Major Japanese Media Focus Intensely on Yoon Seok-yeol's Presidential Bid... Highlighting 'Confrontation with Moon Administration and Improvement of Korea-Japan Relations'

▲Yomiuri Shimbun

[Asia Economy Reporter Kwon Jae-hee] Major Japanese media outlets gave significant coverage to former Prosecutor General Yoon Seok-yeol's press conference announcing his presidential candidacy.

They introduced that Yoon is leading in presidential candidate approval ratings and mentioned his enthusiasm for improving Korea-Japan relations.

The Yomiuri Shimbun, the major daily boasting the largest circulation, published an article on the front page stating, "Former Prosecutor General Yoon, who resigned mid-term in March this year after clashing with the Moon Jae-in administration, expressed his intention to run in the presidential election next March," and ran a separate analysis article on page 6.

Yomiuri reported that Yoon gained popularity among the Korean public by not yielding to government pressure, continuing investigations into close aides of President Moon. It also introduced that although he lacks political experience, he is receiving the highest support as the next presidential candidate in various opinion polls.

Furthermore, Yomiuri introduced Yoon’s criticism of the Moon administration’s response regarding Korea-Japan relations, quoting him as saying the relationship "has deteriorated to an irreparable extent" and that "diplomacy has been ideologically biased." The newspaper also wrote that Yoon showed enthusiasm for improving Korea-Japan relations, stating, "While the truth of history must be clarified, we must cooperate pragmatically for future generations."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Regarding the issues of forced labor victims and comfort women, it explained that Yoon proposed "finding a compromise by bundling security cooperation, economic issues, and others together," introducing his mention that all Korea-Japan issues should be placed on one table and approached through a grand bargain.

In its analysis article, Yomiuri noted that Yoon avoided specific comments on important diplomatic and security issues such as North Korea and responses with the United States, and although he showed enthusiasm for improving Korea-Japan relations, this can be seen as an extension of his criticism of the Moon administration. It analyzed that overcoming his lack of political experience will be a challenge.

The Asahi Shimbun also highlighted Yoon’s fierce opposition to the Moon administration, reporting that at his press conference announcing his presidential candidacy, Yoon repeated the phrase "regime change" seven times, saying "We absolutely must achieve regime change."

Asahi analyzed that in a recent Realmeter presidential candidate approval rating survey, Yoon topped with 32.3%, and that his popularity stems from conducting investigations targeting President Moon’s close aides such as former Justice Minister Cho Kuk during his tenure as Prosecutor General, and resisting the prosecution reforms that President Moon prioritized, thereby garnering support from conservative critics of the current administration.

▲Asahi Shimbun

Asahi also reported that Yoon diagnosed Korea-Japan relations as "deteriorated to an irreparable extent," and criticized the Moon administration’s diplomacy toward Japan by saying "it should be based on realism, not ideological bias."

The Mainichi Shimbun also reported that at the previous day’s press conference announcing his presidential candidacy, Yoon repeatedly emphasized the need for regime change and showed a progressive attitude toward improving Korea-Japan relations.

The newspaper further noted that although Yoon is leading in presidential candidate approval ratings, due to his lack of political experience and support base, he is expected to run as the candidate of the main opposition party, the People Power Party.

Mainichi analyzed that if Yoon runs as the People Power Party candidate, which is expected to be decided by November this year, it would be a "win-win" situation both for Yoon himself and for the People Power Party aiming to regain power.

The Tokyo Shimbun, Nihon Keizai Shimbun, and Sankei Shimbun, which are among Japan’s six major daily newspapers, also covered Yoon’s presidential candidacy press conference on their front pages or as top international news.

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