Preparing Measures to Improve Korea-Japan Relations through 'Abe Condolence Diplomacy'... A Factor Accelerating Japan's Right-Wing Shift

[Asia Economy Reporter Yoo In-ho] On the 11th, Foreign Minister Park Jin said, "We believe that the improvement and restoration of Korea-Japan relations align with our mutual interests, and we will strive to improve relations between the two countries."

After paying respects at the memorial altar for former Prime Minister Abe Shinz?, set up at the Public Affairs and Cultural Center of the Embassy of Japan in Seoul, Minister Park told reporters in response to questions about the impact on Korea-Japan relations, "I came to express my deep condolences and sympathy to the bereaved family who lost former Prime Minister Abe and to the Japanese people," adding these remarks.

Regarding the possibility of improving Korea-Japan relations following the death of former Prime Minister Abe and the Liberal Democratic Party's landslide victory in the House of Councillors election, Minister Park said, "We will closely monitor the political situation in Japan and continue efforts to improve Korea-Japan relations," emphasizing, "We believe it is necessary for us to carefully observe the direction Japan will take in the future."

This is interpreted as Minister Park indirectly expressing the necessity and strong will to improve Korea-Japan relations, taking the death of former Prime Minister Abe and the LDP's overwhelming victory in the House of Councillors election as an opportunity.

Minister Park is reviewing a schedule to visit Japan around mid-month. He said, "Considering Japan's domestic circumstances, I hope the visit will take place at a mutually convenient time." Originally, Minister Park planned to visit Japan at the end of last month but postponed it until after the House of Councillors election.

The Asahi Shimbun reported on the 8th that the plan for Minister Park to visit Japan from the 18th to the 21st of this month is being finalized.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

In diplomatic circles, there is growing expectation that the Yoon Seok-yeol administration can create momentum for improving Korea-Japan relations through condolence diplomacy following the sudden death of former Prime Minister Abe.

The government plans to dispatch a condolence delegation with the character of a presidential special envoy to Japan, composed of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, National Assembly Deputy Speaker Chung Jin-suk, and senior lawmakers.

While the main purpose of dispatching the condolence delegation is to express condolences to the Japanese side, since the Prime Minister will visit Japan, it is expected to provide an opportunity for high-level exchanges of views on Korea-Japan relations.

The Korean and Japanese governments have formed a consensus on improving bilateral relations. Although President Yoon has not held a summit with the Japanese Prime Minister since taking office, he met with Prime Minister Kishida Fumio five times at the NATO summit in Spain at the end of last month, confirming their willingness to improve Korea-Japan relations.

Based on this consensus between the two heads of state, Minister Park is expected to seek solutions to Korea-Japan issues in talks with Japan.

Minister Park is likely to mention a resolution plan for compensation for forced labor victims, the biggest issue between Korea and Japan, at the Korea-Japan Foreign Ministers' meeting. The government is scheduled to hold the second meeting of the public-private consultative body on the 14th to discuss concrete measures with the victims' side to resolve the forced labor issue.

Minister Park said, "We are listening to the opinions of relevant parties and experts and collecting their views," adding, "We expect this will greatly help in seeking a desirable solution to improve Korea-Japan relations."

However, the outlook for improving Korea-Japan relations remains uncertain.

In particular, both Japanese experts and local voices suggest that the political landscape in Japan will become more right-wing following former Prime Minister Abe's death and the House of Councillors election victory, which could act as a negative factor for Korea-Japan relations.

In fact, Prime Minister Kishida, conscious of the LDP's largest faction of hardline right-wingers, pledged in this election to realize constitutional revision early, including strengthening defense spending and explicitly stating the Self-Defense Forces in the constitution.

Professor Lee Jong-won of Waseda University said, "A significant number of LDP lawmakers are hardline right-wingers putting pressure on Prime Minister Kishida for constitutional revision, including increasing defense spending," adding, "The hardliners' opposition to improving relations with Korea, including the forced labor compensation issue, will intensify."

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