Dokdo at Times of Crisis?

On March 11, Japan was stricken by a mighty earthquake and tsunami. Many have lost their lives and homes during the catastrophe. People had to evacuate and leave their homes as the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant crippled. With the sudden tragedy, Koreans sympathized for the loss, and donated funds to Japan. With funds being collected, the Korean public showed their mature attitude by helping their neighboring country. It all seemed that both country’s foreign relations and the public’s opinion of each country improve; however, on the 30th, Japan stated that they will publish Dok-do, a Korean island under territorial dispute with Japan, as their territory on middle school textbooks. Korean's sentiment against Japan started to become negative. It is very frustrating why Japan has made this statement when the Korean’s and Japanese’s public sentiments were getting optimistic. It is hard times for Japan struggling to get back to its feet. Japan is rich a country and they may not need our aid, but when Korean publics feet sorrow for Japan's tragedy, it would be grateful to show some appreciation. However, Koreans did not deserve an answer in this way, especially at current times. Just as the topic of the island was forgotten, it was resurrected and the past history was again at the dispute table. Few years back, Japan apologized for the wrong things done in the past history to Korea. However, if Japan keeps disputing about Dok-do, it feels as if Japan is still not apologetic for the wrong things done in the past history. If Japan is truly sorry about the past history, they should leave history behind and stop trying to take away from Korea. In Germany, the past history is history to them. More than 60 years have passed since the holocaust and 20 years since the fall of the Berlin Wall. Germans were able to live peacefully together till today as they kept the past behind and by understanding each other. If Japan keeps their past history behind and not dispute, then the Korean public might be more sympathetic to Japan. Only then, at times of difficulty, can both neighboring countries be able to help each other more greatly when needed.