About "South Korea top court orders Mitsubishi to pay compensation for wartime labor" in the Nov. 30 edition, some rulings made by South Korea's Supreme Court relating to wartime labor incidents contradict the international treaty between Japan and South Korea.

It is clear that these rulings are greatly influenced by the current South Korean administration. Every time the government changes hands, the former president's works are highly likely to be repealed, and what's more, former presidents have even been arrested.

South Korea's recent moves against Japan are not a diplomatic issue, but a domestic issue. We should view these moves with a cool head, and the South Korean administration should realize that harming ties with Japan for the sake of political expediency will do South Korea more harm than good.

SHUICHI JOHN WATANABE

SAKAI, OSAKA PREFECTURE

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.