Yomiuri: “I think we will request President Yun to visit Japan early”… Korean and Japanese governments: “Nothing has been decided”
Yoon Seok-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba meeting in Peru”/>
President Yoon Seok-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba meet in Peru
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(Tokyo = Yonhap News) Correspondent Kyung Soo-hyun and Park Sang-hyeon = The Yomiuri Shimbun reported on the 28th, citing multiple government officials, that Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is coordinating a plan to visit Korea in January next year and hold a summit meeting with President Yoon Seok-yeol.
According to reports, the visit to Korea is likely to be scheduled for early January next year, before the regular Japanese National Assembly is convened.
The newspaper reported that if the schedule is confirmed, Korea will become Prime Minister Ishiba‘s first country to visit for bilateral diplomatic purposes, showing the importance he places on Korea.
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Prime Minister Ishiba visited Laos, Peru, and Brazil since taking office on the 1st of last month, but his main purpose was to attend a multilateral summit.
President Yoon and Prime Minister Ishiba confirmed the importance of Korea-Japan cooperation by holding summit meetings in Laos, where the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) summit was held early last month, and in Peru, where the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit was held in the middle of this month. .
However, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi, the Japanese government’s spokesperson, did not give a clear answer to a question about Prime Minister Ishiba’s visit to Korea at a press conference this morning, saying, “Nothing has been decided regarding the foreign visit.”
In relation to this, the South Korean President’s Office also stated, “Nothing has been decided.”
If the visit to Korea is successful, Prime Minister Ishiba will request President Yoon to visit Japan as soon as possible, demonstrating his will to revitalize the ‘shuttle diplomacy’ between the leaders of the two countries, which was restored under former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and to maintain the trend of improving relations between the two countries.
At the Korea-Japan summit, defense cooperation between the two countries is expected to be an issue against the backdrop of military cooperation between Russia and North Korea and China’s strengthening military activities.
The newspaper also reported that the solidarity between Korea, the United States and Japan is expected to be confirmed ahead of the inauguration of the Donald Trump administration, scheduled for January 20 next year.
Yomiuri said, “There are complaints within Korea that President Yoon, who values diplomacy with Japan, is making concessions to Japan on historical issues,” and added, “The leaders of the two countries are making a decision to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations so that the people of both countries can realize the results of improved relations.” He pointed out, “We will likely also share opinions on promoting people-to-people and cultural exchanges.”
Kyodo News reported that former Prime Minister Kishida met with Prime Minister Ishiba, who visited him at the office of the House of Representatives building in Tokyo, and advised him to proceed with shuttle diplomacy next year to mark the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Korea and Japan.
This is the first time Prime Minister Ishiba has met one-on-one with former Prime Minister Kishida since taking office on the 1st of last month.
The newspaper reported that Prime Minister Ishiba mentioned the issue of the Sado Mine Memorial Service, which emerged as a source of conflict between Korea and Japan, during a meeting with the presidents of the Korea-Japan Parliamentary Union the previous day and said, “There are differences in opinion, but Korea-Japan relations must develop for the future.”
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2024/11/28 19:49 Sent
How might the potential visit impact the ongoing tensions surrounding historical issues between Japan and South Korea, such as wartime compensation claims?
## Japan Eyes Early Diplomatic Visit to Korea, Signaling Enhanced Relations
Tokyo – Speculation is swirling regarding a potential visit to South Korea by Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in early January 2024, aimed at bolstering bilateral ties. The Yomiuri Shimbun, citing multiple government sources, reported on November 28th that Prime Minister Ishiba is actively coordinating this diplomatic trip and hopes to hold a summit meeting with President Yoon Seok-yeol.
This proposed visit would mark a significant symbolic gesture, with South Korea potentially becoming Prime Minister Ishiba’s first official bilateral destination since assuming office on October 1st. This underlines the importance Japan attributes to nurturing its relationship with Korea. Since taking office, Ishiba has attended multilateral summits in Laos, Peru, and Brazil, but this would represent his first dedicated bilateral diplomatic engagement.
The two leaders previously met on the sidelines of the ASEAN summit in Laos and the APEC summit in Peru, where they underscored the significance of collaborative efforts between their nations. This potential visit builds upon this momentum, aiming to further solidify the improving relationship.
However, both the Japanese and South Korean governments remained tight-lipped when questioned about the visit. Yoshimasa Hayashi, Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary, stated that “nothing has been decided regarding the foreign visit” during a press conference. Similarly, the South Korean President’s Office echoed this sentiment, stating, “nothing has been decided.”
Despite the official ambiguity, speculation persists that if the visit materializes, Prime Minister Ishiba will extend an invitation to President Yoon to reciprocate with a visit to Japan at the earliest opportunity. This would serve to revitalize the “shuttle diplomacy” between the two leaders, initiated under former Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, and reinforce the positive trajectory of bilateral relations.
The summit, should it occur, is anticipated to focus on several key issues. Foremost among these will be defense cooperation, particularly in light of the growing military cooperation between Russia and North Korea and China’s amplified military activities. The article further suggests that discussions surrounding trilateral security cooperation between Korea, the United States, and Japan are also likely to feature prominently.
This potential thawing of relations between Japan and South Korea is a compelling development with significant ramifications for regional stability and security. Whether these diplomatic efforts translate into concrete policy outcomes remains to be seen, but the prospect of a new era of cooperation between these two key Asian nations holds considerable promise.
