Strong Japan-South Korea Ties A Must for Regional Stability

On Tuesday, January 13, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi met with visiting South Korean President Lee Jae-myung in Nara, Takaichi's hometown. The two leaders agreed that strategic cooperation is vital, especially among Japan-South Korea and Japan-US-South Korea. "While promoting Japan-Korea relations, the two countries should cooperate and play a role in regional stability," Takaichi declared during the meeting.

Lee expressed support for the Japanese government's efforts to immediately resolve the issue of Japanese abductions by North Korea.

There is a severe security environment surrounding both Japan and South Korea. The anti-Japan, nuclear-armed, authoritarian nations of China, Russia, and North Korea are deepening their ties. Related to that, there are also growing concerns about a Taiwan emergency.

*South Korean President and Mrs Lee and Prime Minister Takaichi go to dinner after the Japan-South Korea Summit Meeting on January 13. (©Prime Minister's Office.)*

The Regional Security Picture

For the sake of regional peace and stability, Japan, South Korea, and the US must strengthen their cooperation on deterrence. To advance this goal, drawing South Korea firmly into security cooperation with Japan is critical.

Lee had recently met with Chinese President Xi Jinping in Beijing on January 5. Xi had invited Lee as a guest of the state and rolled out the red carpet for him. However, the South Korean president adopted a stance of distancing Seoul from the current acrimony between China and Japan.

At a press conference on January 7, Li also said, "At present, there is only so much we can do" regarding the Japan-China standoff. Actually, we would like to see South Korea place greater stress on cooperation with Japan and the United States and play a greater role in deterring China.

Moving Cooperation Forward

To ensure South Korea's security from North Korean threats, cooperation from Japan as well as the United States is critical. Hopefully, Prime Minister Takaichi will continue to make this point to President Lee.

At their meeting, Takaichi and Lee also agreed to advance discussions between relevant government agencies aimed at deepening cooperation in the areas of economic security. They also specifically discussed cooperating on supply chains.

China has announced that it is considering strengthening export controls on dual-use items to Japan. Moreover, concern is spreading in South Korea's industrial sector that China's tightening of restrictions on Japan will inevitably have negative reverberations on the South Korean economy. Lee likely has considered such expressions of concern.

The two leaders also discussed future-oriented cooperation between Japan and South Korea.

*The South Korean and Japanese leaders move forward to their own beat in a joint drum session during their summit meetings in Nara. (©Prime Minister's Office)*

With this progress, President Lee's attention should be brought to certain complications.

In 2025, the South Korean military conducted exercises in the waters around Takeshima Island in Shimane Prefecture. Also, the comfort women statue in front of the Japanese embassy in Seoul has not been removed. Furthermore, South Korea continues to restrict imports of Japanese seafood even as it mulls joining the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP).

Such situations are not in line with a forward-looking approach to relations with Japan.