Facing up to history is one step toward a thaw

At least one thing in life is not subject to choice: You can't choose your parents.

In terms of geopolitics, the same holds true in that neighbors can't be chosen.

Deeds of the last generation - disgraced or not - are in the past and cannot be rewritten. Countries such as China, Japan and the Republic of Korea have been neighbors for thousands of years, and that is not likely to change in future.