N.Korea Lets Japan Abductees' Relatives Leave

Grok Headline matches for N.Korea Lets Japan Abductees' Relatives Leave

N.Korea to Let Japan Abductee Relatives
Leave

N.Korea to Let Japan Abductee Relatives
Leave 05/22/2004 03:48 AM
Reuters via Wired News May 22 2004 7:52AM GMT

Japan Hostages Said Safe in Iraq,
Relatives Anxious

Japan Hostages Said Safe in Iraq,
Relatives Anxious 04/11/2004 04:18 AM
Reuters via Wired News Apr 11 2004 7:50AM GMT

Iraq abductions leave Japan in crisis

Iraq abductions leave Japan in crisis 04/09/2004 04:03 PM

Accused U.S. Deserter, Family Leave
Jakarta for Japan (Reuters)

Accused U.S. Deserter, Family Leave
Jakarta for Japan (Reuters) 07/17/2004 09:00 PM
Reuters - An ex-U.S. soldier accused of deserting to North Korea, Charles Robert Jenkins, left Indonesia for Japan and an uncertain fate Sunday, accompanied by his Japanese wife and their two North Korean-born daughters.

What's up between Japan and Korea

What's up between Japan and Korea 04/06/2005 03:22 PM

History Lesson: Heart of the matter by Hayami Ichikawa and others at Asahi Shimbun in Japan pinpoints the real issue behind the ongoing conflict between Japan and Korea over Dokdo (Takeshima) islets: Koizumi and his cabinet are clueless.

Hayami understands why Koreans are so upset over Dokdo and explains it well:

To the South Koreans, Takeshima, a group of islets called Tokto in Korean, represents a symbol of Japan's 1910-45 colonization of the Korean Peninsula.

The incorporation of the Sea of Japan isles into Shimane Prefecture on Feb. 22, 1905, is viewed as a prelude to what Japan was later to inflict upon the peninsula.

It's now 2005 and it seems to be happening all over again.

Japanese government's history whitewashing service covers US too because mentions of the fact that no WMD has been found in Iraq were removed from school textbook drafts at the request of Japanese government officials.

Pretty funny?  Well, not if you consider that Japan is trying to buy a seat in the UN Security Council.  Brrrrr!

"U.S., Japan Agree to Pressure N. Korea
(AP)"

"U.S., Japan Agree to Pressure N. Korea
(AP)" 11/18/2003 03:32 AM

Japan, China, S. Korea developing next
Net

Japan, China, S. Korea developing next
Net 12/31/2003 06:14 AM

Google News Japan & Korea

Google News Japan & Korea 09/01/2004 09:29 AM
"...Google News Japan and Google News Korea is working."

Japan resumes food aid to N Korea

Japan resumes food aid to N Korea 08/05/2004 01:43 AM
Japan is to continue delivering food assistance and medical supplies to North Korea after a four-year gap.

N.Korea Says Japan About to Have Nuclear
Arms

N.Korea Says Japan About to Have Nuclear
Arms 05/08/2004 01:20 PM
Reuters via Wired News May 8 2004 4:40PM GMT

Report: Japan, China, S. Korea
developing next Net

Report: Japan, China, S. Korea
developing next Net 12/30/2003 06:32 PM
The countries are reportedly planning to jointly develop Internet Protocol version 6, the next-generation Net standard, challenging the U.S.-dominated market for current IPv4-based Net tech.

Japan, Korea Halt U.S. Beef Imports on
Mad Cow Scare

Japan, Korea Halt U.S. Beef Imports on
Mad Cow Scare 12/24/2003 01:53 AM
Reuters via Wired News Dec 24 2003 0:42AM ET

Report: Japan, China, South Korea
developing next Net

Report: Japan, China, South Korea
developing next Net 12/30/2003 06:27 PM
ZDNet Dec 30 2003 6:10PM ET

North Korea and Japan Sign a Deal on
Abductions

North Korea and Japan Sign a Deal on
Abductions 05/22/2004 05:23 PM
Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi of Japan brought five abducted children of Japanese citizens back to Japan, having promised North Korea medical aid and rice.

