Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi (left) and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung shake hands before their meeting in Gyeongju, South Korea, Oct. 30 (©Kyodo).
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae-myung met on October 30 on the sidelines of the APEC Summit in Gyeongju.
The encounter unfolded against a backdrop of heightened regional tensions and shifting geopolitical dynamics, as the two East Asian neighbors juggle the delicate balance between alliance commitments and domestic political pressures.
Originally scheduled for 20 minutes, the meeting ran for more than twice that length, reflecting a shared awareness that bilateral relations stand at a critical juncture.
Pragmatism Over Ideology
Before Takaichi's recent inauguration, apprehension ran high in Seoul that her perceived hawkish stance on defense and historical issues might again chill relations. South Korean media were quick to stress her ideological affinity with that of the late Shinzo Abe and her frequent visits to Yasukuni Shrine as potential flashpoints.
Similarly, in Japan, Lee's ascent to the presidency in June sparked unease over his earlier remarks describing Japan as an "adversarial state" and his skepticism toward deepening defense cooperation.
Yet, the latest encounter in Gyeongju indicated that both leaders have chosen pragmatism over ideology — at least for now — to address mutual challenges.
"I think the meeting went very well," said Moon Chung-in, former South Korean presidential advisor and distinguished professor at Yonsei University.
"We usually believe people from the Abe faction are anti-Korea, but surprisingly, Prime Minister Takaichi has shown a very reconciliatory attitude."
A Future-Oriented Partnership
During the meeting, Lee congratulated Takaichi on her historic election as Japan's first female prime minister, noting that her call for a "future-oriented, stable, and progressive" partnership mirrors his own approach.
"It's exactly what I have always said," the South Korean president said. "Remarkably, not a single word differs."
Takaichi, for her part, emphasized continuity and strategic necessity. "Under the current strategic environment, the importance of Japan–South Korea and Japan–South Korea–United States cooperation has grown even stronger," she said.
Marking the 60th anniversary of diplomatic normalization, the Japanese leader pledged to "build on the foundation to develop the relationship in a future-oriented and stable manner," reaffirming her commitment to continuing shuttle diplomacy.
"I think Prime Minister Takaichi was communicating the idea that she's a pragmatic figure," said Daniel Sneider, author and lecturer at Stanford University. "She conveyed that her policies will likely follow those of her immediate predecessors, not late Abe."
Lee echoed Takaichi's sentiment, stressing the need for a forward-looking relationship amid an increasingly volatile security and trade environment.
He pointed to "many domestic commonalities" between Japan and South Korea, arguing that sharing experiences and policy approaches could help both countries tackle shared obstacles more effectively.
History Still a Flashpoint
Still, history remains an ever-present undercurrent. Both sides reportedly agreed to "manage" their domestic political constraints through respective leadership, an implicit acknowledgment that nationalist sentiment could disrupt the diplomatic momentum.
"On security and economic issues, Seoul and Tokyo seem willing to cooperate," Moon observed. "But on the collective memory of colonial history, I don't know how the new prime minister would handle it."
Sneider likewise cautioned that "it takes very little to bring the past back," noting that a visit to the Yasukuni or flare-up over the disputed Takeshima Island (Dokdo in Korean) could rapidly derail progress.
That said, he added that while Takaichi's proximity to the late Abe might work against her in Seoul, it could prove advantageous domestically.
"Takaichi doesn't have to prove her conservative credentials — she is the right," he said. "That actually gives her room to be more accommodating toward Korea and even China, because no one's going to question where she stands."
The Balancing Act
Apart from historical and domestic sensitivities, the summit underscored the need to calibrate alliance expectations and address broader regional factors.
Under the second Trump administration, Washington has intensified pressure not only on Beijing but also on its East Asian allies. In July, the administration agreed to reduce tariffs on Japan and South Korea in exchange for large-scale investments in the US, while urging both countries to expand their defense roles in regional contingencies.
"While it's commendable that Seoul did not raise historical issues, it's regrettable that the two sides did not coordinate in response to President Trump's coercive investment demands," said Jeong Kyu-jae, a conservative political commentator in South Korea.
Jeong, who met the South Korean president immediately after he took office, added that establishing a ministerial-level dialogue channel for coordination on China and the US would further strengthen strategic alignment between the two countries.
On the issue of tariffs, Sneider said that one of Tokyo's priorities should be bringing South Korea into the CPTPP to cement a proactive relationship and insulate ties from historical volatility.
"This move would also give leverage in dealing with the pressure from the US, particularly if it includes the European Union," he said.
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Author: Kenji Yoshida
