Seoul: As Seoul and Tokyo try to restart their "shuttle diplomacy" and mend relations in the face of growing nuclear threats from Pyongyang, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida arrived in South Korea on Sunday.
Kishida is leading the country's first official bilateral visit to South Korea in more than ten years. He started off by going to Seoul's National Cemetery, which is home to the graves of veterans from various wars, including the struggle against Japanese colonial rule. There, he laid flowers and showed his respect.
Later on in the day, Kishida will meet with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, whose administration has made mending ties with Japan a top priority. Yoon paid a repair visit to Tokyo in March.
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The East Asian neighbours, who are both vital U.S. security allies, have long-standing disagreements over historical matters related to Japan's brutal 1910–1945 colonial occupation of the Korean peninsula, including sexual slavery and forced labour.
Before leaving, Kishida stated on Sunday that the two leaders were trying to restart so-called "shuttle diplomacy" that had been put on hold for years due to a contentious trade dispute involving the issue of forced labour.
Kishida invited Yoon to a G7 meeting in Hiroshima this month in exchange for their March summit agreement to end tit-for-tat trade restrictions.
In a statement, Kishida expressed his desire for "an honest exchange of views" with Yoon, "based on a relationship of trust."
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According to local reports, Yoon is anticipated to host a dinner party at the presidential residence where Korean barbecue will probably be served. Yoon may even prepare food for Kishida.
Lim Eun-jung, an associate professor at Kongju National University, told YTN news that it is noteworthy that Kishida went directly to Seoul's National Cemetery to pay his respects.
I pay close attention because it is unusual for a sitting Japanese prime minister to visit.
The difficult subject of forced labour, which wrecked relations in 2018, will be the subject of "candid discussions" between Yoon and Kishida, according to the leader of Tokyo.
When South Korea's Supreme Court ordered Japanese companies to pay compensation to those who had been subjected to forced labour during the war, Tokyo was outraged, and a series of increasingly harsh economic sanctions followed.
Yoon, who assumed office last year, has attempted to put the past grudge behind him. Earlier this year, he unpopularly announced a plan to compensate victims without involvement from Tokyo.
Numerous South Koreans gathered on Saturday to voice their opposition to Kishida's visit, arguing that the summit on Sunday should focus primarily on Japan's wartime hostilities.
Demonstrator Kim Jae-won urged Kishida to "sincerely apologise for Japan's crimes against humanity and fulfil its responsibilities."
The ideal result for Koreans would be for "Kishida to apologise in his own words," according to Benjamin A. Engel, research professor at the Institute of International Affairs at Seoul National University, who spoke to AFP.
The efforts to improve relations come as North Korean leader Kim Jong Un intensifies his nation's weapons production and testing after declaring his nation a "irreversible" nuclear power last year.
A record-breaking number of launches were carried out by Pyongyang in 2023, including the nation's first solid-fuel ballistic missile, which was tested.
In response, the US and South Korea have increased defence cooperation, holding a number of significant military drills, including two trilateral exercises involving Japan this year.
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President Yoon will secure a significant diplomatic victory by reintroducing "shuttle diplomacy" before his first year in office, according to Tongfi Kim of the Brussels School of Governance.
"With the exception of careless mistakes that result in diplomatic "accidents," Kishida's visit to South Korea will have a positive effect on the bilateral relationship and open the door for increased trilateral cooperation between the US, Japan, and South Korea in the months to come."