Tokyo, Japan—The Metropolitan Association of Ambassadors for Peace of UPF-Japan hosted an ILC Online Special Forum from Tokyo on March 18, 2021, on the theme, “Korean War and Japan.” Two hundred guests, including scholars and experts from various fields, attended the event.
Following the welcoming address, which was given by the association’s chairman, Mr. Tomihiro Tanaka, three speakers presented on the theme of the forum. Among them were Mr. Koichi Furusho, the 26th chief of staff of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force, also known as the Japanese Navy; Mr. Young-cheol Ko, a senior researcher at Takushoku University in Tokyo; and Mr. Yasuo Ogushi, a former commander in chief of the Japanese Air Force’s Air Defense Command.
Speaking on Japan not being one of the 16 countries that supported South Korea during the Korean War, Mr. Furusho said: "Recently, it has become apparent that the Japanese were engaged in minesweeping operations and transporting relief supplies under U.S. orders….Now is the time to study the Korean War thoroughly and review it."
Mr. Ko added documents relating to the Korean War were examined, and “it was found that 8,000 Japanese participated in the war." "Japan played a big role in the Korean War."
Mr. Ogushi emphasized that to prevent the Korean War from happening again, "Japan, South Korea and the United States must build a relationship not only with North Korea but also with China to prevent South Korea from going towards China."