In his Oct. 4 article, "Solution to North Korean problem," professor Thomas J. Schoenbaum writes of a united Asia with complete freedom of movement among member countries. He says this will be possible in about 20 years.
While I wholeheartedly applaud his optimism, 20 years seems far too short a time for such a change to occur. Asia is not Europe, and while it may be tempting to make projections based on the European model, it is not a very realistic point of view. One only need consider the atmosphere of mutual distrust that exists among Northeast Asian countries. In Asia resentments run deep and ideological change takes place at a considerably slower pace than in Europe.
Compare Germany's complete renunciation of Nazism to Japan's continual refusal to accept responsibility for its role in World War II. Compare the German approach to teaching youth that Germany's role in the war was one of the most shameful episodes in its history, to the Japanese approach of glorifying its role in the war. Immigration laws and surveillance of foreigners have increased in Japan within the last few years and don't seem to be showing any sign of easing up.
And that's just Japan. Add China and the two Koreas to the mix with all their attendant problems. Twenty years? No way.