EDITORIAL | Japan, South Korea Cooperation a Must Amid Security Threats

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visited South Korea on September 6 for his last summit meeting with President Yoon Suk-yeol. This was the latest example of shuttle diplomacy in which the leaders of the two neighboring countries have exchanged visits. It was also their last because Kishida had decided to step down as president of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP). 

Kishida takes pride in having improved bilateral relations with Seoul. Moreover, he is reportedly keen to continue the cooperative relationship in areas such as security even after he steps down. Nevertheless, the future of Japan-South Korea relations remains uncertain. 

Both Japan and South Korea face threats from the despotic regimes in China and North Korea. It is commendable that both countries have recently strengthened security cooperation, including with the United States. That certainly helps to improve deterrence. They have also sought to cooperate to resolve the North Korean abductions issue.

Risks from Outstanding Differences

However, there are still reasons for considerable dissatisfaction. For one thing, the resolution of a fire control radar incident has been set aside. On December 20, 2018, a South Korean naval vessel locked its fire-control radar on a Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force airplane. 

There is also the issue of false claims about wartime laborers in which South Korean accusations contradict historical facts. That controversy too is still simmering.

Anti-Japan feeling runs strong in South Korea. Under the circumstances, if there is a change of administration in Seoul, cooperation with Japan may be abandoned. We must keep these difficult circumstances in mind as we move forward. 

The 80th anniversary of the end of World War II comes up in 2025. It is also the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea. Tokyo and Seoul need to remain alert to the risk that left-wing forces and foreign countries could use historical issues to drive a wedge between them.

Helping Each Other's Nationals to Safety

Prime Minister Kishida and President Yoon confirmed cooperation in some areas when they met on September 6.

They signed a memorandum of cooperation regarding evacuating Japanese and South Korean nationals from a third country. That would take place in the event of an emergency in an unnamed country. Indeed, such cooperation has already materialized. This is evidenced by the April 2023 case in which Japanese citizens escaped from civil war-ravaged Sudan aboard a bus arranged by the South Korean side. 

Also, in October 2023 the Islamic fundamentalist organization Hamas launched an attack on Israel. At that time, a South Korean military plane evacuated Japanese citizens from Israel. Later, a Self-Defense Force plane brought out additional South Koreans as well as Japanese citizens. 

These are concrete accomplishments that should be celebrated. It would also be appropriate for Japan and South Korea to prepare for cooperation on a regular basis. Continuing such mutual assistance would no doubt help the citizens of both nations develop more positive views of each other. 

Next Step: NEO Evacuations

With that in mind, there is a pressing issue the governments of the two countries need to address. 

They must quickly put in place a cooperative arrangement for smoothly conducting "non-combatant evacuation operations" (NEOs) in the event of a Korean Peninsula or Taiwan emergency. Under such an arrangement, Japan and South Korea would evacuate each other's nationals. They would also evacuate citizens of friendly nations from their own territories.

After all, tensions in the East Asian region are increasing to the greatest degree worldwide. And that is the region in which Japan and South Korea are situated. 

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(Read the editorial in Japanese.)

Author: Editorial Board, The Sankei Shimbun