Latest news with #JapanRelations
Japan Times
3 days ago
- Politics
- Japan Times
Japanese and South Korean leaders could hold first meeting during G7 summit
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and new South Korean President Lee Jae-myung could hold their first meeting at a Group of Seven (G7) summit later this month in Canada, after Lee announced Saturday that he would be attending the event. Lee took office Wednesday after winning South Korea's presidential election following the ouster of his predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol, over his short-lived martial law declaration in December. The South Korean Presidential Office said in a statement that Lee had been invited by G7 leaders to attend the meeting — making it his first foray onto the international diplomatic stage. The summit involves the leaders of Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan and the United States and is scheduled to take place for three days from June 15. Indian leader Narendra Modi has also been invited by host Canada. Lee, who had in the past been known for a seemingly hard-line stance toward Japan — including his fierce opposition to the Yoon administration's third-party compensation plan for Korean wartime laborers at Japanese factories and mines before and during World War II — repeatedly denied he was anti-Japan, calling this a 'preconception.' In an inaugural address Wednesday, the new South Korean leader said his government would continue Yoon's policy of strengthening cooperation with Japan amid concerns in Tokyo that he might reverse agreements reached under his ousted predecessor that led to a thaw in ties. Ishiba was quick to congratulate Lee on his victory, emphasizing just ahead of Lee's speech that he hoped to use this year, the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations, as a chance to "further intensify cooperation between Japan and South Korea' — despite the new president's reputation. South Korean President Lee Jae-myung during his inauguration ceremony at the National Assembly in Seoul on Wednesday. | BLOOMBERG "The new president has made statements in the past, but during the election campaign he said that Japan is an important partner and that he loves the Japanese people," Ishiba said. "It would be good if we could hold a Japan-South Korea summit as soon as possible," he added. Lee could also hold his first meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump, while Ishiba may also hold talks with his American counterpart on the sidelines of the summit, where the U.S. and Japan could announce an agreement on a trade deal over sweeping tariffs slapped on Tokyo by Washington. Trump and Lee held their first phone call Friday, with the two agreeing to work toward a swift tariff deal, while Japan's top negotiator met with his U.S. counterparts in Washington this week. Trump has slapped Japan and South Korea — two of the United States' top allies in Asia — with onerous tariffs, measures that both Tokyo and Seoul are eager to see removed. It is not clear if Ishiba, Lee and Trump would also hold talks, though all three leaders have said they hope to continue trilateral cooperation.
South China Morning Post
5 days ago
- Business
- South China Morning Post
‘Japan is worried': South Korea's new leader pledges warmer ties, but past tensions loom
South Korea's newly inaugurated President Lee Jae-myung has pledged to pursue warmer ties with Japan, but analysts caution that optimism may be premature, citing his past criticism of Tokyo's wartime actions and fears he could reignite anti-Japan sentiment to bolster domestic support amid economic challenges. Advertisement Within hours of taking office, Lee struck a conciliatory tone, calling for collaboration in areas such as trade, security and culture. 'We can identify mutually beneficial areas in the economy, security, technology and cultural exchanges. Through this, we can pursue friendly relations and shared prosperity,' he said on Wednesday, according to Yonhap News. 'I hope the two countries will collaborate where possible and address differences as needed, without mixing up current issues,' he added. Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba speaks to reporters in Tokyo on Wednesday following the victory of Lee Jae-myung in the South Korean presidential election. Photo: Kyodo Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba returned the diplomatic nicety the same day, telling reporters at his office that he hoped to be able to arrange a Japan-South Korea summit 'as soon as possible'.
NHK
7 days ago
- General
- NHK
Japan to study South Korean president-elect's foreign policy
The Japanese government plans to cautiously study the foreign policy of South Korean president-elect Lee Jae-myung, who has taken tough positions on Japan in the past. The candidate of the largest opposition Democratic Party won the presidential election on Tuesday, bringing about a change of government. During the campaign, Lee stressed that he will focus on cooperation with Japan, and the two countries' relations with the United States. Some members of the Japanese government think that Lee will not drastically change South Korea's relations with Tokyo, as East Asia is facing a challenging security environment. Japan hopes to build a stable relationship with the new administration to keep the momentum for improved ties that began under former President Yoon Suk-yeol. Officials will work to arrange a summit between Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru and Lee at an early date on the sidelines of an international conference. However, there are concerns that Lee may take a tougher stance toward Japan. He has previously criticized the country on bilateral issues.
Japan Times
21-05-2025
- Business
- Japan Times
South Korean presidential front-runner says he's not hostile toward Japan
Lee Jae-myung, the front-runner in South Korea's June 3 presidential election, is continuing to play down his earlier hard-line views on his country's tumultuous relationship with Japan, with the Democratic Party (DP) candidate hinting that he would not take an antagonistic approach to ties if elected. 'There is a preconception that I am hostile toward Japan,' Lee told a livestreamed meeting with South Koreans abroad on Tuesday, according to local media. 'Japan is a neighboring country, and we must cooperate with each other to create synergy.' Officials in Tokyo are closely watching Lee's remarks for hints of how bilateral relations could shift if he is elected. The progressive Lee, who in 2023 staged a 24-day hunger strike opposing the conservative policies of then-President Yoon Suk Yeol, including Seoul's reconciliation with Tokyo, has in recent months sought to highlight a more centrist agenda ahead of the election. This has especially been the case with his foreign policy pronouncements as he looks to appeal to more moderate swing voters who could prove crucial in the poll. While Lee has disavowed concerns that he would reverse the ousted Yoon's Japan policies and the trilateral cooperation with Japan and the U.S., the DP candidate has also emphasized that Seoul cannot back down from festering historical grievances, including the issues of compensation for Korean wartime laborers at Japanese factories and mines during Japan's 1910-45 colonial rule over the peninsula. Tokyo's stance is that all such claims were settled 'completely and finally' under a 1965 agreement that normalized bilateral ties and saw Japan pay $500 million to South Korea. Last month, a South Korean lawmaker who advises Lee on foreign policy said that the solution offered by Yoon to resolve the wartime labor issue ought to be reviewed, citing the need for a public consensus on the divisive matter. Lee reiterated his views Tuesday, as well as his possible position on the South Korean-controlled, Japanese-claimed islets that Seoul calls Dokdo and Tokyo labels Takeshima. The tiny islets have at times been a powder keg for nationalist sentiment in the South. 'We cannot be lenient on issues such as historical issues and the Dokdo issue, but I believe that it is very important to be proactive and open in the areas of cultural exchange and cooperation between South Korea and Japan and to improve relations,' Lee was quoted as saying. The DP candidate also stressed that 'Japanese politics and the Japanese people are different.' 'I have a very favorable impression of the Japanese people,' he said. 'Based on my several visits to Japan, I found the Japanese people to be humble, kind, hardworking, frugal and truly worthy of learning from.' A Gallup Korea survey conducted from May 13 to 15 and released Friday showed Lee with 51% support, ahead of the conservative People Power Party's Kim Moon-soo, who had 29%, and Lee Jun-seok, of the minor Reform Party, with 8%.
