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Troubled Apologies among Japan, Korea, and the United States. By alexis dudden. New York: Columbia University Press, 2008. 184 pp. $40.00 (cloth).
In recent years, the legacies of Northeast Asia's troubled twentieth century have been the subject of social activism, political posturing, and increasing academic scrutiny. Flashpoints like high-level political visits to the Yasukuni Shrine regularly cause diplomatic imbroglios, while the struggle of the military comfort women to receive recognition and compensation has provoked nationalist fervor. While not subject to the same unceasing press coverage, the question of who owns Dokdo (Takeshima) has been publicized on dry-cleaning packaging and Korean restaurant menus.
The larger subject of memory and commemoration has been a central concern of historians for the last quarter century. Alexis Dudden's latest book, based mainly on South Korean, Japanese, and U.S. web sites and media coverage, analyzes how each government has maneuvered within this arena, using apologies for their own political purposes. Rather...