IRIA News

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol revived their “shuttle diplomacy” to hold negotiations in each other’s countries after 12 years. Kishida’s visit to Seoul is their second meeting in less than two months.

This visit marks the first by a Japanese leader in a decade. Kishida arrived in South Korea on May 7 for a two-day visit, reciprocating Yoon’s trip to Tokyo in March that marked the first exchange of visits between the leaders of the Asian neighbors after years of friction.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and his wife Kim Keon Hee welcomed the Japanese leader and his wife with a red-carpet ceremony at the presidential office garden.

Japanese prime minister and his counterpart expressed a desire to strengthen the ties between the two nations. “I would like to strengthen the relationship I have with (South Korean) President Yoon and join forces with him to forge a new era,” Kishida told reporters in Seoul. For his part, Yoon Suk Yeol called for devising steps to accelerate security and economic cooperation with Japan. The defense chiefs of South Korea and Japan are also expected to hold talks on the sidelines of regional Shangri-La Dialogue in Singapore from June 2-4, Yonhap news agency reported.

Both sides vowed to improve ties. “Cooperation and coordination between South Korea and Japan are essential not only for the common interests of the two countries but also for world peace and prosperity,” Yoon said in opening remarks during the meeting.

Historically strained relations between Tokyo and Seoul have improved significantly recently amid increasing geopolitical competition from China and security threats from North Korea.

The two leaders agreed to increase bilateral cooperation on matters related to regional security, particularly to address North Korea’s nuclear and missile development capabilities that pose a direct threat to Japan and South Korea. The meeting also focused on economic cooperation in semiconductor production and export controls between the two countries.

PM Kishida: As I share President Yoon’s strong desire to build up Japan-Republic of Korea (ROK) relations, I made up my mind to visit the ROK at an early time, in order to foster solidarity with President Yoon and also to hold a candid exchange of opinions with him in the (1/2) pic.twitter.com/uSxgTT1rfg

— PM’s Office of Japan (@JPN_PMO) May 8, 2023

In Seoul, Japanese Prime Minister Kishida and his wife Yuko also laid flowers at a national cemetery, the burial place of Korean presidents, veterans of the Korean War, and those who fought for independence during the Japanese occupation.

Mixed reaction to visit in Seoul

While many saw the Seoul summit as a sign that the two key U.S. allies are finally moving forward to deepen ties, it drew a mixed reaction in South Korea.

Japan and South Korea have several territorial and historical disputes dating back to the time of the Japanese occupation of the Korean Peninsula from 1910 to 1945. These obstacles have hurdled the attempts of cooperation between the two countries for a long time.

Ahead of the visit, there was speculation about whether Kishida would offer a fresh apology for Japan’s colonial rule, which remains a sensitive issue for many South Koreans. However, the Japanese prime minister fell short of presenting a proper apology to the South Koreans for the atrocities carried out by the Japanese armies during the occupation period. But Kishida touched on the subject by stating that “for me personally, my heart hurts when I think of the many people who endured terrible suffering and grief under the difficult circumstances of the time.”

Yoon is facing severe criticism at home from the opposition parties for being too submissive and deliberately oblivious to the harsh history between Japan and South Korea. Spokesperson of South Korea’s main opposition Democratic Party Kang Sun-woo said that “Why should the prerequisite for restoring the bilateral diplomacy be giving up on our history.”

Yoon has expressed on several occasions that he does not expect the current Japanese leadership to “kneel” before him to seek resentment for the past. However, several of the senior officials from his administration were hoping to receive a proper apology from the Japanese Prime Minister during his visit. Despite the lack of apology, Kishida’s acknowledgment and expression of grief for the past events are being hailed as a reasonable win by the South Korean government.

Trade, technology and G7

During the visit, Kishida also held discussions with South Korean lawmakers and business leaders to explore potential areas of bilateral cooperation. Japanese prime minister urged Korean business leaders to collaborate with their Japanese counterparts in advancing strategic industries, including sustainable global supply chains, chips (semiconductors), and batteries. Kishida and Yoon agreed to strengthen cooperation between Korean semiconductor manufacturers and Japanese small and medium-sized companies to build a semiconductor supply chain.

Tokyo is hosting the G7 Summit this month. Kishida used the trip to prepare for the meeting and reaffirm Seoul’s participation in the meeting as an observer. Kishida and Yoon are planning to hold trilateral talks with US President Joe Biden during the event to bolster the trilateral partnership in the Indo-Pacific region.