Japan should not use trade to settle historical issues

Editor's note: With tensions rising between Japan and the Republic of Korea, the two countries' foreign ministers held a bilateral meeting on Thursday, and took part in a trilateral meeting with US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, on Friday on the sidelines of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Bangkok, Thailand. Xiakedao, a WeChat account owned by People's Daily Overseas Edition, comments:

Apparently, the two meetings have not helped de-escalate the situation between the two neighbors, as the Japanese government announced on Friday it has decided to remove the ROK from its "white list", which grants countries on the list simplified trade procedures with Japan. The decision will come into effect on Aug 28.

Japan stopped exports of three kinds of important materials used for semiconductors and displays to the ROK on July 4, saying it was concerned some ROK companies were exporting the products to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, which was a threat to Japan's national security. The ROK then launched diplomatic protests, saying the export controls violated free trade principles, and it vowed to sue Japan through the World Trade Organization framework.