A Japanese YouTuber's Sincere Independence Day Congratulations

On the occasion of Independence Day, a Japanese YouTuber delivered a heartfelt congratulatory message, warming the hearts of many Koreans.

Daichi, the Japanese representative of the global coffee franchise Kopi Bali, posted a video titled "Around the 80th Anniversary of Liberation" on his YouTube channel. This special message has been drawing attention on social media.

Daichi, who operates several stores in Korea as well as in Indonesia, acknowledged in the video that it might feel awkward for him as a Japanese person to celebrate Independence Day. However, he explained that, as someone who frequently discusses Japanese history, historical education issues, and Korea-Japan relations, he felt it would not be right to remain silent on this day.

A sincere message remembering historical pain

Instead of a long explanation, Daichi delivered a concise yet meaningful message.

He said, "Just one word. I sincerely pray for the souls of those who passed away during the Japanese colonial period, those who participated in the war, the independence movement activists, and the more than 30,000 Koreans who died from the atomic bombs in Hiroshima and Nagasaki."

He added, "I feel fortunate that I wasn't born 100 years ago."

He further remarked, "If I were born 100 years ago and were a Japanese person speaking Korean like this, I think I wouldn’t have been able to exchange sincerely with you."

This historical reflection and empathetic message left a deep impression on many viewers. The reactions from Korean netizens to this video were very positive.

They responded with comments such as, "Thank you so much for acknowledging Independence Day," "The wounds of the previous generations cannot be completely healed in less than 100 years, but our generation must head in a better direction," and "People like you give hope for Korea-Japan relations."

Image source: youtube '다이치 사장 ダイチ社長'