We live in a time when history is constantly being debated or reinterpreted. Russian President Vladimir Putin wrote an essay “On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians” in 2021, and then invaded the neighbouring state that he believes is not a “real country” in February in order to bring it to heel. Attitudes towards the British Empire have changed completely during my lifetime – from a general feeling among the UK establishment and centre right that the ruddy-cheeked colonialists had mostly been well-intentioned good chaps, to horror at the misdeeds perpetrated in their imperial majesties’ names. After books by Shashi Tharoor and William Dalrymple, for instance, only the bravest of contrarians would attempt to make a positive case for British rule over the Indian subcontinent.
In East and South-East Asia, the Second World War – and Japan’s part in it in particular – still casts a shadow. On Monday, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol marked the 77th anniversary of the Japanese defeat, and his country’s liberation from colonial rule by Tokyo, by calling for the two countries to “swiftly and properly improve” relations. “When Korea-Japan relations move towards a common future and when the mission of our times align, based on our shared universal values, it will also help us solve the historical problems,” he said, referring to recently renewed arguments about compensation for Koreans conscripted to work to support Japan’s war efforts and women forced into imperial brothels.
Japan must face the past squarely and honestly
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida declared “we will never again repeat the horrors of war” at a ceremony in Tokyo the same day, which struck the right note; but three of his ministers angered both South Korea and China by visiting the Yasukuni Shrine, which honours 2.5 million fallen soldiers and civilians, who controversially include 14 class A war criminals. “Japan must learn from history, correctly understand and profoundly reflect on its past history of aggression, and draw a clear line with militarism in order to truly win the trust of its Asian neighbours and the international community,” read a statement from the Chinese embassy in Tokyo.
It would be easy to think of this from the Atlanticist perspective on the war that still predominates internationally. The Allies were fighting for freedom against the dictatorships of the Axis powers. Right vanquished wrong. And it is true that Japanese rule in East Asia nearly always ended up being brutal. Many more times the number of Asian forced labourers died during the construction of the infamous Burma railway than did Allied prisoners of war, for instance, although you wouldn’t know that from popular depictions of the three-year project.
China and South Korea have no reason to see Japan’s forcible establishment of the euphemistically named “Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere” any differently. But Japan’s arrival in some other countries in the region wasn’t entirely unwelcome. This should not be surprising given that the only country in South-East Asia not to be colonised was Thailand.
In Indonesia, the region’s giant, the future president Sukarno viewed liberation from the Dutch and the arrival of the Japanese as an opportunity to gain independence, and they did eventually allow the creation of a preparatory committee towards that end. In Burma, Aung San and his “30 comrades” group were trained by the Japanese, with the future independence leader only switching to the Allied side very late (too late for then British prime minister Winston Churchill, who called him a “traitor rebel leader”). In the West, Subhas Chandra Bose, whose Indian National Army fought alongside the Japanese, may be considered in a similar light; but Europeans really ought to ask themselves why today they still expect any people to have gladly fought for their colonial masters.
Ba Maw, who was prime minister of Burma under both the British and the Japanese, wrote in his post-war memoir: “The case of Japan is indeed tragic. Looking at it historically, no nation has done so much to liberate Asia from white domination, yet no nation has been so misunderstood by the very people whom it has helped either to liberate or to set an example to in many things.” Being “misunderstood” is an excessively kind way of putting it given how Japanese forces routinely treated local populations, but Ba Maw’s view was that: “Japan was betrayed by her militarists and their racial fantasies. Had her Asian instincts been true, had she only been faithful to the concept of Asia for the Asians that she herself had proclaimed at the beginning of the war, Japan’s fate would have been very different.”
Perhaps this – along with the fact that the European colonialists immediately acted to re-establish their empires, even though their defeats at the hands of the Japanese had discredited their claims to superiority – explains why there is little hostility based on their wartime record towards Tokyo in South-East Asia. The period of reparations and then the years of huge investments, helping and guiding countries in the region with development, are important too. Still, if one considers the kneejerk derogatory references to Germany’s Nazi past that were prevalent in Britain for decades, it is notable that Malaysia, a country that had been occupied by Japan, could adopt a Tokyo-centric “Look East” policy in the early 1980s, not even 40 years after the war had finished.
Fortunately much of Asia has moved on from a complicated period in their collective history, but Japan needs to do more to recognise grievances still felt in China and South Korea. It is especially so if the country wants to take a more assertive foreign policy in the region. It must face the past squarely and honestly, with no hint of the creeping revisionism that many of its leading politicians have sometimes displayed. Accepting Mr Yoon’s gracious offer and acting meaningfully to make it a reality would be a good start.
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ESSENTIALS
The flights
Emirates, Etihad and Swiss fly direct from the UAE to Zurich from Dh2,855 return, including taxes.
The chalet
Chalet N is currently open in winter only, between now and April 21. During the ski season, starting on December 11, a week’s rental costs from €210,000 (Dh898,431) per week for the whole property, which has 22 beds in total, across six suites, three double rooms and a children’s suite. The price includes all scheduled meals, a week’s ski pass, Wi-Fi, parking, transfers between Munich, Innsbruck or Zurich airports and one 50-minute massage per person. Private ski lessons cost from €360 (Dh1,541) per day. Halal food is available on request.
Short-term let permits explained
Homeowners and tenants are allowed to list their properties for rental by registering through the Dubai Tourism website to obtain a permit.
Tenants also require a letter of no objection from their landlord before being allowed to list the property.
There is a cost of Dh1,590 before starting the process, with an additional licence fee of Dh300 per bedroom being rented in your home for the duration of the rental, which ranges from three months to a year.
