IRIA News

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Less than a month before stepping down, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited Seoul on September 6, 2024, to reaffirm his commitment to improving relations between the two countries.

Both Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol emphasized the importance of maintaining the warming relations between the two neighbors, which have historically been strained due to Japan’s brutal occupation of Korea from 1910 to 1945.

The meeting, held on Friday, was another step in the continued efforts by both leaders to repair ties frayed by long-standing grievances, particularly over Koreans forced to work for Japanese companies during the colonial period.

Since last year, the two countries have resumed high-level talks and rolled back reciprocal economic restrictions related to these grievances. However, as Kishida prepares to leave office, many experts suggest that challenges to maintaining these improved relations lie ahead.

During the meeting, Kishida expressed his support for future cooperation between the two nations, emphasizing the need to honor the efforts of previous leaders in overcoming difficult periods.

According to Yoon’s office, Kishida said, “It’s important to uphold the efforts by our predecessors to overcome difficult periods and cooperate with the Republic of Korea for the future.” He also expressed personal regret for the suffering endured by forced labor victims, stating he felt “strong pains in my heart” over their experiences. These remarks were similar to those made last year, yet once again, Kishida stopped short of offering a new or direct apology for Japan’s colonization of Korea.

For his part, President Yoon acknowledged that “difficult issues” between the two countries remain. However, he expressed hope that both Seoul and Tokyo would continue to push for a brighter future, saying, “I hope that Seoul and Tokyo will continue their pushes to achieve a ‘brighter future’ for them.”

The meeting highlighted the need for cooperation between South Korea and Japan, both key allies of the United States in the region. Both countries face several challenges, including the growing strategic rivalry between the U.S. and China, North Korea’s advancing nuclear capabilities, and supply chain vulnerabilities. Furthermore, their cooperation is crucial to the U.S.’s broader strategy of strengthening regional alliances in response to increasing Chinese influence and North Korea’s nuclear threat.

Kishida emphasized that close cooperation between Tokyo and Seoul is essential for regional peace and stability, while Yoon added that maintaining positive momentum in bilateral relations is necessary to reinforce the trilateral South Korea-U.S.-Japan partnership. Although no major announcements were made after the summit—their twelfth meeting since last year—the two leaders agreed to strengthen cooperation in protecting their citizens living abroad.

Kishida’s visit to Seoul marked the final leg of his two-day trip, which was arranged after he “actively” sought a meeting with Yoon to leave his term on a high note in terms of bilateral relations, according to South Korean officials. Despite the political scandals that plagued his tenure, Kishida is credited with bolstering Japan’s security and diplomatic relationships with neighboring countries. His efforts to improve relations with South Korea and his participation in a trilateral summit with Yoon and U.S. President Joe Biden at Camp David last year are seen as key parts of his legacy.

Criticism and protests

However, Kishida’s visit was not without controversy. Some South Koreans expressed anger, accusing Yoon’s government of downplaying Japan’s colonial atrocities to appease Tokyo. Yoon’s decision to create a South Korean corporate fund to compensate former forced laborers, without contributions from Japan, sparked a massive backlash from his liberal opponents.

On Friday, dozens of protesters clashed with police in downtown Seoul near a statue of Adm. Yi Sun-shin, a national hero who repelled a Japanese invasion in the 16th century. The demonstrators, some of whom were detained, held banners portraying Yoon as a traitor and shouted anti-Japanese slogans. “Our people will no longer tolerate the Yoon Suk Yeol government undermining national interest with a subservient diplomacy toward Japan,” said Han Min-soo, a spokesperson for the main opposition Democratic Party.

With Kishida’s term ending soon, the focus now shifts to Japan’s upcoming leadership election on September 27, when his governing Liberal Democratic Party will select a new leader and prime minister.

One of the leading candidates, former Environment Minister Shinjiro Koizumi, has drawn attention for his frequent visits to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine, which honors Japan’s war dead, including convicted war criminals, a potential sign of future diplomatic challenges between Japan and its neighbors.