of the Korea Association of Travel Agents said.

However, when Japan made such remarks in the past, there were slight decreases in the number of Japanese tourists visiting Korea, as they feared anti-Japanese sentiment, he said.

``Though there may not be great changes, we are afraid that the remarks could pour cold water on the festive mood surrounding the joint promotion of tourism,'' he added.

The two nations' latent troubles emerge every time the Japanese Prime Minister visits the Yasukuni Shrine to pay respect to soldiers killed during World War II and whenever extremists in Japan distort history in school textbooks.

``The issue concerning Tokto should be addressed in diplomatic ways in order for Korea and Japan to forge a future-oriented relationship,'' Kim of the KNTO said.

YYZ