Japanese Media: "Hanil Leaders Talked, but No Signs of Improvement in Relations"

President Moon and Prime Minister Suga Hold First Phone Talk on 24th
"Suga, as Abe's Successor, Finds It Difficult to Resolve Differences"
Suga's Possible Visit to Korea Timed with Korea-China-Japan Summit Also Noted

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyeon-jin] Japanese media have regarded the first phone talk on the 24th between President Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide as significant in marking the start of communication between the two leaders. However, they also evaluated that since the Suga Cabinet is continuing the stance of former Prime Minister Abe Shinz?'s administration, it seems unlikely that the Korea-Japan relationship will easily recover.

On the 25th, Asahi Shimbun reported that although Prime Minister Suga expressed during the talks that the Korea-Japan relationship "cannot be left as it is," he is "inheriting the Abe administration's stance that 'improvement depends on South Korea's response,' showing no signs of improvement." Mainichi Shimbun also assessed that "since his time as Chief Cabinet Secretary, he has strongly criticized South Korea over issues such as forced labor (the Japanese government's term for victims of forced labor) and the comfort women issue, and continues to take a difficult stance even in the new government."

Since Prime Minister Suga served as Chief Cabinet Secretary during former Prime Minister Abe's administration and continued to attack South Korea amid the worsening Korea-Japan relations last year, and has directly referred to Abe's administration's claims, there are expectations both inside and outside the Japanese government that resolving the differences in views between Korea and Japan will be difficult.

Yomiuri Shimbun described that during the talks, Prime Minister Suga immediately brought up the forced labor issue, "checking South Korea." It further evaluated that since Suga is clearly continuing Abe's diplomatic line toward South Korea, it seems difficult to restore the completely cooled Korea-Japan relationship. The two leaders also expressed closeness during the talks by referring to each other as "the closest friend sharing fundamental values and strategic interests" (President Moon) and "a very important neighboring country" (Prime Minister Suga), but the atmosphere changed abruptly when Suga mentioned the forced labor issue, the newspaper reported.

Yomiuri explained, "Prime Minister Suga drove a wedge into the forced labor issue in the first talks, emphasizing Japan's uncompromising stance, while it also seems there was an intention not to worsen Korea-Japan relations to an irreversible state."

Okada Naoki, Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary who accompanied Prime Minister Suga during the Korea-Japan leaders' phone talk, reportedly responded that the talks were held "in a calm atmosphere," according to Sankei Shimbun. Sankei pointed out that considering the usual descriptions of summit atmospheres as "cordial" or "informal," this was an unusual reaction.

Meanwhile, Japanese media are also paying attention to the possibility of Prime Minister Suga visiting South Korea. Asahi reported that South Korea, which is the chair country of the Korea-China-Japan summit scheduled to be held this year, is considering holding the meeting within the year and that a plan for Prime Minister Suga to visit South Korea is emerging within the Korean government. Asahi also conveyed a Korean government official's remark, "We want to realize the Japanese Prime Minister's visit to Korea as an opportunity to improve relations."

However, Asahi noted that procedures toward the forced sale of Japanese companies' assets in South Korea that were seized are still ongoing, and that "the Prime Minister has held a very strict stance on the forced labor issue since his time as Chief Cabinet Secretary. He does not bend on principles," according to close aides of Prime Minister Suga, which could also affect his visit to South Korea.