Minju Joson Wednesday observes in a signed commentary in this regard:

What matters is the wrong attitude of the Japanese government toward the past history. The present approach of the Japanese government towards the past crimes is very prejudiced, narrow-minded and wicked.

Citing facts to prove that many Asian countries including Korea and China suffered huge mental and material damage due to Japan's policy of national chauvinism during World War II, the commentary urges Japan to settle its crimes perpetrated against those countries in the past before paying compensation to its soldiers.

Without redeeming those crimes Japan can neither improve its tarnished international image nor regain its moral confidence lost long ago nor exercise any influence in the international community, the commentary says, and goes on:

Unaware of the order of priority, Japan is wasting time and energy in utter disregard of the sufferings it imposed upon others. This wrong attitude of Japan is only provoking the derision of all people.

Japan is busy playing a tacit trick to shun the redemption of its past crimes, without fulfilling what it should do. This would only bring Japan to self-destruction.

Japan should not turn its face away from the trend of the present times when a number of countries are settling their inglorious past and turning over a new leaf, looking far into the future.

Japan would be well advised to clearly understand that its settlement of the past is not a simple deal but a serious political matter on which hinges its fate.