Japan’s new PM talks up ties with South Korea but her past casts a long shadow

As Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office, she wasted no time extending an olive branch to South Korea, calling it an “important neighbour” and praising its culture. But how long will the goodwill last? Concerns linger in South Korea that Takaichi, known for her nationalist leanings, may eventually adopt a more hawkish stance, risking again straining ties over long-standing issues such as Japan’s wartime history and territorial disputes. “I would say there is optimism about the relationship at the moment, but South Korean people are worried about how things might change in the future because they know that Takaichi is a conservative nationalist on issues such as security and history,” said Yuji Hosaka, a professor of history and politics at Seoul’s Sejong University. “The feeling here is that South Korea wants to have a positive relationship with Japan and that it would be beneficial to both nations in terms of trade, sharing technology, security and many other issues, but people are saying we have to see how things are in two or three months to understand how it is going to be.” Seoul appears keen to start off on the right foot. On Tuesday, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung was among the first world leaders to congratulate Takaichi on her election, posting on social media that he was looking forward to meeting her in person at next week’s Apec summit in the South Korean coastal city of Gyeongju. “I hope to work with you to further strengthen future-oriented, mutually beneficial cooperation between our two nations and peoples,” he wrote. “I also hope that, based on shuttle diplomacy, our leaders will continue to meet frequently and communicate closely.” Lee praised recent progress in bilateral ties, emphasising that “trust and communication” had become increasingly essential at a time of growing global uncertainty. Discussions are already under way for a potential meeting between the two leaders on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit. Takaichi, during her first press conference as prime minister, described the Japan-South Korea relationship as “crucial” and struck a surprisingly personal note by sharing her love for Korean cosmetics, television dramas and seasoned seaweed. “I want to move our ties forward in a stable, future-oriented way, building on the foundations laid by past administrations,” she said on Tuesday evening. Takaichi’s political roots could complicate matters, however. Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international studies at Ewha Womans University in Seoul, noted that she was a protégé of the late former prime minister Shinzo Abe, whose tenure was marked by heightened tensions between Tokyo and Seoul. “She inherits Abe’s economic agenda and conservative approach to assuring Japan’s role in the world,” he said. “Compared to her most recent predecessors, Takaichi may take more nationalistic positions on … regional historical sensitivities than Seoul would prefer, but the US-Japan-South Korea trilateral cooperation should remain a priority.” Neither country would want a return to the tensions that were apparent between Abe and then South Korean president Moon Jae-in in 2019 and 2020, Easley said. “Ultimately, Takaichi’s ability to project a robust foreign policy will depend on her longevity in Japan’s changing domestic political landscape.” A Tokyo-based academic, speaking anonymously due to previously acting as an adviser on bilateral relations, said security would likely dominate Takaichi’s foreign policy. Both nations recognised the need to work together “at a time of worsening challenges”, including the risks posed by the “Trump factor”. US President Donald Trump has been pushing Japan and South Korea to pay more for the presence of American troops under their trilateral security alliance. “At a time when Trump and his administration are so unpredictable, Japan and South Korea know they need each other,” the academic said. “They realise that while in the past the US naturally led the three-way security alliance, they can no longer rely on the US to take the lead.” Relations could quickly sour, however. The academic warned that a misplaced comment or misunderstood action could reignite the “toxic relationship of a few years ago” that was marked by damaging trade curbs, bitter accusations and hostility. One potential flashpoint could be Takaichi’s approach to Japan’s history. Visits by Japanese politicians to Tokyo’s Yasukuni Shrine – a memorial that includes 14 Class-A war criminals – have historically drawn fierce criticism from South Korea and China. Another sensitive issue is the territorial dispute over the Liancourt Rocks, known as Dokdo in South Korea and Takeshima in Japan, which are occupied by South Korean forces but claimed by both nations. “Takaichi has strongly held opinions, and if she pays a visit to Yasukuni Shrine as prime minister or becomes more outspoken on the sovereignty of Dokdo, for example, then the good work can quickly be undone,” Hosaka warned. Lee, meanwhile, faces his own balancing act. While pursuing closer ties with Tokyo and Washington, the South Korean president has also sought to mend relations with Beijing and Pyongyang to ease regional tensions. However, Hosaka said this could put Seoul at odds with the US and Japan, given perceptions that they “want to take a stronger stance” against China and North Korea. “South Korea has seen Takaichi make positive statements in her first few days in office, and I expect that to continue through the Apec conference,” he said. “[But] there is concern that she might change her position after two or three months. We must wait and see.”

Japan’s new PM talks up ties with South Korea but her past casts a long shadow

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}South Koreans are optimistic about Sanae Takaichi for now. Only time will tell whether the goodwill lasts, however

South Koreans are optimistic about Sanae Takaichi for now. Only time will tell whether the goodwill lasts, however