How much do you know about the cultural relationships between East Asian countries and its’ people?  In this fascinating read on that very issue, we learn how they share core values from Confucianism; how China has modeled a great deal of its’ economic strategies on post-war Japan; and everyone’s love of Korean Pop culture.  So, why is there still so much animosity between them when there is so much to gain from each other?  Certainly, the horrendous horrors of war have created scars that will not heal.  Generally, an entertaining, enlightening, and just plain fun, book that will capture your imagination and screeching with laughter now and then.

This book interested me because I’ve traveled to China and South Korea and currently live in Japan. Michael Booth’s book is a primer on the historical relations among these three “tiger” nations in the Far East. According to the author, Confucian beliefs posit China as the source of all knowledge and civilization that filtered down to South Korea and then Japan. In other words, Japan should have known its place in the hierarchy as the youngest brother instead of trying to take over its older siblings.

The book is quite an enjoyable read because it takes you through different historical locations in each country where the author chats with local professors, museum staff, and students about controversial issues such as the “comfort women” issue (such a misnomer!), Unit 731 (biological warfare), and the Nanjing massacre.

I also realized that China has its own issues with Hong Kong and Taiwan because of their histories of being colonized by other powers (the British in the former and Japan in the latter). 

The book also tries to delve into Japan’s complicated relationship with the US, which was akin to a colonizer/colonized one since Perry’s invasion at Kurihama and the US occupation of the country at the end of WW2. 

From my reading, I also saw many similarities between Korean and Japanese cultures with the gap-eul and sempai/kohai relationship, the chaebol and family-owned businesses in Japan, the hagwon and juku culture in education, and the need for social approval in both societies.

What I gather after completing the book is that South Korea and China still bear grouses towards Japan for its imperialistic behavior and wartime violence and Japan just wants everyone to forget about it and move on. Japan is also quick to point out that it was also a victim of war in Hiroshima and Nagasaki, failing to mention the provocations that led to those great disasters. 

Each nation’s attitude is particularly revealed in how it records its history, whether in its school textbooks or national and local museums. 

My final synopsis? These nations probably have no idea how similar they are which makes their geopolitical conflict seem pointless and counterproductive in the long run.

Part travelogue, part history, part reportage,  Michael Booth here examines the complex and fraught relationship between the three “tiger” nations. Travelling through Japan, South Korea, China, Hong Kong and Taiwan, the author will give the reader an insight into the reasons based on history, politics, culture and ethnicity as to why there continues to be so much tension between these intertwined lands. This is a complex story but by speaking with a multitude of people from all walks of life including politicians, academics, those effected by wartime atrocities and ordinary people both young and old we get some understanding of why there is so much enmity and mistrust. The one thing that unites North and South Korea it is their mutual antipathy towards Japan. 

Having as a starting point Matthew Perry's journey to Japan in 1853, we see how the opening up of the country destabilised  the existing centuries old equilibrium and hierarchy of Japan, Korea and China. Japan would now proceed on a path of militarism  and expansion that would lead to the brutal conquest of Korea and much of Eastern China.The continual animosity towards Japan is examined in detail particularly the perceived reluctance (debatable) of it issuing a genuine apology. What does not help the situation is the revisionism of history practised by all sides and disputes of contested islands. Add into the mix the far from straightforward story of Taiwan (a place where Japan is viewed quite favourably) and the relationship between North and South Korea and China and Hong Kong and you have a most fascinating story that  will the give the reader a much better understanding of the current affairs of East Asia.

Until recently I knew little about Asia. However, a newly awakened interest in Japan and modern Japanese culture led me to request this book and I found it incredibly interesting and enlightening. I learnt many new things about these three countries and their relationships, and Booth's fun storytelling/travel guide approach made it a light and enjoyable read. Several times I laughed aloud at his jokes and witty commentary, and I felt his discussion was nicely balanced, always considering both sides of every issue. I finished feeling I had a better understanding of the complex relationships between these countries and it has left me interested to learn more. A solid four stars, and I recommend Three Tigers, One Mountain to anyone interested in Asian history and culture.