In a summit in Kyoto on Sunday with Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda, South Korean President Lee Myung Bak unexpectedly made a specific comment on the issue of Korean women who were forced to provide sex to members of the Imperial Japanese armed forces during the war years.
Mr. Lee urged Mr. Noda to have "true courage" to give priority to solving the issue and to make a "political decision" on the matter. He said the issue constitutes an "obstacle" in the bilateral relations. According to the South Korean presidential office, some 40 minutes were devoted to the issue in the 60-minute meeting.
Mr. Lee's attitude is apparently influenced by recent political developments in his country. But it serves as a reminder to the Japanese government that bilateral historical issues dating back to Japan's colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula can be rekindled at any time. Japan cannot be too careful in dealing with the issues.