The Japan Times
February 14, 2001
While it is commendable that Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori and other government officials attended the funeral of Lee Su Hyon, the South Korean citizen who met a grisly death trying to save the life of an inebriated Japanese, I hope that Tokyo Gov. Shintaro Ishihara takes the tragic event as an opportunity to reflect upon a derogatory statement he made last year, in which he stated the need for Japanese citizens to be vigilant against the possibility of foreigners (or “sangokujin,” to use the term used by Ishihara) disturbing the peace during a national emergency.
Ishihara should realize that when it comes to saving lives and building a peaceful society, national, cultural and racial boundaries are not issues for decent people all over the world, such as Lee. Perhaps, however, considering his age and generation, it is too late to hope that Ishihara can do away with, let alone critically reflect upon, his racially divisive and warped ethnocentric outlook of life.
KO UNOKI
Fujisawa, Kanagawa
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