“An August 1, 2013 editorial in the Yomiuri Shimbun, Japan’s largest circulation daily, carried the title “Comfort Women Allegations Distort Japanese History.” The greatest distortion here is the amnesia of an influential portion of Japanese society in addressing World War II history.” ~ Dennis P. Halpin
The Yomiuri Shimbun recently published a controversial editorial that challenged the characterization of comfort women as “sex slaves,” and suggested that such labels were historically inaccurate. It noted that the Japanese government could not find official documents proving that the women were recruited by force.
Dennis P. Halpin, former House Foreign Relations Committee staff member and current Visiting Scholar at the US-Korea Institute at SAIS, examines the 1945 report, “Amenities in the Japanese Armed Forces,” published by command of General MacArthur (declassified in 1992) and compiled by the Allied Translator and Interpreter Section (ATIS) of the Supreme Commander for the Allied Forces (SCAP), which refutes the Japanese government’s claims.
The US-Korea Institute at SAIS is now the newest member of the Fissile Materials Working Group (FMWG). The FMWG has been a forceful presence in support of improved fissile material security and the prevention of nuclear terrorism. The FMWG meets regularly to address issues urgent to the nuclear security agenda and convene the summit of international experts on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit. To find out more about the FMWG, visit http://www.fmwg.org/index.cfm.
On September 22, 2011, the U.S.-Korea Institute at SAIS, in partnership with Peking University Center for International and Strategic Studies and Chung Ang University Graduate School of International Studies will host a one-day conference exploring the numerous political changes that will take place throughout Asia and the United States in 2012.
Panels will discuss what 2012 leadership may look like for the United States, South Korea, Japan, China, Russia and North Korea, as well as what the effects of these changes might have on regional security and security cooperation in the future.
For a full list of speakers and to RSVP, click here.
The U.S.-Korea Institute at SAIS is pleased to announce the release of the 2010 Edition of the SAIS U.S.-Korea Yearbook.
The Yearbook analyzes important developments in North and South Korea that characterized their relations in 2010. Each paper was written by a SAIS student from the course, “The Two Koreas: Contemporary Research and Record,” in the fall of 2010. Their insights were based on extensive reading and study as well as on numerous interviews conducted with government officials, scholars, NGO workers, academics and private sector experts both in Washington and Seoul.
On March 29, 2011, the U.S.-Korea Institute and SAIS and Center for the Study of the Presidency and Congress cohosted a seminar entitled, “Leadership Matters: The U.S.-ROK Alliance in the Lead Up to 2012.” The Honorable Lee Jae-oh, South Korea’s Minister of Special Affairs and 4 time National Assemblyman delivered the keynote speech for this event, entitled “Global Leadership: A New Vision for the U.S.-ROK Alliance,” highlighting such key issues the KORUS FTA, coordination on North Korea policy, and his vision for creating a Northeast Asian Community of Peace and Prosperity.
The U.S.-Korea Institute at SAIS and the Center for the National Interest are pleased to announce the release of the joint report “Northeast Asia in Afghanistan: Whose Silk Road?“, co-authored by Jae H. Ku, Drew Thompson, and Daniel Wertz.
This report aims to review Northeast Asian interests in Afghanistan, assess their relevance to the United States’ bilateral relations in the region, and explore potential opportunities for expanded cooperation in the region. It reviews past contributions to Afghan reconstruction made by China, South Korea, and Japan, and analyzes each country’s strategic, economic, and security interests in Afghanistan. By exploring areas of common interest and potential cooperation, it aims to suggest opportunities to expand a multilateral strategy for bringing security and development to Afghanistan in the years ahead.
The research for this paper was generously funded through the U.S.-Korea Institute at SAIS, the Tokyo Foundation, and the China Institute of International Studies. Find out more here.
In a new USKI Working Paper, Jaclyn McEachern examines the analogies that have been drawn between North Korea and Iran, to help identify the limitations of each when trying to inform policy preferences. In doing so, she identifies four areas in which lessons can be extracted and applied in a cross-context setting. Download the paper here.
The Yomiuri Shimbun recently published a controversial editorial that challenged the characterization of comfort women as “sex slaves,” and suggested that such labels were historically inaccurate. It noted that the Japanese government could not find official documents proving that the women were recruited by force.
