This essay discusses the reality of Japan–South Korea tensions and the possible sanctions Japan could impose, drawing on a blog article found on goo and emphasizing facts that, in the author’s view, newspapers such as The Asahi Shimbun and NHK do not report.
The article introduced here cites a Japanese-language report from South Korea’s JoongAng Ilbo, which predicts that if the liquidation of seized Japanese corporate assets in South Korea were to proceed, Japan could respond with measures such as filing a case at the International Court of Justice, tightening or suspending visas for Koreans, imposing higher tariffs on Korean goods, halting remittances, restricting exports, excluding South Korea from trade insurance coverage, rejecting South Korea’s bid to join the TPP, seizing Korean corporate assets in Japan, halting the supply of key materials from Japan, recalling the Japanese ambassador to South Korea, and even severing diplomatic relations.
The author argues that while the South Korean side may believe Japan cannot act because it too would suffer losses, in reality Japan stands to gain far more than it would lose.
He further contends that businesses dealing with South Korea must bear the risks themselves, and that the Japanese government must take care to prevent the Tokyo Olympics from becoming a stage for anti-Japan activism.
He specifically cites the case of Professor Seo Kyoung-duk, who campaigns overseas to label the Rising Sun Flag a “war criminal flag,” and argues that even declaring his entry into Japan prohibited would have significant political effect.
The essay closes by stressing that most Japanese citizens likely know little about such figures and their activities.

2019-03-18
The sanctions against South Korea that Korea’s JoongAng Ilbo predicts Japan may impose.

Another blog I found on goo also tells us facts that newspapers such as The Asahi Shimbun and NHK absolutely do not report.
The sanctions against South Korea that Korea’s JoongAng Ilbo predicts Japan may impose.
2019-03-14 23:01:52 | Japan–Korea Issues
■On the 12th, JoongAng Ilbo (Japanese edition), in an article titled “Mood in Japan’s business world suggests withdrawal of Korean branch offices if seized assets are sold,” specifically predicted Japan’s sanctions as follows.
(1) Filing a case with the International Court of Justice (ICJ).
(2) Tightening measures on Korean entrants, including suspension of entry visas.
(3) Additional tariffs on South Korean products.
(4) Suspension of remittances.
(5) Export restrictions, including removing South Korea from trade insurance coverage.
(6) Rejection of South Korea’s application to join the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).
(7) Seizure of South Korean corporate assets in Japan.
(8) Suspension of the supply of parts and materials from Japan, including hydrogen fluoride.
(9) Recall of Yasumasa Nagamine, Japan’s ambassador to South Korea.
(10) Severance of diplomatic relations.
…That is the list in full.
Both Koreans and Japanese are pessimistic on this point.
Koreans fear that such sanctions may actually be carried out, while Japanese fear that not even one of those sanctions will in fact ever be implemented.
On the South Korean side, there is a strong line of argument that if South Korea loses something, Japan too has something of equal value to lose, and therefore Japan cannot go so far as to impose sanctions, but in reality, although it is not the case that Japan has absolutely nothing to lose, what it stands to gain is far greater.
The ones that would suffer direct damage are the companies doing business with South Korea, but once they chose to become involved with that country, that falls under their own responsibility.
If they dislike that, then they should withdraw quickly.
Companies that have involved themselves with South Korea for the sake of profit have, in many respects, also acted as those dragging Japan down.
The government must take care so that the Tokyo Olympics do not become a stage for anti-Japan activities by Koreans.
Specifically, this includes measures such as banning entry to Professor Seo Kyoung-duk, who is trying to use the Rising Sun Flag issue as a pretext to bring anti-Japan agitation into the Olympics.
Even merely declaring that this one measure will be taken would have a ripple effect.
Professor Seo is a person who, even overseas, has worked to brand the Rising Sun Flag with the baseless stigma of being a war criminal flag, and who lives off anti-Japan activism.
Refusing him entry is only natural.

To be continued.
This person and his activities are, I believe, facts that almost all Japanese citizens, like myself, are learning for the first time.