Kishida Visits National Cemetery on First Trip to Korea... First Japanese Prime Minister to Do So in 12 Years

First Visit Since Prime Minister Noda Yoshihiko in 2011
Reports Suggest Shuttle Diplomacy Resumption to Show Japan's Stance
Also Interpreted as Willingness for Korea-Japan Security Cooperation

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited the National Cemetery in Dongjak-dong, Dongjak-gu, Seoul on the 7th as his first schedule during his visit to Korea and paid respects.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Mrs. Yuko Kishida, who visited Korea for a 2-day trip, are paying their respects at the Seoul National Cemetery in Dongjak-gu, Seoul, on the 7th. They are visiting the Memorial Tower.
[Image source=Yonhap News]

This is the first time in 12 years that a sitting Japanese prime minister has visited the National Cemetery since Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda in October 2011.

The first sitting Japanese prime minister to visit the National Cemetery was then-Prime Minister Shinzo Abe during his visit to Korea in 2006. In 2009, Prime Minister Taro Aso paid respects at the National Cemetery, and in 2010, Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama visited the Daejeon National Cemetery.

Regarding this, Japan's Kyodo News reported on the 4th that "It is customary for foreign leaders visiting Korea to pay respects at this cemetery," and "Prime Minister Kishida appears to intend to show the Korean side his stance on resuming 'shuttle diplomacy.'"

Some interpret that since Prime Minister Kishida made the National Cemetery, where the war dead of the Korean War are buried, his first schedule in Korea, it is to demonstrate his intention to strengthen Korea-Japan security cooperation.

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Visiting Korea for a 1-night, 2-day schedule, Prime Minister Kishida will hold a summit with President Yoon Suk-yeol at the Yongsan Presidential Office in the afternoon and then hold a joint press conference.

On the 8th, he will have separate meetings with members of the Korea-Japan Parliamentarians' Union and representatives of Korean economic organizations, and then return to Japan from Seoul Airport at 12:15 PM.