Jin Joong-kwon: "Japan's Entry Restrictions on Korea Are Meant to Divert Internal Dissatisfaction"

"An Impromptu Decision Made Amidst Flood of Criticism"

Jin Joong-kwon, former professor at Dongyang University / Photo by Asia Economy DB

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suwan] Former Dongyang University professor Jin Joong-kwon criticized Japan's restriction on Korean entry, citing the prevention of the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), as "an attempt to divert internal dissatisfaction outward."

On the 10th, Jin wrote on his Facebook, "They should be stopping the spread of (COVID-19), but they are not," expressing this view.

He continued, "This recent measure by Japan was an impulsive decision made without consulting quarantine experts, triggered by signs of coronavirus spread and the flood of critical voices."

He said, "There was no prior consultation with our government, and the announcement was made before deciding the specific extent of the measures. The response to the cruise ship was a complete failure, and the public criticized, 'Why don't you conduct aggressive quarantine like Korea?' They couldn't just stay still, so they had to show they were doing something by banning Korean entry."

He also added, "Of course, underlying this is the message that the virus spreading in Japan is not due to internal system deficiencies, but because the virus is continuously entering from Korea, China, and other countries."

Earlier, on the 7th, Jin claimed on his Facebook that Japan's Korean entry restriction measure was causing backlash even within Japan.

Jin stated, "The (government) measure against Japan is not a medical measure but a diplomatic one," and explained, "It is not a measure believed to have medical effectiveness, but a diplomatic response confronting Japan's irrational behavior based on the principle of reciprocity."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.