"Kishida Should Follow Yoon Seok-yeol"… Unusual Commentary by Japan's Sankei

Sankei Positively Evaluates the ROK-US 'Washington Declaration'
"US Nuclear Submarine Port Call in Korea, Nuclear Deterrence Questioned"

Japan's conservative right-wing media outlet Sankei Shimbun has sparked controversy by issuing an unusual commentary directed at Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, stating that he should "take after the South Korean president" in relation to the adoption of the 'Washington Declaration' at the South Korea-US summit.

On the 28th, Sankei Shimbun published an editorial titled "South Korea-US Summit, Strengthening Extended Deterrence is an Urgent Task," stating, "How much crisis awareness and sense of problem regarding nuclear threats, which the Yoon Seok-yeol administration has demonstrated through actions, does the Kishida administration have?" and argued, "How about Prime Minister Kishida taking after President Yoon?"

Sankei evaluated the 'Washington Declaration' by saying, "It can be said that it sent a warning not to allow the use of nuclear weapons against North Korea, which continues nuclear development and missile launches." It further analyzed, "Unlike the Moon Jae-in administration, which consistently kept its distance from the US while being cautious of North Korea, President Yoon Seok-yeol has taken steps to strengthen cooperation with the US to realistically respond to North Korea's threats."

It continued, "The US also responded by showing its determination to defend South Korea," and added, "The South Korea-US alliance will serve as a check not only against North Korea but also against China, which repeatedly intimidates Taiwan."

President Yoon Suk-yeol, on a state visit to the United States, is speaking at a press conference held in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington DC on the 26th (local time). [Image source=Yonhap News]

It then pointed out that the Washington Declaration specifies the establishment of a Nuclear Consultative Group (NCG) and the port call of US strategic nuclear submarines (SSBNs) in South Korea. Sankei explained, "The port call of strategic nuclear submarines in South Korea is the first since the early 1980s during the Cold War era."

Sankei stated, "The NCG recognizes South Korea's participation in US nuclear policy planning and training," adding, "Besides dispelling South Korean concerns that extended deterrence might not work in an emergency, it also aims to suppress domestic calls for independent nuclear armament in South Korea."

However, it assessed, "Although US President Joe Biden stated that if North Korea attacks the US or its allies with nuclear weapons, the North Korean regime will end, the question remains whether the port call of SSBNs alone will provide sufficient deterrence."