Published on August 29, 2019.
This article introduces a serialized dialogue between Ishihara Shintaro and Kamei Shizuka published in the monthly magazine WiLL, discussing South Korea’s anti-Japanese uproar over Japan’s whitelist removal, the true nature of Japan-South Korea relations, difficult conversations with South Korean lawmakers, anecdotes involving the KCIA, and honey traps by China and South Korea.
It highlights the gap between public posturing and private realities in Japan’s relations with its neighbor.

August 29, 2019.
Historically speaking, they feared becoming a vassal state of Russia and chose Japanese rule of their own will, did they not?
To forget that fact and demand that Japan take moral responsibility is utterly absurd.
The following is from a serialized dialogue between Ishihara Shintaro and Kamei Shizuka, published in this month’s issue of the monthly magazine WiLL under the title “South Korea? Just Give It a Slap.”
South Korea is making a fuss with anti-Japanese sentiment, but we should just leave it alone.
Japan and South Korea, whose conversations do not mesh.
Ishihara.
South Korea is making an anti-Japanese fuss domestically over its removal from the whitelist, but we should just leave it alone.
Historically speaking, they feared becoming a vassal state of Russia and chose Japanese rule of their own will, did they not?
To forget that fact and demand that Japan take moral responsibility is utterly absurd.
The people of peninsula regions called “conflict zones” are all constantly looking at the faces of great powers, so they are all servile peoples.
Kamei.
Even though it was also a peninsula, Rome conquered the world.
Ishihara.
The Italian Peninsula is different.
Kamei.
The Korean people are so highly strung that it is called “hwabyeong.”
Perhaps they have blood different from that of original Easterners mixed in.
Ishihara.
Kame-chan, you favor South Korea, but how do you think this situation should be resolved?
Kamei.
Just give them a slap.
Ishihara.
That is rather rough.
Kamei.
They are getting carried away.
Still, as an immediate measure it is appropriate, but from a long-term perspective Japan and South Korea should get along.
Ishihara.
They are a neighboring country, so it cannot be helped.
Kamei.
I arranged an opportunity to dine with several South Korean Diet members, together with Eto Seiichi and Ishiba Shigeru, but the conversation did not mesh very well.
Ishihara.
That is only natural.
Kamei.
Eto said, “I do not go to South Korea.
Because Japanese Diet members in the past all went there for prostitution.
Everyone avoids saying such things.
Because both sides only say official-sounding things, they can never get along.
We must be able to speak frankly with a neighboring country.”
When he said that, his true intention was understood on the spot, and the atmosphere was friendly, but it seems that when the visiting members returned to South Korea, they were criticized by the mass media.
Ishihara.
I was close to Lee Hu-rak, who was ambassador to Japan.
He returned to South Korea after becoming director of the KCIA, the Korean Central Intelligence Agency, and I was invited to a meal in South Korea.
On the way there together, there was a female student.
When I muttered, “That girl is pure and nice,” Lee Hu-rak’s secretary remembered it.
Astonishingly, that female college student appeared at the evening banquet.
It seems they said something to her like, “I am from the KCIA, and there is something I want to ask you about your family, so come with me,” and she turned pale and followed them.
I got angry at Lee Hu-rak and said, “Send her home immediately.”
I thought it was an incredible country.
Lee Hu-rak said, “I will call all the famous actresses to the evening banquet,” and brought one of them.
He introduced her as “South Korea’s number-one actress.”
I did not know whether it was true or not.
I thought, “Well,” and became friendly with her, but on another day, when I met a representative of Mindan, I asked, “Is that woman really famous?”
He said, “Mr. Ishihara, what are you talking about?
She is an actress everyone knows and admires.”
I went to a nearby bookstore and looked at film magazines.
Astonishingly, that actress was on the cover.
Kamei.
Everything showing you together must have been photographed.
Ishihara.
That is not so.
And even if it was photographed, I do not particularly care.
Kamei.
Honey traps are also common in China.
They use them as tools for blackmail.
This article continues.