Japanese Media: "Yoon Raises 'Radar Investigation Incident' Trust Issues with Kishida"

On the afternoon of the 16th, at the joint press conference between South Korea and Japan held at the Prime Minister's Official Residence in Tokyo, Japan, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida extended his hand for a handshake to President Yoon Suk-yeol after the conference concluded.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

According to Sankei Shimbun, the radar-patrol aircraft issue, a point of conflict between South Korea and Japan, was raised at the Korea-Japan summit held on the 16th.

On the 18th, Sankei reported that Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida mentioned security issues, including the radar investigation matter, during the summit with President Yoon Suk-yeol at the Tokyo Prime Minister's residence.

Sankei cited a senior Japanese government official saying that President Yoon stated, "This issue arose due to a lack of mutual trust. If trust is established in the future, we can harmonize each other's claims."

The radar-patrol aircraft conflict began on December 20, 2018, near the East Sea Daehwae (大和堆, Japanese name Yamato-tai) waters in the Korea-Japan intermediate zone, when the South Korean Navy destroyer Gwanggaeto the Great, searching for a North Korean vessel sending a distress signal, was alleged by Japan to have targeted the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force's P-1 patrol aircraft with fire-control radar. South Korea denied the radar targeting and instead claimed that the Japanese patrol aircraft flew low and threatened the Gwanggaeto the Great. With conflicting positions, the dispute has remained unresolved.

Sankei reported, "President Yoon did not deny the facts at the summit and showed an intention to build trust," adding, "The South Korean government had previously denied the investigation itself."

Izumi Genta, leader of Japan's main opposition party, the Constitutional Democratic Party, also mentioned the Korea-Japan conflict issues of the 'radar-patrol aircraft' problem and the 'comfort women statue' construction when he met President Yoon the previous day.

When asked about President Yoon's response to these matters, Izumi said, "There was no specific answer from (President Yoon)."