[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Japanese media reported that President Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida are scheduled to have their first phone call on the 14th. If it takes place, it will be just 11 days after Prime Minister Kishida's inauguration, two days later than his predecessor, Prime Minister Suga. This call is expected to be a courtesy call, with analyses suggesting there will be no significant achievements in bilateral relations.
Kyodo News cited multiple Japanese government officials on the same day, reporting that schedules are being adjusted for President Moon and Prime Minister Kishida to have their first phone call. The Blue House also previously stated that they are "coordinating the schedule" regarding this matter.
If the call is realized on this day, it will be the first since Prime Minister Kishida's inauguration on the 4th. It is unusual for the leaders of Korea and Japan not to have their first call more than ten days after taking office. Former Prime Minister Suga also had a call with President Moon nine days after his inauguration.
During their first call, the two leaders are expected to exchange views on bilateral issues such as forced labor and comfort women, but no concrete outcomes are anticipated. Lee Myeon-woo, Deputy Director of the Sejong Institute, predicted, "There will be no major achievements," adding, "It will be a 'courtesy mode' conversation where they talk amicably and express hopes to resolve issues."
Prime Minister Kishida's stance of maintaining Japan's existing position on bilateral issues is also a reason why improvement in relations is difficult to expect. On the 8th, during his first policy speech, and on the 13th, in a response at the House of Councillors plenary session, Kishida stated that he would demand "appropriate responses from the Korean side" regarding issues such as forced labor. Kim Sook-hyun, Director of External Cooperation at the Institute for National Security Strategy, said, "Kishida demands prior action from Korea on the comfort women and forced labor issues," adding, "It is difficult to expect progressive discussions."
Meanwhile, the United States also views Japan's attitude as a cause of the strained Korea-Japan relations. On the 13th (local time), Ambassador Lee Soo-hyuk, during a National Assembly Foreign Affairs and Unification Committee hearing held at the Korean Embassy in Washington DC, stated, "(The United States) believes that Japan's stance on improving Korea-Japan relations is too rigid."
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