Things Continue to Deteriorate in Asia

In the past few weeks, South Korean President Roh Moo-Hyun has dredged up the past again and demanded yet another apology from Japan over the occupation of Korea from 1910-1945. This escalated once more when Roh told South Koreans to prepare for sacrifices in a "diplomatic war" with Tokyo.

The current dispute was sparked by a Japan's Takeshima prefecture symbolically claiming ownership over rocks the Koreans claim. Tokyo has recognized Korea's claim, but doesn't have the authority to prevent the stupidity of Takeshima prefecture, so here we are. Roh, in my opinion, is being an idiot. I don't know what his poll numbers are like, but frankly I think he's playing the history card for little to no reason. Japan has apologized repeatedly to Korea and the rest of Asia for what it did, and it paid Korea a sizeable sum in the 60s (I believe) on the condition that no further demands were made by Korea. Roh is ignoring all of that, and is probably being egged on by China a bit.

Enough of this, and Japan is likely to start playing hardball and begin ignoring these kinds of tantrums on the part of Seoul and Beijing. The Americans would probably welcome that but it would have ominous implications for Asia in general.