Hosaka Yuji "Japanese Omurice Dinner, Indeed a Warm Hospitality"

"Second Round Dinner Is Something I've Never Heard Before"

Professor Hosaka Yuji of Sejong University’s Japanese Studies department described the so-called "Omurice Dinner" between President Yoon Suk-yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio as a "most hospitable reception." Although the dinner took place at an external restaurant with a somewhat modest menu, a closer look reveals that it was on par with the treatment given to a state guest.

In an interview on CBS Radio’s "Kim Hyun-jung’s News Show" on the 17th, Professor Hosaka stated, "In many respects, (President Yoon’s visit) can be seen as receiving treatment equivalent to a state visit."

He also mentioned Japan’s traditional culture of "Omotenashi (おもてなし·hospitality)." Omotenashi is a Japanese custom of warmly welcoming and treating guests with utmost care, which is also reflected in the government’s diplomatic policies. Professor Hosaka emphasized, "Omotenashi means providing excellent hospitality, and during this Korea-Japan summit, there were two rounds of dinner banquets. This is quite exceptional."

President Yoon Suk-yeol and First Lady Kim Keon-hee are having dinner with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and his wife on the 16th at a sukiyaki and shabu-shabu specialty restaurant in Ginza, Tokyo.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

When asked by the host whether it is common to hold dinners with heads of state at external restaurants, he replied, "It’s the first time I’ve seen this, but when former Prime Minister Abe invited former U.S. President Donald Trump, they had lunch with hamburgers. Since President Trump likes hamburgers, they specially ordered them. It’s about catering to the preferences of the other party."

He added, "However, I have never heard of holding two rounds of dinner banquets. (External restaurants) involve security issues, so they require a lot of expenses and considerable manpower. For example, the restaurant where they ate omurice reportedly did not operate for several days." This implies that the Japanese side bore significant costs to serve food tailored to President Yoon’s preferences.

Meanwhile, President Yoon has been visiting Japan from the 16th for a one-night, two-day schedule, attending the Korea-Japan summit and the Korea-Japan Business Roundtable, among other events. Notably, after the summit, the two leaders held a friendly dinner at a sukiyaki restaurant in Tokyo, followed by a second dinner featuring omurice at "Rengatei," a Western-style restaurant in the bustling Ginza district of Tokyo. According to the Yomiuri Shimbun, the second dinner menu was reportedly chosen to reflect President Yoon’s tastes.

However, Professor Hosaka pointed out that there remains a temperature gap between the two countries regarding the core issue of diplomatic tensions?the "past history" problem. He analyzed, "President Yoon places significant emphasis on the Kim Dae-jung-Obuchi declaration, but Japan adheres to the overall stance of the entire Japanese cabinet. In Japan’s case, the official position to this day is that colonial rule was not illegal."

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