Prime Minister Takaichi's Deep Bow to President Lee... Chinese Media Downplays and Questions Sincerity

Chinese Media Downplay Korea-Japan Summit
Intent to Keep Japan in Check Amid Tensions Over Taiwan

Chinese state-run media have focused on the scene at the Korea-Japan summit where Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi greeted President Lee Jaemyung with a 90-degree bow, raising questions about the sincerity of Korea-Japan relations. This is interpreted as a move by China to deliberately downplay the significance of Korea-Japan cooperation amid ongoing tensions between China and Japan over the Taiwan issue.

Sanae Takaichi, Prime Minister of Japan, is seen paying respect to the national flag before heading to her seat after shaking hands with President Lee Jae-myung at the Korea-Japan summit venue in Nara Prefecture, Japan, on the 13th. On the right is the same day’s scene of Prime Minister Takaichi greeting President Lee with a 90-degree bow at the hotel entrance. Photo by AFP Yonhap News Agency and Global Times

On the 14th, the Chinese state-run Global Times (GT) reported on President Lee's visit to Japan, citing experts who said, "There is a difference in temperature between the two leaders' perspectives on bilateral relations."

The scene highlighted by GT was Prime Minister Takaichi personally greeting President Lee at the entrance of a hotel in Nara Prefecture, Japan, on the afternoon of the 13th. It is considered an unusual diplomatic gesture for the Japanese prime minister to visit the accommodation of a foreign leader visiting Japan.

China Questions Sincerity of '90-Degree Bow'... Highlights Korea-Japan 'Temperature Gap'

However, GT did not view this scene as evidence of progress in the relationship. GT pointed out that while Prime Minister Takaichi expressed hope for Korea-Japan relations to reach a "new dimension," President Lee stated that "negative factors should be managed appropriately," highlighting the difference in perspectives between the two leaders.

GT also reported on Prime Minister Takaichi's 90-degree bow to President Lee, introducing a Korean online comment that described it as "the attitude and expression Japan adopts when seeking something from Korea." This emphasized the nuance that, despite the outward display of respect, there is a lack of genuine trust and strategic agreement.

GT stated, "The difference in the leaders' remarks shows that Japan aims to minimize its historical burdens and focus on strategic and economic cooperation, whereas Korea prioritizes addressing structural threats such as historical and territorial issues to prevent regression in bilateral relations. This demonstrates how fragile the foundation of the relationship is and how lacking strategic agreement has been. Cooperation between the two countries remains limited in scope and is unlikely to create genuine strategic synergy."

Prime Minister Takaichi is bowing to President Lee as he departs after visiting Horyu-ji Temple in Nara Prefecture, Japan, on the 14th. Photo by Yonhap News

Caution Over Korea-Japan Cooperation Amid China-Japan Tensions

In an interview with the media, Xiang Haoyu, a researcher at the China Institute of International Studies, said, "Takaichi is attempting to use Korea as leverage to create a geopolitical and strategic breakthrough for Japan," adding, "In contrast, President Lee's emphasis on 'management' reflects the defensive and pragmatic strategy of the Lee Jaemyung administration. This reveals the unstable foundation of Korea-Japan relations and a deep lack of mutual trust."

Dazhi Kang, director of the Northeast Asia Institute at the Heilongjiang Academy of Social Sciences, stated, "Any one of the issues-forced labor during the Japanese occupation, comfort women, territorial disputes, or the tendency toward historical revisionism in Japan-can provoke strong backlash in Korean society at any time," adding, "Bilateral relations are highly vulnerable to a vicious cycle of improvement, regression, and renewed improvement, making it difficult to achieve truly stable development."

The reason China is downplaying the outcome of the Korea-Japan summit is interpreted as an attempt to keep Japan in check. Tensions between China and Japan have deepened since Prime Minister Takaichi suggested possible intervention in the event of a Taiwan contingency in November last year. During President Lee's visit to China, the Chinese side also emphasized Korea-China solidarity by highlighting their joint resistance to Japanese militarism during World War II.