Japan Cabinet Office: "If Japanese companies' seized assets are liquidated, Japan-Korea relations will be at risk"

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga is speaking at the Digital Reform Meeting held in Tokyo on the 25th of last month, accompanied by Chief Cabinet Secretary Katsunobu Kato (first from the left), Digital Minister Takuya Hirai (second from the left), and Minister for Internal Affairs and Communications Ryota Takeda (first from the right).
[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Minwoo Lee] Kato Katsunobu, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary, expressed the position that the South Korean government should not liquidate the seized assets of Japanese companies in relation to the forced labor compensation lawsuits during the Japanese colonial period. He argued that if liquidation occurs, Japan-South Korea relations will face a serious situation.

It was reported that Kato, the spokesperson for the Japanese government, made these remarks during a regular press conference on the 13th. Kato also stated, "We are demanding that the South Korean side propose a resolution that Japan can accept."

During a press conference on the 24th of last month, when asked about the Suga Yoshihide Cabinet's stance on the liquidation of Japanese company assets seized by South Korean courts in relation to the forced labor compensation lawsuits, he responded with a similar position.

However, he refrained from commenting on the Kyodo News report that Prime Minister Suga stated he would not attend the Korea-China-Japan summit held in South Korea if Japan cannot accept measures related to the forced labor lawsuits. He was reported to have explained, "I will refrain from commenting on each diplomatic exchange between Japan and South Korea," and "As far as I know, the specific schedule for the Korea-China-Japan summit has not been decided."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.