Prime Minister Kishida will hold talks with President Yoon Sung-yeol of the Republic of Korea (ROK) on June 16.
Based on the fact that the ROK side has presented a solution to the issue of "requisition" during the Pacific War, we are expected to confirm the resumption of "shuttle diplomacy" of mutual visits by the leaders and convey our intention to visit the ROK by the end of this year, after sharing the position of returning the Japan-ROK relationship to a sound form and developing it.

Prime Minister Kishida is scheduled to invite President Yoon of the Republic of Korea to his Japan and hold a summit meeting at the Prime Minister's Office in the afternoon of June 16.

This is the first time in 12 years that a South Korean president has visited Japan to hold a summit meeting, excluding those held in conjunction with international conferences.

At the meeting, Prime Minister Kishida expressed his expectation for steady implementation of the issue of "requisition" during the Pacific War, which is the most pending issue, while evaluating the solution of a foundation under the ROK government that pays on behalf of Japan companies.

I would also like to share among the leaders the position of restoring Japan-ROK relations, which have deteriorated to the point of being said to be the worst in the postwar era, to a sound form and developing them in a future-oriented manner.

On top of that, he is expected to confirm the resumption of "shuttle diplomacy," which has been suspended for more than 10 years, and convey his policy of aiming to realize his own visit to the ROK as soon as possible by the end of this year.

In addition, amid the increasingly severe security environment, including North Korea's nuclear and missile development, coordination is underway to resume the Japan-ROK Security Dialogue between the foreign and defense authorities of the two countries for the first time in about five years.

President Yoon Sung-nyeol of the Republic of Korea (ROK) will depart on a special plane with his wife, Kim Jian-hee, on the morning of May 16 and will visit Japan for the first time since taking office in May last year for two days until May 17.

President Yoon also wants to emphasize his stance of working to improve Japan-South Korea relations from the standpoint of emphasizing cooperation among Japan, the United States, and South Korea amid the increasingly severe security environment, and is expected to soften domestic criticism of the solution to the problem of "requisition" during the Pacific War by demonstrating diplomatic results.

The two leaders will hold a joint press conference to clarify the outcome of the meeting.

President Yoon's Aim for His Visit to Japan

South Korean President Yoon Sung-nyeol seems to want to use this visit Japan to Japan and South Korea as an important opportunity to improve Japan-South Korea relations, which were said to be the worst in the postwar period, in a future-oriented manner.

President Yoon will travel to the Japan ahead of his state visit to our ally the United States at the end of next month, and it is unusual for a South Korean president to visit Tokyo before Washington after taking office.

As the security environment becomes increasingly severe, the Yoon administration is likely to accelerate the improvement of Japan-ROK relations in order to strengthen cooperation among the three countries, and to resume "shuttle diplomacy," in which leaders visit each other's countries for the first time in 3 years.

On the other hand, regarding the issue of "requisition," which is the most pending issue between the two countries, some plaintiffs and support groups are strongly opposed to the solution announced by the South Korean government on June 12, and the Yoon administration is required to continue to make efforts to carefully explain and gain understanding.

For this reason, at my meeting with Prime Minister Kishida, I would like to directly explain our efforts to address this issue and elicit a positive response from the Japan side.

In addition, President Yoon's visit will be accompanied by many business executives, including major conglomerates, and it seems that he is also positioning it as an opportunity to strengthen economic cooperation between Japan and South Korea.

Problems and Background of "Requisition"

The Japan government of the Korean government said that the issue of "requisition," in which the South Korean side claims that people on the Korean Peninsula were forced to work hard at coal mines and construction sites in Japan during the Pacific War, was "completely and finally resolved" by the Japan-Korea Claims Agreement concluded with the normalization of diplomatic relations in 1965.

Under the agreement Japan government pledged a total of $5 million in economic cooperation for money and free of charge, and in the 1970s, the South Korean government managed funds from Japan to provide 30,2008 won per person to those who were found to have died from "conscription."

In addition, since 2012, the Korean government has provided consolation money and medical support to those who have been recognized as "conscripted" because their compensation to date has been morally inadequate, as well as to their bereaved families.

However, in 2018, the Korean Supreme Court ruled that "the right of individual claim has not been extinguished" over "requisition", and a series of judgments ordering Japan companies to compensate have been issued.

Then, in <>, when South Korea's Supreme Court first confirmed a ruling ordering Japan companies to compensate, the plaintiffs petitioned the district court to allow Japan companies to seize and sell their assets in South Korea.

The Moon Jae-in administration at the time took the position that judicial decisions would be respected based on the principle of separation of powers Japan and proceeded with the procedure for "cashing" corporate assets in Korea.

