each to four plaintiffs forced to work for the
company when Japan colonized the Korean
Peninsula from 1910-45.
But the company refused, siding with Japan’s
long-held positon that all colonial-era
compensation issues were settled by a 1965
treaty that restored diplomatic relations between
the two governments. Japanese government
officials have also rejected the ruling.
The Supreme Court in South Korea also issued
a similar verdict on Mitsubishi Heavy Industries
to financially compensate 10 Koreans for
forced labor.
Other exports affected by Tokyo’s decision are
what is called “resist” for making semiconductors
and hydrogen fluoride used for semiconductors,
pharmaceuticals and polymers, including nylon
and Teflon.
Japan’s longtime position is that all historical
compensation issues were settled when Tokyo
and Seoul signed a treaty in 1965 that restored
diplomatic ties.
The trade tensions developing between the
Asian neighbors seem to undermine the
message of free and open trade that leaders
endorsed at the Group of 20 summit in Osaka
last week.
But the Japanese ministry said the latest move
comes after overtures to patch up relations with
South Korea failed at the Group of 20 summit in
Osaka last week.
“It is not a retaliatory measure,” Deputy Chief
Cabinet Secretary Yasutoshi Nishimura said,
noting the measure came about because of
overall difficulties in “maintaining a relationship
of trust with South Korea in carrying out
export controls.”
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