Filed under: China, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, History and Education, History in Popular Culture, History Textbooks, Japan, Japan-Korea, Korea, Private Sector/Civil Society, Territorial Disputes, Yasukuni Shrine
Two articles on South Korea reports Korean movements against Japan on Dokto Islets or Takeshima and the Sea of Japan or East Sea. The Northeast Asian History Foundation organized a scholary forum on Dokto Issue.
Korean Times provides a positive commentary on Chinese Director Li Ying’s documentary film, ‘Yasukuni’, which was recently released in Korea.
A Mainichi Shimbun journalist writes on her interaction with hibakusha and introduces a second generation hibakusha Hiromi Peterson, a Japanese who married to an American in Hawaii. She produced a textbook that recounts her family’s experiences after the atomic bomb in Hiroshima. The textbook is now used across Hiroshima.
Jay Taylor’s new book titled “The Generalissimo: Chiang Kai-Shek and the Struggle for Modern China” sheds a new light on Chiang Kai-shek’s life highlighting his talent as a strategist and rebutting some of popular conceptions such as his reluctance to exhaust his army in battles against the Japanese Army, utilizing new materials.
South Koreans want water called East Sea, UPI August 6, 2009
‘Japan’s Claim to Dokdo Threatens Peace in N-E Asia’, Korea Times, August 6, 2009
‘Yasukuni’ Cuts Into Spiritual Dimension, Koera Times, August 6, 2009
Serving as a bridge to spread the message of the atomic bombing, Mainichi Shimbun, August 6, 2009
The Generalissimo, Christian Science Monitor, August 6, 2009
Filed under: China-Japan, Compensation Issues, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, History and Education, History Textbooks, Japan, Japan-Korea, Territorial Disputes, Yasukuni Shrine
On August 6, 1945, the first atomic bomb to be used in war was dropped on the city of Hiroshima. Sixty-four years later, as the number of survivors from the bombing steadily grow thin in numbers–Hiroshima, the bomb, and their legacy continue to live on as symbols within contemporary debates over the future of nuclear armaments, denuclearization, and non-proliferation. The media surrounding the sixty-fourth commemoration of the bombing include articles on the reparations for under-represented Korean victims of the bombing, an American public opinion poll indicating that 61 percent of 2,400 questioned Americans believe the US did the “right thing” by dropping the bomb, personal narratives by both the Hibakusha victims and from Enola Gay crew member Morris Jeppson, and the controversy over former-JASDF Chief of Staff Gen. Toshio Tamogami’s lecture in Hiroshima entitled “Casting Doubt on Hiroshima’s Peace.”
In other recent news, the Yokohama city board of education approved the use of the controversial Jiyuu-sha textbook, setting the precedent as the first major city in Japan to approve the use of the controversial history textbook. Additionally, as the August 30th election for the lower-house of the Japanese parliament looms near, media sources are speculating on the impact a DPJ government may have on historical memory issues in the Asia-Pacific.
Hiroshima Marks 64th Anniversary of Atomic Bombing, Asahi Shimbun, August 6, 2009.
Aso, Hibakusha Sign Accord on Peace Measures, Asahi Shimbun, August 6, 2009.
Panel Proposes Inviting Obama to Visit Hiroshima, Nagasaki, Asahi Shimbun, August 3, 2009.
U.S. Poll Finds Support for Atomic Bombing of Japan, Mainichi Shimbun, August 5, 2009.
Interview with Enola Gay Crew Member Morris Jeppson, Mainichi Shimbun, August 4, 2009.
A-bomb Victims Refuse to Lapse into Silence, Mainichi Shimbun, August 3, 2009.
Strive for Nuclear Disarmament, The Japan Times, August 6, 2009.
Tamogami’s A-bomb Speech Plan Slammed, The Japan Times, August 2, 2009.
Ex-Soldier to Stir Up A-bomb Survivors, The Australian, August 4, 2009.
Recent News:
Yokohama OKs Disputed History Text, Asahi Shimbun, August 5, 2009.
Yokohama Adopts Nationalistic Junior High History Textbook, The Japan Times, August 5, 2009.
Japan Party Set to Shun War Shrine, The China Daily, August 5, 2009.
Yuji Hosaka: Born to Defend Korea’s Dokdo Claims, The Korea Herald, August 3, 2009.
History May Haunt Asia Less Under Japan Democrats, Reuters India, August 2, 2009.
Filed under: China, China-Japan, History in Popular Culture, Japan, Remainder, Territorial Disputes
John Woo will remain in China for his next film on WWII, which takes a theme in the American volunteers recruited to aid the Chinese Air Force prior to the US participation in WWII; Veterans of the Korean War will be special guests during opening ceremonies for the Great Texas Balloon Race this year; Japan received the first Chinese individual tourist after change in its law; Taiwan is ready to receive more investment from China.
