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Tuesday, 10th August 2010
In Events In Japan,

Japan apologises to South Korea over imperialist rule

Japan's government has expressed regret over its colonisation of South Korea during the first and second world wars, as part of ongoing efforts to repair ties between the two nations.

The apology came from prime minister Naoto Kan and was approved by the Japanese cabinet. In the apology, reported by local news source the Kyodo News agency, he said sorry for the way in which many Koreans have suffered.

Japan ruled the Korean peninsula between 1910 and 1945 and this meant that many in the country were made to fight as soldiers on the front line or were forced to work in slave-like conditions.

The apology comes in as the 100 year anniversary of the annexation approaches.

The issue of wartime atrocities against other nations is a sensitive one in Japan, with some politicians keen to apologise and other, more conservative, ones preferring to avoid the issue and even refuse to acknowledge such incidents.

Written by Susan Balion

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