In response, the Japan government criticized these measures as "a violation of international law" and strongly urged them to take measures to avoid "cashing," and Japan-South Korea relations cooled to the point where they were said to be the worst in the postwar period.

Under these circumstances, when South Korean President Yoon Sung-nyeol took office in May last year, he expressed his desire to improve relations with Japan and expressed his desire to resolve the issue before "monetization" took place.

In November, Prime Minister Kishida and President Yoon held a Japan-ROK summit meeting formally for the first time in about three years, and they agreed to work toward an early resolution of outstanding issues.

In response to this, working-level consultations between the diplomatic authorities of Japan and South Korea accelerated, and in January, South Korea announced that an existing foundation under the South Korean government would pay the plaintiffs on behalf of Japan companies.

And last week, when the ROK officially announced a solution based on this plan, the Japan side evaluated it as a way to restore sound relations between Japan and South Korea, and President Yoon's visit to Japan was realized.

"Is Korea with this plan?" Behind the Scenes of Japan-ROK Talks

Many issues and concerns other than those related to "requisition"

There are many issues and concerns between Japan and South Korea other than the issue of "requisition" during the Pacific War.

Regarding the comfort women issue,
in 2015, the then Abe administration and the Park Geun-hye administration agreed that the Japan government would contribute 10 billion yen to a foundation established by the ROK government to provide support for former comfort women, and confirmed that it would be resolved "finally and irreversibly."

The Japan-ROK agreement was announced by Prime Minister Kishida, who was serving as Minister for Foreign Affairs at the time, on the Japan side.

However, the Moon Jae-in administration, which followed the Park administration, criticized the agreement and unilaterally announced the dissolution of the foundation in November 2018, deepening the confrontation.

【Radar irradiation】
In December 2018, a Maritime Self-Defense Force aircraft was irradiated by a South Korean military vessel with fire control radar in the Japan Sea, and the Japan government protested that it was a dangerous act that could lead to unforeseen circumstances.

On the other hand, the ROK side has maintained its stance that it is not aimed at Self-Defense Forces aircraft, and the views of both sides remain different.

Gold Mine on Sado Island:
South Korea is also protesting over the "Gold Mine on Sado Island" in Niigata Prefecture, which the Japan is aiming to register as a World Cultural Heritage Site, saying that it is a place where workers from the Korean Peninsula were forced to work.


In addition, South Korea has expressed concern about a plan to dilute the treated water accumulated at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Station to a state below standard and release it into the sea.

In order to improve Japan-ROK relations going forward, the focus will be on whether consultations will proceed on these issues and outstanding issues.

Territorial Issue
In addition, there is a territorial dispute with South Korea over Takeshima in Shimane Prefecture.

Japan proposed to the ROK side to refer the matter to the International Court of Justice three times since 1954 in order to resolve the issue by peaceful means, but all of them were rejected and have not been realized.

【Korea's Marine Products Import Regulations】
After the accident at TEPCO's Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, South Korea has suspended all seafood imports from eight prefectures, including Fukushima and Miyagi.

In addition, food products that have been approved for import are also required to be accompanied by a certificate of origin and a certificate of inspection for radioactive substances.

In response to this Japan the government filed a lawsuit with the WTO = World Trade Organization in 8, claiming that it ships only those that meet strict standards for radioactive materials, and that South Korea's measures violate international trade rules.

However, in 2015, the WTO rejected Japan's claims, effectively losing the case.

Since then, Japan has been urging the ROK to make decisions based on scientific evidence, such as evaluations by international organizations, but there is no prospect of abolishing restrictions.

【Export Control of Japan】
In July 2019, the Japan government tightened export controls on three items, including raw materials for semiconductors, to South Korea, citing insufficient systems such as inspection of trade control on the Korean side.

Furthermore, in August, South Korea was excluded from the list of countries eligible for preferential treatment that can simplify export procedures, and the Korean government filed a lawsuit with the WTO = World Trade Organization in 7 for violating international trade rules.

On the other hand, on the 3th of this month, the governments of Japan and South Korea announced that they would promptly hold bilateral consultations in order to return to the state before the tightening of export controls, and the South Korean government announced that it would suspend WTO procedures while the talks continued.

GSOMIA:
In August 8, the South Korean government notified the Japan side that it would cancel the Comprehensive Security of Military Information Agreement = GSOMIA with Japan as a countermeasure to the measures that Japan tightened export control.

In November, just before it was actually abandoned, the agreement was continued, announcing that it would suspend this notice in order to advance progress in negotiations with the Japan over export controls.

