Asian powers need to "openly and honestly" review Japan's history as a colonial power in the region, South Korean president-elect Park Geun Hye told an envoy for new Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during a visit to Seoul on Friday. Both countries should "openly and honestly look at the history and strive for a future of reconciliation and cooperation," said Park, who will ascend to the presidency in February. Tensions have been high between the two nations about a chain of islands - Tokdo to Korea, Takeshima to Japan - controlled by South Korea but also claimed by Japan. Although Japan and South Korea have strong diplomatic and business ties, the history of Japanese colonization across much of Asia also remains a sensitive subject, especially when Japanese leaders have tried to downplay atrocities committed by their forces during occupation. The Korean Peninsula was occupied by Japanese forces from 1910-1945. Feuds have broken out in the past between the two countries. Fukushiro Nukaga, Abe's special envoy, agreed that ties needed to be mended. The secretary general of the Japan-South Korea parliamentarians' league handed a letter from the premier to Park and asked her to visit Japan.
