Published on August 13, 2019.
This article introduces a dialogue between Masayuki Takayama and Inoue Kazuhiko published in the monthly magazine WiLL, discussing the U.S.-North Korea summit, President Trump’s tactic of “killing Kim Jong-un with praise,” and the money issue behind North Korea policy.
It further examines Syngman Rhee’s postwar demand for reparations, the fact that South Korea was not a victorious nation, Kubota Kanichiro’s statement during Japan-Korea negotiations, and the path toward the 1965 Japan-Korea Basic Treaty, arguing that Japan must clearly state what is right.

August 13, 2019.
It was Syngman Rhee’s demand for wartime reparations.
Although there had been no war, he said, “Hand over 2.1 billion dollars.”
Even though South Korea had received so much help from Japan, it said, “No, we had been fighting all along.”
“We are a member of the Allied Forces,” it said.
But Japan must properly state what is right, as Kubota did at that time.
This is a chapter I published on June 28, 2018, under that title.
The following is from a special dialogue between Masayuki Takayama and Inoue Kazuhiko, published in the current issue of the monthly magazine WiLL, released the day before yesterday, under the title “The Core of the U.S.-North Korea Summit: Trump’s ‘Killing Kim Jong-un with Praise’ Tactic Is Amazing.”
WiLL and HANADA, released the day before yesterday, are monthly magazines that every Japanese citizen must read.
The emphasis in the text, other than the headings, is mine.
After North Korea comes China—the latest British aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, will soon head to the South China Sea….
The tactic of killing with praise.
Takayama.
The result of this U.S.-North Korea summit has taken a form that is very difficult to evaluate.
Inoue.
Indeed, the joint statement did not specify the denuclearization process, and moreover, the greatest focal point, “complete, verifiable, and irreversible denuclearization,” or CVID, was not included.
Furthermore, considering President Trump’s initial enthusiasm, it is only natural that people should tilt their heads at these concessions, such as his unilateral promise to suspend U.S.-South Korea joint military exercises during the negotiation period, and raise concerns about what kind of intention may lie behind them.
On the other hand, however, President Trump’s almost embarrassing praise of Chairman Kim Jong-un can also be seen as a “killing with praise” tactic, cutting off North Korea’s path of retreat by making it impossible to go back.
Takayama.
To begin with, Trump is saying to this ridiculous country that cannot even pay its own travel and hotel expenses, “Japan should pay something like the one trillion yen it has promised.”
Well, in dealings with North Korea, the abduction issue and the money issue will inevitably come up.
The first money issue involving Korea after the war was Syngman Rhee’s demand for wartime reparations.
Although there had been no war, he said, “Hand over 2.1 billion dollars.”
Even though South Korea had received so much help from Japan, it said, “No, we had been fighting all along.”
“We are a member of the Allied Forces,” it said.
Inoue.
What on earth were they talking about?
South Korea was neither part of the Allied Forces nor a victorious nation.
Takayama.
Once they say something, they will not listen.
MacArthur was also troubled and said, “Koreans are not victorious nationals, but third-country nationals (the third nation).”
Now, if one says “third-country people,” they criticize it as a derogatory term.
It is not a derogatory term at all.
If they have a complaint, they should say it to MacArthur.
[Laughs.]
Even so, they still would not listen.
As expected, the Japanese side also retorted, “How long are you going to keep saying such foolish things?”
The person who handled those negotiations was the diplomat Kubota Kanichiro, and he said, “Since there was no war, we cannot pay wartime reparations.”
[Laughs.]
Inoue.
That is exactly right.
Takayama.
When Syngman Rhee’s side, riding on the Cairo Declaration, criticized Japan by saying, “Japan ruled the Korean Peninsula as a colony and placed the people in a state of slavery,” Kubota retorted, “Japan greened the bare mountains in Korea, laid railways, built ports, and created rice paddies.
Did we not spend ten to twenty million yen every year from the national budget to develop the infrastructure of the peninsula for that purpose?”
It was truly a just argument, to the extent that Suzuki Mosaburo of the Socialist Party applauded and said that it was exactly right.
Inoue.
They probably do not know that history.
Takayama.
In 1951, at the time of the conclusion of the San Francisco Peace Treaty, South Korea also insisted that it be allowed to attend as a victorious nation.
At that time, the United States, Britain, and Japan joined forces and said “No.”
That is the reality of the country called South Korea.
Inoue.
After that, they drew the Syngman Rhee Line, a maritime boundary line unilaterally established by the Korean side for the division of waters between Korea and surrounding countries and for the protection of resources and sovereignty, and seized and attacked Japanese fishing boats.
Moreover, they even came to illegally occupy Takeshima.
Takayama.
Because of that as well, the Japanese side did not withdraw Kubota’s statement.
The Korean side also could not back down.
They wanted money but did not want to bow their heads, and in the end, negotiations were suspended for ten years.
Japan did not mind, but the other side was in a desperate situation.
In the end, the other side lost patience first.
Inoue.
That was during the presidency of Park Chung-hee.
Takayama.
The other side withdrew the word “reparations,” replaced it with a term like “economic cooperation,” reduced the amount considerably, and the Japan-Korea Basic Treaty was concluded in 1965.
Even so, when Japan’s foreign currency reserves were 1.8 billion dollars, it paid 500 million dollars.
Based on this history, North Korea is also saying, “Pay one trillion yen.”
But Japan must properly state what is right, as Kubota did at that time.
This article continues.