As the relations between South Korea and Japan turn confrontational, anti-Korea rallies in Japan have escalated to a point where they disgust even some of its members.

Japanese newspaper Asahi Shimbun on Sunday reported on a Japanese man who used to take part in such rallies but fell out after the protests turned violent.

The 39-year-old man -- identified only as Namanushi -- said he had been discontent with his country getting the blame every time it got into a historical or territorial dispute with surrounding countries. Japan’s relationship with South Korea has worsened recently after its hawkish leader Shinzo Abe made remarks that were widely interpreted as denying his country’s colonization of Korea.

Namanushi joined a right-wing group that claimed to decry “unfair benefits given to Korean people living in Japan” and participated in 65 anti-Korea rallies. However, he grew uncomfortable over hard rhetoric against Koreans used by his fellow members during rallies.

Namanushi recently witnessed anti-Korea demonstrations held by Zainichitokken-o Yurusanai Shiminno Kai, a civil group opposing privileges of Koreans living in Japan. It was the first time he watched such a rally as a spectator and he said the sight almost made him cry.

The participants of the rally were urging Japanese people to kill Koreans, calling them cockroaches. Some even said the rape of Korean women is justified.

“Hello to all you cockroaches in Shin-Okubo! We are members of the committee to eradicate all harmful insects from Japan,” yelled the rally’s leader, Sakurai Makoto. Other members shouted, “Exterminate the perverted nation!” “Let’s hang all Koreans living in Japan on Taepo-dong (missiles) and fire them toward Korea!”

Growing doubts about his group’s movement led Namanushi to quit the anti-Korea rallies.

“I cannot endorse demonstrations in which members call them (Koreans) cockroaches and urge them to die. To people with different viewpoints, we look like monsters,” he said to his group members.

His announcement was met with furious comments from other members. An hour after Namanushi posted his opinion, 5,471 people responded with mockery and insults.

“It was just frightening,” he said.


By Yoon Min-sik
(minsikyoon@heraldcorp.com)