Historical Animosity is What States Make of It : The Role of Morality and Realism in Korea-Japan Relations

This article argues that we should take into account the role of historical animosity seriously in explaining Korea-Japan relations as the conventional wisdom (or psycho-historical approach) emphasizes. However, this argument does not rely on the idea that historical animosity is largely influenced by irrational emotionalism. Rather, the persistence of historical animosity is not only the result of emotionalism, but also more importantly the result of two states' Realpolitik consideration and Korea's resentment toward Japan regarding unresolved historical injustices. This article focuses on the intricately inseparable nature of Realism, morality and emotions. A recent view that historical animosity as a constant cannot explain the variations in Korea-Japan relations is not well-founded in the sense that it assumes historical animosity is purely irrational and emotional phenomenon. Rather, the historical animosity itself demonstrates the usefulness of Realism and its limitations in explaining state behaviors, as well as the importance of matters of justice many Realist scholars have usually ignored. In this context, subtle but positive changes in Japan regarding historical injustices since the 1990s should be noted.