Anyone hoping to list a property for rental must also provide a copy of their title deeds and Ejari, as well as their Emirates ID.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
Read part four: an affection for classic cars lives on
Read part three: the age of the electric vehicle begins
Read part one: how cars came to the UAE
F1 The Movie
Starring: Brad Pitt, Damson Idris, Kerry Condon, Javier Bardem
Director: Joseph Kosinski
Rating: 4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The specs: 2019 BMW i8 Roadster
Price, base: Dh708,750
Engine: 1.5L three-cylinder petrol, plus 11.6 kWh lithium-ion battery
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power: 374hp (total)
Torque: 570Nm (total)
Fuel economy, combined: 2.0L / 100km
Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
Defence review at a glance
• Increase defence spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2027 but given “turbulent times it may be necessary to go faster”
• Prioritise a shift towards working with AI and autonomous systems
• Invest in the resilience of military space systems.
• Number of active reserves should be increased by 20%
• More F-35 fighter jets required in the next decade
• New “hybrid Navy” with AUKUS submarines and autonomous vessels
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Cultural fiesta
What: The Al Burda Festival
When: November 14 (from 10am)
Where: Warehouse421, Abu Dhabi
The Al Burda Festival is a celebration of Islamic art and culture, featuring talks, performances and exhibitions. Organised by the Ministry of Culture and Knowledge Development, this one-day event opens with a session on the future of Islamic art. With this in mind, it is followed by a number of workshops and “masterclass” sessions in everything from calligraphy and typography to geometry and the origins of Islamic design. There will also be discussions on subjects including ‘Who is the Audience for Islamic Art?’ and ‘New Markets for Islamic Design.’ A live performance from Kuwaiti guitarist Yousif Yaseen should be one of the highlights of the day.
The biog
Age: 59
From: Giza Governorate, Egypt
Family: A daughter, two sons and wife
Favourite tree: Ghaf
Runner up favourite tree: Frankincense
Favourite place on Sir Bani Yas Island: “I love all of Sir Bani Yas. Every spot of Sir Bani Yas, I love it.”
8 UAE companies helping families reduce their carbon footprint
Greenheart Organic Farms
This Dubai company was one of the country’s first organic farms, set up in 2012, and it now delivers a wide array of fruits and vegetables grown regionally or in the UAE, as well as other grocery items, to both Dubai and Abu Dhabi doorsteps.
www.greenheartuae.com
Modibodi
Founded in Australia, Modibodi is now in the UAE with waste-free, reusable underwear that eliminates the litter created by a woman’s monthly cycle, which adds up to approximately 136kgs of sanitary waste over a lifetime.
www.modibodi.ae
The Good Karma Co
From brushes made of plant fibres to eco-friendly storage solutions, this company has planet-friendly alternatives to almost everything we need, including tin foil and toothbrushes.
www.instagram.com/thegoodkarmaco
Re:told
One Dubai boutique, Re:told, is taking second-hand garments and selling them on at a fraction of the price, helping to cut back on the hundreds of thousands of tonnes of clothes thrown into landfills each year.
www.shopretold.com
Lush
Lush provides products such as shampoo and conditioner as package-free bars with reusable tins to store.
www.mena.lush.com
Bubble Bro
Offering filtered, still and sparkling water on tap, Bubble Bro is attempting to ensure we don’t produce plastic or glass waste. Founded in 2017 by Adel Abu-Aysha, the company is on track to exceeding its target of saving one million bottles by the end of the year.
www.bubble-bro.com
Coethical
This company offers refillable, eco-friendly home cleaning and hygiene products that are all biodegradable, free of chemicals and certifiably not tested on animals.
www.instagram.com/coethical
Eggs & Soldiers
This bricks-and-mortar shop and e-store, founded by a Dubai mum-of-four, is the place to go for all manner of family products – from reusable cloth diapers to organic skincare and sustainable toys.
www.eggsnsoldiers.com
A timeline of the Historical Dictionary of the Arabic Language
- 2018: Formal work begins
- November 2021: First 17 volumes launched
- November 2022: Additional 19 volumes released
- October 2023: Another 31 volumes released
- November 2024: All 127 volumes completed
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
ELIO
Starring: Yonas Kibreab, Zoe Saldana, Brad Garrett
Directors: Madeline Sharafian, Domee Shi, Adrian Molina
Rating: 4/5
Specs
Engine: Duel electric motors
Power: 659hp
Torque: 1075Nm
On sale: Available for pre-order now
Price: On request
MATCH INFO
Mainz 0
RB Leipzig 5 (Werner 11', 48', 75', Poulsen 23', Sabitzer 36')
Man of the Match: Timo Werner (RB Leipzig)
Disability on screen
Empire — neuromuscular disease myasthenia gravis; bipolar disorder; post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD)
Rosewood and Transparent — heart issues
24: Legacy — PTSD;
Superstore and NCIS: New Orleans — wheelchair-bound
Taken and This Is Us — cancer
Trial & Error — cognitive disorder prosopagnosia (facial blindness and dyslexia)
Grey’s Anatomy — prosthetic leg
Scorpion — obsessive compulsive disorder and anxiety
Switched at Birth — deafness
One Mississippi, Wentworth and Transparent — double mastectomy
Dragons — double amputee
Profile of MoneyFellows
Founder: Ahmed Wadi
Launched: 2016
Employees: 76
Financing stage: Series A ($4 million)
Investors: Partech, Sawari Ventures, 500 Startups, Dubai Angel Investors, Phoenician Fund