John Woo Divebombs Into WWII Again With ‘Flying Tiger Heroes’, MTV Blog, July 6, 2009
Balloon Race honors Korean War veterans, News-Journal.com, July 3, 2009
Taiwan Opens 100 Industries to Chinese Investment (Update2), Bloomberg, June 30, 2009
First individual Chinese tourists visit Japan, AFP, July 8, 2009
Articles below discuss return of WWII veterans from Burma to China, Taiwanese President Mao’s potential meeting with Chinese President Hu, and Chinese businessmen’s visit at Taiwan:
WWII Veterans Return from Burma after 67 Years, China Degital Times, May 31, 2009
Taiwan president may meet China’s Hu – paper, Malaysia Star, June 11, 2009
China sends large group to buy Taiwanese goods, Associated Press, May 31, 2009
The following articles describe recent initiatives to tighten the bilateral financial relationship betweeen China and Taiwan from both sides of the coast:
Chinese President Meets Leader of Taiwanese Party, New York Times, May 26, 2009
Taiwan-China business ties grow as barriers fall, AP, March 22, 2009
Ma Calls on China to Remove Missiles, Vows Closer Economic Ties, Bloomberg, May 20, 2009
Investment in Taiwan urged , StraitsTimes, May 18, 2009
Building Bridges to China, Time, May 14, 2009
Filed under: China, China-Korea, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Korea, Territorial Disputes
MFAH will Present Most Comprehensive US Exhibition of Korean Photography, Artdaily.org, May 15, 2009
Contemporary Chinese Youth and the State, The Journal of Asian Studies, May 2009
Pentagon worker charged with leaking info to China, Associated Press, May 13, 2009
Understanding China’s “Angry Youth”, The China Beat, May 13, 2009
Building Bridges to China, Time, May 14, 2009
Shanghai Expo opportunity to deepen ties between China, S Korea, Xinhua, May 14, 2009
Does N. Korea’s Taepodong-2 Ballistic Missile Pose a Serious Threat?, Voice of America, May 14, 2009
Illegality of Annexation Treaty, The Korea Times, May 14, 2009
Green tea is more than a way of life in South Korea, Los Angels Times, May 13, 2009
China asserts sea border claims, BBC, May 13, 2009
Masaki Saito, Japan’s representative for Taiwan, made a remark on May 1 that Taiwan’s status was still unclear, attracting criticism from both sides of the Strait. The six articles at the bottom of the links below show responses from PRC/Taiwan. Other articles discuss most recent developments between PRC and Taiwan including their cooperation in the financial market and Taiwan’s creation of a replica of the ship of Ming Dynasty hero.
Promoting a ‘two China’ policy, Taipei Times, May 10, 2009
Taiwan, China May Allow Cross-Trading of Stocks, Bloomberg, May 7, 2009
Replica of Ming Dynasty ship looks to retrace ancient sea routes, Taiwan News, May 7, 2009
Who is concocting ‘Taiwan Question’?, People’s Daily Online, May 6, 2009
China Rages over Japanese Comments on Taiwan, Bridging the Straits, May 5, 2009
MOFA will not ask Japan to recall its representative: vice FM, China Post, May 5, 2009
Gov’t Rebuts Japanese Chief Representative’s “Taiwan’s Status Undetermined” Remarks, Kuomintang News Network, May 4, 2009
Taiwan lodges protest with Japan’s top representative over remarks, Japan Today, May 2, 2009
Taiwan’s top China negotiator tenders resignation, AFP, March 5, 2009
Japan’s consulate general in New York was found to have sent a letter in February to a local superintendent of educational affairs, opposing the dual use of the name for the islets – Dokoto and Takeshima, according to Seoul’s Yonhap News agency. An association of South Korean parents in New York pledged Thursday that it would push for the use of the Korean name of Dokdo in history textbooks of New York public schools. The second article is an essay by a Japanese Professor Yuji Hosaka, who claims Dokoto/Takeshima Islets to be a part of Korea.
Koreans in US Slam Japan’s Claim to Dokdo, Korea Times, May 8, 2009
[Viewpoint] Spreading the word about Dokdo, JoongAng Daily, May 8, 2009
Filed under: China, China-Japan, Japan, Japan-Korea, Korea, Territorial Disputes, Yasukuni Shrine
May 4th: Legacy of 90 years still alive, CCTV.com, May 4, 2009
China, Taiwan Make History, Barron’s, May 4, 2009
Japanese Reactionaries’ Visit to “Yasukuni Shrine” Flayed, Korean Central News Agency, May 1, 2009
Japan Urged to Liquidate Its Crime-woven History, Korean Central News Agency, May 1, 2009
Harmonious Diplomacy and Global Governance (Part III), The Globalist, APril 30, 2009
International Symposium on Dokdo Island, May 7, PRNewswire, April 30, 2009
Lee Myung Bak Group Accused of Defending Japan’s Moves for Reinvasion,Korean Central News Agency, April 30, 2009
Should he stay or should he go?, Economist, April 30, 2009
A Pacific Alliance for Peace, Greek American News Agency, April 28, 2009
Parental love versus Kim Jong-il, Asia Times Online, April 28, 2009
China-Taiwan Links Grow, Wall Street Journal, April 27, 2009
Obama the first Asian-American president?, ABS-CBN NEWS, April 26, 2009
The Final Triumph of Chiang Kai-shek, Washington Post, April 26, 2009
Filed under: China, China-Japan, Comfort Women, Country, History in Popular Culture, History Textbooks, Inter-Country, Issues, Japan, Japan-Korea, Korea, Remainder, Territorial Disputes
Japan Defense Minister’s China Visit a Sign of Warming Relations, China Daily, March 23, 2009.
Q&A: Lu Chuan (Director of “Nanking! Nanking!”), Hollywood Reporter, March 23, 2009.
South Korea-Japan Rivalvy Shows No Sign of Cooling, Los Angeles Times, March 20, 2009.
Foreign Domination in Korea, The Korea Times, The Korea Times, March 19, 2009.
“Sea of Japan” Appears in Korean Textbook, The Korea Times, March 18, 2009.
“Comfort Women” Film Touches Japan, The Korea Times, March 18, 2009.
VA Hospital Pulls “Jap Surrender” Headline from Historical Display, CNS News, March 11, 2009.
KCNA Slams Japanese Militarists’ Agitation of War, ISRIA, March 10, 2009.
Memory and Reconciliation in the Asia-Pacific 
