The Price of a Soul and the Price of a Nation
The 1980s in Japan was a nation suffering from a severe case of narcissism. In truth, it wasn't entirely incomprehensible. Tokyo land prices were so bloated by bubbles that they were, quite literally, enough to buy the entire mainland United States. Furthermore, Japan’s economic power had been second in the world since 1980. Although it slipped to third after China’s rise, the fact that they had established the yen as a reserve currency during the bubble era meant they still boasted the world's third-largest economy even by 2020.
That was why Japan always chanted "Datsu-A Nyū-Kō" (Leaving Asia, Entering Europe). Japan was a country with an unusually—no, a dangerously—intense, vague longing for the West, to the point where they felt deeply ashamed of being "Asian." It was so bad that even on television, they would frequently broadcast segments claiming that while Chinese and Korean people had small eyes, Japanese people had large, Western-like eyes, making them fundamentally different from other Asians. It was pure supremacism.
By the 2000s, this behavior was met with nothing but mockery from Koreans and Chinese, but in the 80s, Japan had no reason to fear ridicule. Even if they were inflated by bubbles, they were, after all, the world’s second-largest economic superpower.
That was why the Japanese Prime Minister and his 14 ministers were fuming in the conference room, watching a broadcast regarding the destruction of the former Japanese Government-General building in Korea.
"Korea has completely lost its mind after suddenly becoming a country of 'national dictatorship.' What on earth is that so-called President of Korea doing?"
At the Defense Minister’s remark, the Foreign Minister spoke up.
"Isn't that person on the screen the President of Korea? The Korean President is already a man brainwashed by national dictatorship. To think a politician would be swayed by the public like that without a shred of his own conviction... tsk, tsk."
The Foreign Minister was not Ito. This was only natural. While the Republic of Korea divided its department heads into Ministers and Vice-Ministers, Japan divided them into Ministers and Deputy Ministers. In other words, Ito was not the equivalent of Korea’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, but a Vice-Minister. It was Japan’s standard practice to send someone one rank lower, even for inter-state summits. However, Japan considered this only natural. No, they even felt that sending Ito was more than Korea deserved. Because they had always thought of Korea as a country several rungs below Japan, a nation that had been under their colonial rule until just a short while ago.
"No, are you saying the President is that brainwashed by his own people? Hah, unbelievable!"
In a normal country, when such a situation arose, one would have to point out the issue sharply to the Foreign Minister. Questions like, [What is the reason for making such reckless remarks in an inter-state summit?], [How can you reveal your personal opinions like that?], or [Does the Ministry of Foreign Affairs not train its staff?] would be standard. But no one in that room blamed the Foreign Minister. Because what Ito said was, in their minds, the absolute, indisputable truth.
[The bad one is Korea. Korea doesn't know its place and dares to stand against Japan.]
This was the thought shared by all 15 people in the room.
"Ministers, I am well aware of your anger. Because I, too, am feeling that same anger," the Prime Minister said in a low voice. The ministers fell silent, focusing their attention on him.
"First of all, such actions by Korea are something we must never overlook. In the past, people like P and JD were very cooperative with Japan. Moreover, they were individuals who knew their place."
The Japanese political world knew very well why P and JD couldn't openly praise Japan. From the start, they knew exactly what they had done to Joseon. While they might say "it was for the sake of Joseon" or "I am not ashamed" out loud, in reality, they knew better than anyone what kind of atrocities they had committed. That was why, until the end of JD’s term, the Japanese political world mostly held unofficial meetings with Korea, rarely holding official ones. It was obvious that doing so would provoke the Korean public and have a negative impact on the power of P and JD.
Instead, they milked everything they could through unofficial meetings. By principle, they should have admitted their faults and paid reparations for their crimes, but they didn't have to. Especially due to the treaty signed during P’s term, the victims who suffered under Japan during the colonial period would not receive proper compensation even by the year 2020. Even the compensation money received at the time was treated as state-level reparations and went straight into P’s pocket, so the victims effectively received nothing.
"We already provided sufficient compensation to Korea in 1965. P accepted it, and JD carried on P’s legacy well," the Prime Minister said. However, the compensation made in 1965 was not only inadequate from the start, but it wasn't even money given—it was effectively a 'loan.' And it was a highly unfair treaty that forced them to use only Japanese goods. Like this, Japan hadn't just started attacking Korea in the 2010s by calling them 'Kankoku shibaru-nom' (Korean bastards); they had been milking Korea for a very long time.
"But N is different. N has been swayed by national dictatorship and has decided to completely turn against our Japan. We must prevent our Japan, which is currently looking toward becoming the world's number one economic power, from being negatively perceived by other nations because we are tied down by such trivial history."
At the Prime Minister’s words, the Finance Minister immediately showed a sympathetic reaction.
"That is only right. Our Japan is moving toward the future even at this very moment, but those uncivilized Joseon-jins are still clinging to the past and holding us back. This is something we can no longer overlook. All of Japan must step up to resolve this."
