Yoshinori Kobayashi, a Japanese cartoonist whose controversial comic book On Taiwan (台灣論) triggered widespread criticism in February, has released a new book.
Follow Up to On Taiwan (第二波台灣論), which details the controversies ignited in Taiwan after the release of On Taiwan and his respect for former president Lee Teng-hui (李登輝), hit bookstores yesterday.
The cartoonist was unable to attend the gathering to celebrate the book's release and asked his friend Ko Bunyu (黃文雄), a Taiwanese writer and commentator residing in Japan, to deliver the message.
"In retrospect, although I was barred from entry to Taiwan [after On Taiwan was released in Taiwan], I consider it a precious memory to have experienced Taiwan's democratization which was able to overcome many difficulties along with the people in Taiwan," Kobayashi wrote.
The government barred Kobayashi from entering Taiwan in early March after the release of his book, which claims that Taiwanese women volunteered to work as sex slaves for the Japanese army during World War II. The book was denounced by opposition lawmakers, history scholars and women's groups. The ban was later lifted.
In his new book, the cartoonist recalls how the media in Taiwan -- which is dominated by pro-unificationists -- twisted the meaning of On Taiwan and damaged his reputation. He also says opposition politicians politicized the event in the name of human rights.
The right-wing activist said in his statement that "democratization in Taiwan has grown to maturity given the election victories of the DPP and Taiwan Solidarity Union [TSU] -- the two pro-Taiwan parties."
"A vital precondition for creating a prosperous future is to first understand the country's history and to clearly recognize its people's identity," Kobayashi wrote.
Calling himself a graduate of the "Lee Teng-hui school," Kobayashi paid tribute to the former president, saying the triumph of the two parties was the result of Lee's love for Taiwan.
Under KMT-rule, Taiwan is remembered as brimming with a strong anti-Japanese sentiment. However, Ng Chiautong (黃昭堂), chairman of the World United Formosans for Independence, said this was largely a misconception.
"Kobayashi's book can therefore serve as a medium for Taiwan to interact with Japan .... Japan should be our closest partner if Taiwan aims to break free from its isolation in the international community."
Shu Chin-chiang (
"It should be the obligation of Taiwanese to write our own history," he said.
Echoing Kobayashi's views on the significance of recognizing the country's identity, Shu said all of the political, social and cultural conflicts in Taiwan could be solved once and for all if Taiwan had a clear identity. He said the TSU's election campaign had only one recognizable strategy: that Taiwan is our motherland.
"The fact that Taiwanese don't know where their country is is our biggest crisis. We have gone everywhere to look for our nation, but it is right here," Shu said.
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