S.Korea and Japan Cautious on Nuclear
Talks Delay

S.Korea and Japan Cautious on Nuclear
Talks Delay 12/03/2003 04:10 AM
Reuters via Wired News Dec 3 2003 3:43AM ET

Japan, S Korea, China to build Internet
tech

Japan, S Korea, China to build Internet
tech 12/29/2003 05:36 PM
Deccan Herald Dec 29 2003 4:39PM ET

Japan-N.Korea Talks End as Abductee
Families Wait

Japan-N.Korea Talks End as Abductee
Families Wait 05/22/2004 02:10 AM
Reuters via Wired News May 22 2004 5:29AM GMT

S. Korea-Japan to unravel political
gridlock over Dokto

S. Korea-Japan to unravel political
gridlock over Dokto 04/04/2005 01:17 PM
Maekyung Internet Apr 4 2005 4:46PM GMT

Differences in meaning of finger
chopping in Korea and Japan

Differences in meaning of finger
chopping in Korea and Japan 06/05/2005 11:34 PM

I wrote earlier about the origin of the Japanese the ritual of chopping off pinkies. In Japan, the ritual comes the importance of the left pinkie in the grip of a Japanese sword. Removing the left pinkie is literally disarming and was used to punish people in the past. This has been ritualized and continues to be used by small number of Yakuza and others in Japan as a form of punishment or taking responsibility.

This is why I didn't understand why the Koreans were severing their fingers in protests against the Japanese. Two Koreans chopped their little fingers off in in front of the Japanese embassy in March to protest Japanese comments about the Dokdo islands and in 2001, 20 Koreans chopped their off their little fingers in protest against Koizumi's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine.

I was beginning to understand the issues that the Koreans were protesting against, but I didn't see how this finger chopping was involved. I decided to get to the bottom of this and asked friends during my trip to Korea.

Although it is an ancient custom, if I understand correctly, one of the most famous incidents was An Jung-geun, a legendary leader in the armed resistance against the Japanese occupation, chopping off parts of several of his fingers and writing "Korean Independence" in blood on the Korean national flag. Later he assassinated Japanese politician Hirobumi Ito in 1910. Hirobumi Ito was a key figure in the Meiji Restoration of Japan, former prime minister and former Resident -General of Korea. Using the blood from severed fingers to write such statements became a sign of solidarity in the resistance against the Japanese and I believe the recent finger chopping is a continuation of this.

I am not trying to make a statement about or a judgement on the anti-Japanese protests or the actions by the Japanese, but trying to clarify something that was confusing for me.

PS I found this article about the protests that ran in today's Korea Herald insightful on the relevance of these protests.

UPDATE: Edited post to reflect comments that An Jung-geun chopped his fingers before the assassination and that it's an ancient custom which didn't start with An Jung-geun.

Comment - TrackBack

South Korea, Japan Lead in Mobile
Internet Penetration

South Korea, Japan Lead in Mobile
Internet Penetration 09/08/2004 01:05 AM
Yonhap News Sep 8 2004 5:43AM GMT

Korea, Japan Get Headstart Selling Intel
Chip-enabled Laptop

Korea, Japan Get Headstart Selling Intel
Chip-enabled Laptop 01/04/2005 06:46 AM
Digital Chosun Jan 4 2005 10:46AM GMT

Korea-China-Japan Reinforce Cooperation
in Next Generation Standard for Mobile
Communications

Korea-China-Japan Reinforce Cooperation
in Next Generation Standard for Mobile
Communications 03/25/2005 05:16 AM
Telecoms Korea Mar 25 2005 7:28AM GMT

"Kim Jong Il Purges Relatives"

"Kim Jong Il Purges Relatives" 12/31/2004 04:55 AM

'Eight of my relatives have died'

'Eight of my relatives have died' 12/28/2004 12:03 AM
Members of Britain's Sri Lankan Muslim community mourn their losses as they gather to pray and raise aid for the country after the Asian quake.

Lawmakers With Relatives on Payroll

Lawmakers With Relatives on Payroll 04/14/2005 06:50 AM
AP: Lawmakers With Relatives on Payroll .. The Associated Press

sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2005/04/13/national/w124 553D99.DTL
track this site | 3 links

"Lawmakers With Relatives on Payroll"

"Lawmakers With Relatives on Payroll" 04/14/2005 08:33 PM

Crash relatives attend service

Crash relatives attend service 08/13/2004 12:26 PM
Relatives of the victims of the Austria coach crash have attended a service in a town close to the scene of Tuesday's accident.

