Seoul: Enhancing trilateral partnership with the United States is vital for the bilateral relations between South Korea and Japan, given the serious geopolitical landscape in the region and beyond, the top Japanese envoy to Seoul said Thursday. Japanese Ambassador to South Korea Koichi Mizushima made the remarks, describing the two Asian nations as important neighbors that can address the tense global security challenges, including Russia's invasion of Ukraine and North Korea's evolving missile provocations and its growing military ties with Russia.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Mizushima stated, "It is no exaggeration that there is no longer any reason for Japan and South Korea to remain at odds," during a session of the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity. He emphasized that given the challenging international environment surrounding both countries, strengthening relations with the United States and promoting trilateral cooperation among Japan, the United States, and South Korea is essential.
Mizushima highlighted the importance of close coordination between the two countries regardless of the outcome of South Korea's upcoming presidential election, which will take place next Tuesday. He also pointed out that bilateral relations between Seoul and Tokyo are "closely linked" to peace and security in the Indo-Pacific, underscoring the need to continue cooperation not only in terms of security but other shared values, such as democracy and human rights.
The session was held to mark the 60th anniversary of the normalization of the two countries' bilateral relations, set for late June. South Korea was under Japan's colonial rule from 1910-45. As the anniversary approaches, attention is turning to whether the two countries will issue a new declaration on bilateral relations, similar to past landmark statements by their leaders.
Kenichiro Sasae, a former Japanese vice foreign minister who spoke on the panel, emphasized that "open and heartfelt" communication between the leaders would be a prerequisite for any new announcement. He noted that even if a document is produced, it would lack the spirit without a warm atmosphere, stressing the importance of creating a mood conducive to meaningful discussions.
Sasae suggested that if there were to be a new declaration, it should be "upgraded" to address current security challenges, such as cooperating in response to North Korea's nuclear and missile threats, and handling emerging cyber threats and military technologies. He concluded that the focus should be on advancing tangible, practical cooperation, which would be difficult without a foundation of trust.