Crude comments cruel South Korea-Japan detente hopes
A Japanese diplomat’s suggestion the South Korean president was playing with himself were the last straw in hopes the Tokyo Olympics could warm ties between the countries.
Despite the long list of problems associated with the Tokyo 2020 Olympics – from corruption, scandals, budget overruns, a one-year delay because of COVID-19 and widespread public opposition – the event continues to be billed as a festival of peace.
In the tradition of the Olympic truce dating back to Ancient Greece, the Games are ostensibly an opportunity to bring the world together and encourage political leaders in a spirit of international co-operation and reconciliation.
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Ben Ascione is Assistant Professor at the Graduate School of Asia-Pacific Studies, Waseda University. He is also the Japan editor at East Asia Forum and a research associate at the Japan Centre for International Exchange.