The Minister of Health, Labour and Welfare also jumped up from his seat and nodded.
"I am of the same opinion. Our motto of being a 'people who do not cause trouble' must not disappear because of some trivial things that happened in the past. We must resolve the 'anti-Japanese sentiment' currently occurring in Korea right now."
Along with the active remarks of the two ministers, the remaining twelve ministers were also nodding.
"I am very glad that your opinions seem to be in agreement. Then, how should we resolve it? The easiest way is to hand money over to Korea."
"That is absolutely out of the question!" The Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology stood up, foaming at the mouth, and continued. "Giving money to Korea itself could be seen as an admission of our past mistakes. Reparations when we did nothing wrong! That is impossible. I am very afraid that our Japanese youth and students might have a wrong perception of their country's past!"
The other ministers nodded as if in agreement. In fact, Japan never described the contents related to World War II in detail in their history textbooks. Of course, there were instances where they mentioned it directly. But even then, it was just one or two lines. That was it. They didn't explain the detailed circumstances at all, and teachers just skipped over it as if it weren't important, so Japanese youth in the 2010s knew nothing about the reality of their country.
"Giving money seems difficult, then. What would you suggest?"
Then, the Minister of Internal Affairs and Communications raised his hand and spoke.
"There are still many in Korea who will follow our words. How about we bestow 'grace' upon them?"
Everyone in the room understood what he meant.
"Ah, that sounds good," the Prime Minister replied, satisfied.
In the 80s, an enormous amount of Jap-money began to be distributed to pro-Japanese traitors in Korea.
"Ho-ho, looks like Japan has already made a move?" at Yoon-gi's words while eating breakfast and reading the newspaper, Choi Ki-hyun asked.
"Hmm? Japan moved?"
"Yes, Grandfather. Look."
As Yoon-gi handed over the newspaper, Choi Ki-hyun put down his spoon and took it.
"There doesn't seem to be any problem with the title?"
"Look at the content."
Choi Ki-hyun focused on the content again.
[...may lead to a negative perception of Japan. However, as a result, Japan's colonial rule provided the foundation for the Republic of Korea's development. The modern systems and technologies learned through the Japanese colonial era immediately...]
"No, these goddamn bastards!" Choi Ki-hyun crumpled the newspaper.
"Father, Father!" Park Yeon-ji called out urgently, and Choi Ki-hyun followed her gaze. He saw Jung-ah. Jung-ah was staring with wide, rabbit-like eyes, having stopped eating mid-bite. Merrill was the same. Wouldn't a 'grown-up Jung-ah' look similar to Merrill? Merrill also looked somewhat surprised, watching Choi Ki-hyun spew profanity.
"Ah... I'm sorry. I lived through the colonial period, so my blood pressure just spiked for a moment."
No matter how angry he was, he couldn't curse in front of his pretty granddaughter, grandson-in-law, and daughter-in-law. So, Choi Ki-hyun gave a sheepish smile.
"I heard it was really hard to live back then."
When Yoon-gi threw him a proper lifeline, Choi Ki-hyun grabbed it immediately.
"Hard to live? You bet it was! Honestly, I’d say life was better during the Korean War. At least back then, you could trust your allies. But not during the Japanese colonial period. Those guys were always sowing discord so that Joseon people couldn't trust each other. Even thinking about it now, it's nothing but horrific memories. And yet, they call it the 'Japanese Era' instead of the 'Japanese colonial period.' Is the reporter who wrote this column out of his mind?"
There was genuine 'sincerity' in the way Choi Ki-hyun shook his head.
"Of course he's in his right mind," Yoon-gi said, and Choi Ki-hyun furrowed his brows.
"In his right mind?"
"Yes. Sweet Jap-money has entered his throat, so why wouldn't he write it? He sold his soul for money. It's a piece written with a perfectly sound mind."
Choi Ki-hyun understood Yoon-gi’s intent.
"Ah, so he didn't write it because he was threatened, but because he wrote it for the money?"
"Exactly."
"Goddamn it... pro-Japanese traitors never disappear, whether in the past or now..."
Choi Ki-hyun’s fist, trembling as he clenched it, spoke of his anger. Even though it had been over 40 years since liberation, the nightmares of the past were as vivid to Choi Ki-hyun as if they had happened yesterday.
"The older sister next door said she was getting a job at a Japanese factory and said goodbye, but later... ah, never mind."
Realizing that other family members were present, Choi Ki-hyun sighed and closed his mouth.
"I think I know how you feel, Grandfather. That’s why I’m asking, shall we go see a movie later? All of us, as a family."
At Yoon-gi’s words, Choi Ki-hyun thought it was a bit out of the blue.
"A movie?"
"Yes. It’ll probably be fun."
Yoon-gi had already thought through how Japan would respond and had established countermeasures.