Frankly I was very sad and disappointed with what Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso had to say on the definition of "invasion" as well as their attitude toward invasion and colonization by Japan before 1945.

Chinese and Koreans believe that they are superior to Japan culturally because Japan is a Chinese and Korean daughter culturally based on Confucianism, in which teaching vertical human relationships is most important.

Yet a "student country" invaded and colonized its teachers' countries. And the student neglected and ignored their cultural values and regarded them as inferior. That's why they are angry with Japan. This is more important than Japanese imperialism itself. Abe and Aso must fully understand this.

Japan first of all must listen to China and South Korea as counselors to understand their true intentions. Sometimes they go too far, but we can learn how to communicate with them little by little. As students, we should communicate with a warm and accepting attitude toward them.

masayuki aihara
fukushima

The opinions expressed in this letter to the editor are the writer's own and do not necessarily reflect the policies of The Japan Times.