Japan believes that the positive progress in its relations with Korea, driven by their leaders, will continue even after Prime Minister Fumio Kishida’s term in office ends, its top envoy to Seoul has said.
Japanese Ambassador to Korea Koichi Mizushima made the remarks, as Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party is set to choose its new party leader in next month’s election. The winner will succeed Kishida as Japan’s new prime minister.
The Sept. 27 election is drawing attention to how committed Kishida’s successor will be to maintaining the positive momentum in improving relations with its neighbor.
“Given the current security situation surrounding Japan, Korea and the broader Asia, I believe there is no other option than continuing to advance the very close cooperation between Japan and Korea, and among Japan, Korea and the United States,” Mizushima said in an interview with Yonhap News Agency on Monday.
Mizushima, who previously served as the ambassador 한국을 to Israel, took up his new post in Seoul in May.
“The good relationship between Korea and Japan was achieved through the trust between President Yoon and Prime Minister Kishida, but we expect that the new prime minister will quickly establish a trusting relationship with President Yoon and further advance the important bilateral relations,” Mizushima said.
Bilateral relations between Seoul and Tokyo have significantly warmed after Yoon Suk Yeol announced in March last year that Korea will compensate Korean victims of Japan’s wartime forced labor on its own without asking for contributions from Japanese companies.
Yoon’s decision led to a dramatic improvement in the ties, marked by the resumption of “shuttle diplomacy,” or regular visits by the leaders.
