"South Korea is an Important Neighbor of Japan"
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba stated that he will "closely monitor the situation with special attention" regarding the South Korean political situation, including the failure of the National Assembly vote on the impeachment motion against President Yoon Suk-yeol.
According to reports from Kyodo News and Yomiuri Shimbun on the 8th (local time), Prime Minister Ishiba said to reporters at the Liberal Democratic Party headquarters, "South Korea is a precious and important neighboring country to Japan."
He also said, "There is no change in the intention to continue fostering close cooperation in the future." He added, "We will take care to ensure the safety of Japanese nationals residing in South Korea."
Prime Minister Ishiba visited the LDP headquarters to attend a meeting between about 100 people, including those who lost in the House of Representatives election and those who failed to secure party nominations, and the party leadership held by the LDP that day.
Earlier, on the 5th, Ishiba appeared before the House of Representatives Budget Committee and, when asked about the impact of the emergency martial law situation in South Korea on Japan-South Korea relations, stated, "President Yoon Suk-yeol has pursued the improvement of Japan-South Korea relations with the belief that it is in South Korea's national interest, and such efforts by President Yoon should not be undermined."
He also mentioned that next year marks the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and South Korea, saying, "I would like to celebrate the 60th anniversary in Japan and appreciate its significance." He added, "As for the future situation in South Korea, it is difficult to predict, so I will refrain from further comments."
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