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A30 world news
Diaranson 20 Juli 2022

Japan calls for S. Korea’s steps to resolve row after talks

tion of so-called “comfort women,” their ties back to “a healthy state.”
who were forced to serve at Japanese He also warned that the sale of the
military brothels before and during companies’ assets “will invoke a grave
World War II. situation for the Japan-South Korea
relations.”
In 2018, South Korean courts or-
dered two Japanese companies, Nip- On Tuesday, Park met with Prime
pon Steel and Mitsubishi Heavy In- Minister Fumio Kishida for about 20
dustries, to compensate former Kore- minutes and conveyed Yoon’s con-
an laborers. The Japanese companies dolences following former leader
and its government have refused to Shinzo Abe’s assassination. Kishida
comply with the rulings, while the thanked for the president’s message
former laborers and their supporters and sought Park’s effort toward re-
are pursuing forced sale of corporate solving the problems between the
assets of the two firms held in South two sides, according to the prime
Korea. minister’s office. Japanese officials
declined to give further details on the
Japan maintains that all compensa- talks.
tion issues have been resolved un-
der the 1965 treaty normalizing the South Korea’s Foreign Ministry said
countries’ relations, and has criticized in a statement that Park also conveyed
(AP) — Japan’s foreign minister amid growing tensions with China South Korea for breaching it. to Kishida Yoon’s message of his re-
said Tuesday he expects South and North Korea and the war in solve to improve ties and that Kishida
Korea to take appropriate steps Ukraine. Hayashi on Tuesday quoted Park as expressed his gratitude. The ministry
toward resolving the countries’ saying that his country would seek a cited Park as telling Kishida that he
wartime disputes, warning that Relations between Tokyo and Seoul resolution of the dispute before the hopes the two leaders would meet at
a mishandling especially of the have been at their worst in years, sale of the two Japanese companies’ a mutually convenient time.
issue of forced Korean laborers causing concern about security coop- assets in South Korea. The countries’
would cause “grave” consequenc- eration in East Asia. U.S. President foreign ministries also acknowledged Park also told Kishida that his gov-
es for their bilateral ties. Joe Biden has called for improved ties the same remarks in their releases ernment will respect a 2015 agree-
between its two Asian allies. Monday night. ment in which Japan contributed 1
Yoshimasa Hayashi hosted his South billion yen ($7 million) in funds as
Korean counterpart Park Jin on Mon- At the center of the dispute is the Hayashi said Japan will “watch close- a measure of atonement for the war-
day and both reaffirmed the impor- abusive treatment of wartime Ko- ly” how President Yoon Suk Yeol’s time sexual exploitation, Kyodo said.
tance of resolving the disputes and rean laborers by Japanese mines and government responds to the issue The previous South Korean govern-
improving their ties and the three- factories. The two sides are also at while communicating closely with ment of President Moon Jae-in had
way relations with the United States loggerheads over Japanese interpreta- the South Korean side in order to put rejected the agreement.

Sri Lanka’s political turmoil sows worries for recovery

(AP) — A day after Sri sa fled to Singapore before The IMF is monitoring the For months, the country has and high per capita income.
Lanka’s president fled, resigning last week. The act- situation closely, but any been on edge, triggered by a Now, the government owes
Mohamed Ishad waited ing president and prime min- bailout package will be con- foreign exchange crisis that $51 billion in debt and is
outside an immigration ister, Ranil Wickremesinghe, tingent on Sri Lanka’s debt- has crippled imports of es- unable to make payments
office near the capital, is seen as his proxy and op- restructuring strategy and sentials like fuel, food and on its loans. Its currency
clutching a file of docu- posed by angry crowds. political stability. “People are medicine. Doctors are warn- has collapsed by 80%, mak-
ments that he hopes will probably thinking, who do ing people to not get sick ing imports more expensive
get his passport renewed Parliament is expected to elect we talk to? Don’t you guys while families are struggling and worsening inflation. Sri
so he can leave, too. a new president Wednesday, care about the economy? to eat three meals a day in a Lanka has only $25 million
paving the way for a fresh Will the real president please country that was once an in- in usable foreign reserves and
With the nation in the throes government, but it is unclear stand up?” Jayatilleka said. spiration across South Asia needs $6 billion to stay afloat
of its worst economic crisis, if that’s enough to fix a shat- for its expanding middle class over the next few months.
Ishad has no job, relies on tered economy and placate a
relatives for financial help furious nation of 22 million
and sells vegetables to feed that has grown disillusioned
his wife and three children. with politicians of all stripes.
He wants to go to Japan and
find work there so he can The political ruckus has
send money back home. deepened worries that solu-
tions to the crisis, includ-
Ishad is devastated to leave ing a crucial assistance from
his family behind, but feels the International Monetary
there is no choice — and no Fund, may be delayed.
opportunity — in his coun-
try. “Living in Sri Lanka right “Right now, the eye is off
now is not good — if you the ball,” said Dayan Jayat-
want a good life, you need to illeka, a former diplomat and
leave,” he said. Not only has political analyst. “It’s like in
the economy collapsed, but the middle of a serious sur-
“there’s hardly a government gery, everybody from the top
functioning right now.” surgeon to the anesthesiolo-
gist, ran out of the operation
Bankruptcy has forced the is- room to start a revolution —
land nation’s government to but they need to come back
a near standstill. Its once-be- and finish the surgery before
loved and now reviled former the patient is dead.”
President Gotabaya Rajapak-