Abe welcomes ex-Sankei bureau chief’s return like a hero

Tatsuya Kato, the former Seoul bureau chief of Japan’s Sankei Shimbun newspaper, was welcomed as hero. He returned to Japan after a travel ban on him was lifted eight months after the indictment for charges of defaming President Park Geun-hye. Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe invited him to the prime minister’s office on Wednesday and said, “Good job. As the trial continues, take good care of your health.”

The former bureau chief was indicted without arrest for raising a suspicion that President Park was with Jeong Yoon-hoi, the president’s former aide, on the day of the Sewol ferry disaster in Aug. last year and describing they were having a relationship in an article. The Seoul Central District Court said on Mar. 30 that the article turned out to be false. In response, Kato said, “I won’t raise an objection.” However, he insisted that it is a matter of “expression‍” in Japan on Tuesday. Given the global trend of court rulings, some people predict that prosecutors cannot easily prove him guilty. As the court pointed out, however, it is also evident that he wrote an inaccurate article without checking the facts.

Many in Japan see that the measure is part of Korea’s efforts to show the U.S. that it is trying to improve the relationship with Japan. It is not good for both countries that the bilateral relationship is hampered by the issue. Now is the time for Japan to show its good faith so that the two countries can take this opportunity to overcome conflicts.