The superficial view of Nikkan koryu, or interaction between Japan and Korea, is that the people of the two countries dislike each other so much they are ken’en no naka, in the Japanese phrase—they get along like dogs and monkeys.

But superficial views, especially when propagated through the media megaphone, often bear no resemblance to reality. While working on a translation a few weeks ago, I was listening to NHK AM, one of the radio stations of the Japanese public TV and radio network. Their midday programming that week featured live broadcasts from Seoul, which the network has been doing annually since 2002.

I can hear the sound of the plaster cracking in some of those preconceived notions already!

The guests on the program were Japanese and Koreans conversant with each other’s culture and fluent in each other’s language. I was interested to hear one South Korean guest state that relations between Japanese and Koreans on every level and in every sector were very mature (his word), with one exception—politicians.

He’s right, you know, and here are some recent examples from the Nishinippon Shimbun that may have been drowned out in the media’s incessant search for controversy and contention.

Museum Ties

The Kyushu National Museum in Dazaifu, Fukuoka Prefecture, announced plans to sign “sister museum” agreements with two museums in South Korea: the Buyeo National Museum, known for its collection of Baekje Kingdom artifacts, and the Gongju National Museum.

These are the first cooperative agreements for all three museums. The Kyushu museum opened last October to become one of Japan’s four national museums, which correspond roughly to the Smithsonian in the United States. The facility in Kyushu concentrates on the historical interaction between Asia and Japan.

There’s the sound of more plaster cracking, this time in the preconceived notions of those who think that Japan doesn’t consider itself part of Asia.

Plans call for the Korean museums to exhibit some of their Baekje Kingdom collection in Kyushu. One of the three ancient Choson kingdoms, Baekje was known for having close ties to Japan. King Song sent the delegation that formally introduced Buddhism to the Japanese court in the first half of the sixth century. For their part, the Japanese provided military support for an unsuccessful attempt to restore the Baekje king after the invasion and occupation by T’ang Dynasty China and the Silla Kingdom in 660.

Further, Emperor Akihito has declared his feelings of kinship for Korea because the Nihon Shoki (Chronicles of Japan) state that Emperor Kammu’s mother was from the line of King Muryong of Baekje. Kammu’s reign in Japan was from 781 to 806, while Muryong, Song’s predecessor, ruled from 501 to 523. In fact, Muryong may have been born in Kyushu–Kakarashima in Chinzei-cho, Saga Prefecture, to be precise.

Korean Wave

South Korean heartthrob Kwon Sang Woo donated one million yen (roughly $US 8,500) to the Fukuoka prefectural government to help with relief efforts for the victims of the large earthquake of March 2005. The funds were part of the proceeds from his performance at an earlier live event in Fukuoka City, attended by the usual swarm of young and middle-aged women with the wormies for Korean show business personalities. Kwon said he hoped the money would be used for children’s education. Incidentally, Kwon dolls are selling for 21,000 yen (about $US 180) in Japan, as you can see here. (Hubba-hubba, get a load of those shoes!)

Cleaning up

While working in Japan as part of an international exchange program, a Korean graduate of the Busan University of Foreign Studies was embarrassed to discover that the trash dumped in the Korean Strait by Koreans in Busan was washing up on the Japanese island of Tsushima. He organized a group of 250 students to come to Tsushima during their vacations to work with the residents and clean up the beaches. This has turned into an annual event. (The photo above comes from this year’s clean-up campaign.)

A Hop, Skip, and a Jump

The Kyushu Economic Research Center recently reported results from their survey showing that the Koreans traveling to Kyushu are increasingly repeat visitors participating in everyday activities rather than visits to the usual tourist destinations. In the past, many Koreans headed to Kyushu to visit the hot springs, volcanoes (Aso in particular), and such theme parks as Huis ten Bosch.

The Center says the objectives of their visits now are “an extension of domestic travel”, with more coming to play golf, climb mountains, or go skiing. In fact, shopping trips to Kyushu are becoming rather popular with the appreciation of the Korean won.

So many Koreans are coming to Fukuoka to shop that the city’s largest department store, Iwataya, is now conducting Korean language classes for about 40 staff members whose primary job duties are dealing with the public. The classes started at the flagship store in Tenjin and soon will be offered at all the stores.

This of course benefits the Korean travel industry. Seoul travel agency Yohen Baksa has become hugely successful since its establishment in 2000 due in large part from offering travel packages to Kyushu over the Internet. The agency is doing so well they revised upward their target for customer totals by 40% this year–roughly 30,000 people.

So, while the politicians are blustering and playing the demagogue in Seoul’s Blue House and Kasumigaseki in Tokyo, they’re way behind the public in both countries. Folks on both sides of the Sea of Japan, and the Korean Strait in particular, are finding the political posturing irrelevant to their everyday lives, parking their preconceptions at the curb, and beginning to enjoy each other as neighbors.

Now that’s what I call Power to the People!