[Sportschosun reporter Jang Jong-ho] A hotel in Kochi Prefecture, Japan, has decided to remove a memorial stone for independence activist An Jung-geun that was installed on its property, following controversy.
According to Sankei Shimbun and other Japanese media outlets, Kuroshio Hotel in Konan, Kochi Prefecture, announced plans to remove the memorial stone on its official website. The hotel said, "We sincerely apologize for causing inconvenience and concern to many people regarding the memorial stone installed on our property."
The memorial stone was unveiled on the hotel grounds on the 6th. According to the hotel, the installation was carried out at the request of former Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) lawmaker Shiozo Nishimori, who also serves as honorary chairman of a Korean Friendship Association.
Nishimori reportedly asked the hotel to allow part of its property to be used, saying he wanted to erect a symbol commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the Normalization of Diplomatic Relations Between South Korea and Japan. The hotel said it understood the project as a monument symbolizing Korea-Japan friendship and agreed to provide the site, but did not fully verify the details.
A hotel official said, "We only became aware of the details of the memorial stone on the day of the unveiling," adding, "We did not properly understand the related wording or purpose in advance." The stone is said to bear an inscription reflecting the ideals of "Korea-Japan friendship" and "Oriental Peace," which An emphasized.
Strong backlash emerged in Japan immediately after the memorial stone was made public.
In response, the hotel said, "We immediately asked the parties involved to remove it, and we plan to complete the removal within 10 to 12 days," adding, "We will strengthen our verification procedures for structures and notices installed on the property to prevent a recurrence."
Jang Jong-ho
