South Korean President Moon Jae-in's visit to Japan will be postponed at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics.
The government has said that it has not changed its policy of continuing communication between the two countries, but it is expected that it will continue to be difficult to improve relations as the South Korean side cannot foresee the response to the comfort women issue.
The South Korean presidential office announced on the 19th that President Moon Jae-in's visit to Japan, which was being considered at the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics, will be postponed as "it is still insufficient to produce results at the summit meeting."
As the relationship between Japan and South Korea cools down, there are expectations within the government that if a summit meeting with Prime Minister Suga is realized at the same time as President Mun's visit, it may be a clue to improving the relationship. I kept adjusting at the level.
On the other hand, it has been pointed out that many results cannot be expected even if the summit meeting is held while the South Korean side cannot foresee a concrete response due to the comfort women issue and the issue of "recruitment" during the Pacific War. Many people take a relatively calm view of seeing off.
In addition, some inside the government said that the minister of the Japanese embassy in Seoul, Soma, made inappropriate statements regarding the Mun Jane administration's diplomatic stance toward Japan, which contributed to the postponement of this visit. The government is coordinating to transfer Minister Soma in the near future.
The government says that there is no change in its policy of continuing communication with the Korean side, such as the meeting between Secretary-General Mori of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and First Secretary Choi Jung-gon of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Korea on the 20th in Tokyo. With President Mun's term remaining less than 10 months, it is expected that it will continue to be difficult to improve Japan-South Korea relations.