Japan: "If South Korea devises a solution for forced labor, the Prime Minister will express reflection and inheritance of colonial rule"

1965 Korea-Japan Claims Agreement Maintained
“No Change in Position on Historical Issues”

The Japanese government is coordinating a direction in which Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will express the succession of past statements containing historical reflection if the South Korean government comes up with a solution to the issue of lawsuits by forced laborers (compulsory labor) during the Japanese colonial period.

Yomiuri Shimbun reported on the 4th that “the South Korean government aims to soon announce a solution in which, instead of the Japanese defendant companies whose compensation obligations were confirmed by the 2018 Supreme Court ruling, the Foundation for Supporting Victims of Forced Mobilization under Japanese Colonial Rule, affiliated with the South Korean government, will pay an amount equivalent to compensation to the plaintiffs.”

The South Korean government is currently demanding a ‘sincere response’ from Japan to resolve the compensation issue for forced labor. In response, the Japanese government has maintained the view that the compensation issue for forced labor was resolved by the 1965 Japan-Korea Claims Agreement and has been considering possible responses within the scope that does not contradict this view.

In this process, it is reported that the decision to express the intention to succeed the positions contained in past statements or joint declarations regarding Japan-Korea relations, rather than issuing a new statement by the Prime Minister, was judged not to undermine this view. They intend to clearly state that there is no change in their position on historical issues including colonial rule and respond to the South Korean side’s announcement of a solution.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida shaking hands with President Yoon Suk-yeol at the Korea-Japan summit held in Cambodia last November
[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to Yomiuri, the document valued by both the Japanese and South Korean governments is the ‘Joint Declaration on a New Japan-Korea Partnership for the 21st Century’ announced in 1998 by then-President Kim Dae-jung and then-Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi of Japan. At that time, Prime Minister Obuchi expressed “deep remorse and heartfelt apology” for the past colonial rule, and President Kim emphasized a future-oriented relationship overcoming the unfortunate history.

Also, the ‘50th Anniversary of the Postwar Statement’ (Murayama Statement) announced in 1995 by then-Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama of Japan included “deep remorse” and “heartfelt apology” regarding colonial rule.

Meanwhile, Yomiuri reported that the Japanese business community is also considering projects that contribute to a future-oriented Japan-Korea relationship.

Within Keidanren (Japan Business Federation), it is known that, separate from the compensation issue for forced labor, there is discussion about requesting member companies to provide financial cooperation to establish Korea-Japan cooperative projects, such as providing scholarships for Korean students studying in Japan.