Japanese Prime Minister Abe Led White House Statement During Yasukuni Shrine Visit
Special Bond Including 'Tie Exchange' with DJ
[Asia Economy Reporter Lim Ju-hyung] As Joe Biden, the Democratic Party candidate for the U.S. presidential election, takes the lead over President Donald Trump in the race to secure electoral votes for the November 3 election, interest in candidate Biden is growing.
In particular, Biden's views on Korea-Japan relations and his connections with past South Korean presidents are being reexamined. Biden once led a White House statement expressing "disappointment" when former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited the Yasukuni Shrine. He also shared a friendly relationship with the late former President Kim Dae-jung, exchanging neckties with him.
Previously, the U.S. government issued an unusual statement on December 26, 2013, regarding Prime Minister Abe's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, using the word "disappointed."
At that time, Prime Minister Abe defied concerns and opposition from his close aides to visit the Yasukuni Shrine, where Class A war criminals from Japan's Pacific War are enshrined, drawing criticism from the South Korean and Chinese governments.
It is reported that the addition of the word "disappointed" in the White House statement was led by then-Vice President Biden during the Barack Obama administration.
Candidate Biden (left) meeting with former President Kim Dae-jung, who was then the Chairman of the U.S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in August 2001. / Photo by Yonhap News
According to the Japanese media outlet Nihon Keizai Shimbun, then-Vice President Biden led the revision to include the expression "disappointed," which was not in the original White House statement draft. Earlier, during a late November 2013 tour of South Korea, China, and Japan, he had said, "Japan is exercising restraint," but just weeks later, he was reportedly deeply disappointed by Prime Minister Abe's visit to Yasukuni Shrine.
Meanwhile, Biden also has ties with former President Kim. The two developed a friendship during the 1980s when Kim was living in exile in the U.S. during the Chun Doo-hwan government. At that time, Biden was a U.S. Senator.
In 2001, while serving as chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Biden visited South Korea and reunited with former President Kim at the Blue House.
During a luncheon, Biden complimented Kim's necktie, saying, "It looks very good," to which Kim replied, "Then let's exchange them right here," untying his tie and giving it to Biden. Biden also untied his own tie and gave it to Kim as a gift.
Biden also officially expressed support for Kim's "Sunshine Policy" at the time and conveyed his sorrow upon hearing the news of Kim's passing in August 2009.
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