What have been the visits of the President of the Republic of Korea to Japan?

This is the first Japan visit by a South Korean president in nearly four years since then-President Moon Jae-in visited Japan in June 20 to attend the G2019 Osaka Summit.

However, at that time, Japan-ROK relations were deteriorating due to issues such as the issue of "requisition," so the summit meeting with Prime Minister Abe at the time was postponed.

On the other hand, Japan and South Korea have been engaged in "shuttle diplomacy" since July 2004, in which the leaders visit each other.

Amid the heightened friendly mood due to the "Hallyu boom" caused by the joint hosting of the Soccer World Cup and Korean dramas, it began with an agreement between then-Prime Minister Koizumi and South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun.

There was a brief interruption in the process, but it lasted until December 7, when then-Democratic Party of Japan Prime Minister Noda met with President Lee Myung-bak.

However, relations deteriorated when President Lee landed on Takeshima in 2011, and since then, mutual visits by the leaders of the two countries have ceased for nearly 12 years, except on occasions such as international conferences.

Against this backdrop, South Korean President Yoon Sung-nyeol, who expressed his desire to improve relations with Japan, took office in May last year.

Prime Minister Kishida and President Yoon held a brief informal meeting in New York in September on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, followed by their first summit meeting in Cambodia in about three years in November on the sidelines of the ASEAN=Association of Southeast Asian Nations Summit Meeting.

This time, based on the fact that the ROK announced a solution to the issue of "requisition" during the Pacific War, President Yoon will visit Japan.

The Yoon Administration's Stance on Japan

Since the inauguration of the South Korean government in May last year, the administration of Yoon Sung-nyeol has consistently made clear its stance of aiming to improve relations with Japan.

In a speech made on the 1st of this month, the day the independence movement began under the rule of Japan, President Yoon said, "Japan has gone from being a militaristic aggressor in the past to a partner who shares universal values and cooperates on security, economy, and global issues."

Then, on the 6th of this month, the South Korean government announced a solution to the problem of "requisition" during the Pacific War, and President Yoon emphasized the significance on the 7th, saying, "This is the result of searching for measures suitable for the common interests and future development of the two countries."

While some plaintiffs and civil society groups strongly oppose the solution, the Office of the President of South Korea is trying to garner a wide range of support in South Korea, such as in a video released on March 11, in which it stresses that improving relations with Japan is extremely important in terms of people-to-people exchanges and economic exchanges.

Behind this stance is a sense of crisis over North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threats, including repeated missile launches at an unprecedented frequency.

South Korea's intelligence agency is of the view that North Korea may conduct large-scale military drills including nuclear forces and launch a new solid-fuel ICBM = intercontinental ballistic missile for the first time next month.

For this reason, in addition to strengthening the alliance with the United States, which will be 70 years old, the Yoon administration seems to want to improve deterrence among the three countries of Japan, the United States, and the Republic of Korea by hastening to repair relations with Japan, which have been cold.

Who is President Yoon Sung-nyeol?

President Yoon Sung-nyeol is a 62-year-old from the capital Seoul.

Raised in a family where his parents were university professors, his father was an economist who studied at Hitotsubashi University in 1966, the year after the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and South Korea.

Yoon studied at the prestigious Seoul National University and passed the bar exam after repeated challenges to become a prosecutor.

His ability to thoroughly investigate bribery cases involving conservative former presidents Park Geun-hye and former presidents Lee Myung-bak was highly evaluated by the progressive former President Moon Jae-in, and in 2019 he was selected as the top prosecutor general.

After that, the conflict with the administration deepened by pursuing the suspicions of the justice minister close to former President Moon, and although he resigned as prosecutor general, his appearance of facing the administration head-on was supported, and the long-awaited argument for entering politics increased.

Then, with no political experience, he joined the largest conservative opposition party at the time, "People's Power," and was elected as an official candidate for the presidential election.

Yoon, who has shown a desire to improve Japan-South Korea relations, which have cooled since the election campaign, won the presidential election in March last year by 3.0 points over Lee Jae-myung of the then ruling Democratic Party, and was sworn in as president in May.

People who knew Yoon before taking office said that while Yoon had a single-minded personality that stuck to his beliefs, he liked drinking and was caring, and he was adored, and there is an episode that he was busy taking care of his friend's marriage even before the bar exam.

Yoon is also known as a dog lover, and according to presidential campaign documents, his hobbies are shopping, cooking, walking, and visiting museums, and he cites former Prime Minister Churchill, who led Britain to victory in the war against Nazi Germany during World War II.

Yoon married his wife, Kim Gon-hee, who is 73 years younger than him, when he was 5 years old.Japan