Relatives Use Technology to Reach Iraq

Relatives Use Technology to Reach Iraq 04/21/2004 08:56 AM
San Jose Mercury News Apr 21 2004 1:25PM GMT

Kurds are the Closest Relatives of Jews

Kurds are the Closest Relatives of Jews 12/29/2004 08:16 PM
Kurds are the Closest Relatives of Jews Funny, They don't look Jewish:"Research has just begun into the ancient ties between Kurds and Jews. It would be interesting to see if the various Jewish groups have as strong a family tie to Kurds in the maternal lineages as they do in the paternal lineages. Preliminary studies indicate that Jewish populations in eastern Europe and Yemen have maternal origins that contain much more non-Israelite ancestry than their paternal origins. Despite this admixture with other groups, the Jewish Judean people ultimately began their existence in an area within or nearby Kurdistan, prior to migrating southwest to Israel. This exciting research showing that Kurds and Jews may have shared common fathers several millennia ago should, hopefully, encourage both Kurds and Jews to explore each others' cultures and to maintain the friendship that Kurds and Jews enjoyed in northern Iraq in recent times (as chronicled in Michael Rubin's recent article "The Other Iraq"). As Rubin indicates, the Kurdish leader Mullah Mustafa Barzani once visited Israel and met with Israeli government officials. Rubin refers to the Iraqi Kurds' "special affinity for Israel" and writes that "In the safe haven of Iraqi Kurdistan, the Jews and Israel are remembered fondly, if increasingly vaguely." Let us hope that this relationship can be renewed and strengthened."

Relatives Use Technology to Reach Iraq
(AP)

Relatives Use Technology to Reach Iraq
(AP) 04/21/2004 08:55 AM
AP - The families of Maine Army National Guard soldiers guarding a prison in Iraq used e-mail and phone trees to spread the news after a barrage of mortar rounds killed 22 prisoners but hurt none of the Americans at the prison.

Internet comforts desperate relatives

Internet comforts desperate relatives 12/31/2004 12:32 PM
stuff.co.nz Dec 31 2004 4:44PM GMT

Crash relatives face £5,000 bill

Crash relatives face £5,000 bill 09/04/2004 10:10 AM
Relatives of three men killed in an accident in Rotterdam are told to pay before the bodies can return to Wales.

DeLay's PAC Paid Relatives $500K

DeLay's PAC Paid Relatives $500K 04/07/2005 03:22 AM
if you can get it .. Read article

nytimes.com/2005/04/06/politics/06delay.html?ex=1270440000&e n=7e2ad081118890cd&ei=5088&partner=rssnyt
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Elian's Relatives Sue Over Miami Raid

Elian's Relatives Sue Over Miami Raid 12/10/2003 01:13 AM
Reuters via Wired News Dec 10 2003 0:35AM ET

- [Design Korea 2003] Korea Gears Up to
Take Designs to World Stage

- [Design Korea 2003] Korea Gears Up to
Take Designs to World Stage 12/04/2003 01:11 PM
Hankooki Dec 4 2003 12:08PM ET

How to Deal With North Korea & Q&A:
Should U.S. Launch Direct Talks with N.
Korea?

How to Deal With North Korea & Q&A:
Should U.S. Launch Direct Talks with N.
Korea? 03/19/2003 10:28 PM
Here are two thoughtful pieces on the North Korean Crisis.

From Foreign Affairs comes How to Deal With North Korea.

From the New York Times comes
Q&A: Should U.S. Launch Direct Talks with North Korea?

Here, by the way, is the fourth footnote from How to Deal With North Korea :

Had the Agreed Framework not been signed in 1994, the North's plutonium-based program would by today have produced enough plutonium for up to 30 nuclear weapons. Critics of the accord should not ignore this fact.

Explosion heard in North Korea, South
Korea denies

Explosion heard in North Korea, South
Korea denies 09/12/2004 06:45 AM
Maekyung Internet Sep 12 2004 11:16AM GMT

Relatives Defend Marine to Fellow Arabs
(AP)

Relatives Defend Marine to Fellow Arabs
(AP) 07/10/2004 06:58 PM
AP - Relatives of a U.S. Marine who surfaced in Beirut nearly three weeks after an apparent kidnapping in Iraq appealed for understanding from fellow Arabs on Saturday, saying the Lebanese-born man emigrated and joined the Marines for financial reasons.

Relatives turn to internet in search for
lost

Relatives turn to internet in search for
lost 12/30/2004 02:47 PM
Melbourne Age Dec 30 2004 6:22PM GMT
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N.Korea Lets Japan Abductees' Relatives Leave

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