Japan-S Korea ties need mending, Suga tells Moon in phone talks

At first glance that cheap table and mic stands in front of Suga looked like a Zimmer frame.

A metaphor for poor politicians and cross-border rivalries?

Same old photo opportunity to say I am here lets talk about the same things that are never going to be solved.

I think the photo says 'we're not serious' and 'this is a joke'!

PM Suga should give Pyongyang a call...

Please cooperate and do everything we want, and stop mentioning forced labor, sexual slavery, and other issues that we didn't do, but that were very regrettable if they somehow happened willingly on your part.... ummm... And forget about history -- the past is the past. Now excuse me, I'm on my way to commemorate a mudslide that happened many years ago and talk about how we can present the trials and plight of those Japanese who suffered the atomic bombings on their anniversaries, which we have timed to coincide with the closing ceremonies of the Olympics.

PM Suga, be like PM Abe.

@Fighto - Or not.

Japan denies the existence of comfort women -period.

I agree with SmithinJapan

Wrong, All fact and can be substantiated- period.

@Ossan - You've provided zero substantiation of your claim that Moon kept the money meant for the victims. You keep repeating 'period' doesn't make it true.

Why not prove your claim instead of parroting your blind patriotic Japanocentric claims? I'll wait.

Good for Suga!

Japan has conflicts with all of its neighbouring Asian countries (yes, even with Taiwan over the Senkaku islands). Time to grow up and make a few friends.

I find myself in agreement with you on this one.

Wow, audacious and smart political maneuvering,

I told President Moon that we cannot allow our relations to remain as they are

Translation: strong signalling, the relationship has to change.

Suga told Moon that it was up to Seoul to create an opportunity for Japan and South Korea to "return to a constructive relationship,

Translation: Balls in your court if you don't want to play, well then its your fault that the relationship is sour.

I gotta say this is well handled, I didn't think Suga had it in him to be this shrewd, I guess more surprises await ( these are not complements by the way, I'm not a fan, just didn't think of him as good politician).

Either way it puts pressure on SK to fix this.

@paradox I agree completely with this analysis. Abe left a poison pill behind him with the SK file. The fact that Suga has acknowledged this from the start of his term is encouraging.

Moon ripped up the agreement unilaterally, kept the money without giving it to the surviving Comfort Women.

@OssanJapan - source? Your raging comments are totally false - period.

Please provide substantiation that the 2015 Agreement money paid by Japan has been paid to the surviving CWs. I bet you can't because it hasn't happened. Please stop trolling and go bother someone else.

I think you will find I simply asked you to prove your claims, and you haven't done that.

And if any deviation from the official J-gov line is considered trolling to you, that says far more about you than it does about me.

Suga is already at work. Great man indeed.

HeckleberryToday  06:13 pm JST

Moon ripped up the agreement unilaterally, kept the money without giving it to the surviving Comfort Women.

@OssanJapan - source? Your raging comments are totally false - period.

Wrong, All fact and can be substantiated- period.

"Japan has apologised and will pay 1bn yen ($8.3m; £5.6m) - the amount South Korea asked for - to fund victims."

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-35190464

"Foreign Minister Yun

The Government of the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the Government of Japan have intensively discussed the issue of comfort women between the ROK and Japan at bilateral meetings including the Director-General consultations. Based on the result of such discussions, I, on behalf of the Government of the ROK, state the following:

(1) The Government of the ROK values the GOJ’s announcement and efforts made by the Government of Japan in the lead-up to the issuance of the announcement and confirms, together with the GOJ, that the issue is resolved finally and irreversibly with this announcement, on the premise that the Government of Japan will steadily implement the measures specified in 1. (2) above. The Government of the ROK will cooperate in the implementation of the Government of Japan’s measures.

(2) The Government of the ROK acknowledges the fact that the Government of Japan is concerned about the statue built in front of the Embassy of Japan in Seoul from the viewpoint of preventing any disturbance of the peace of the mission or impairment of its dignity, and will strive to solve this issue in an appropriate manner through taking measures such as consulting with related organizations about possible ways of addressing this issue.

(3) The Government of the ROK, together with the Government of Japan, will refrain from accusing or criticizing each other regarding this issue in the international community, including at the United Nations, on the premise that the Government of Japan will steadily implement the measures it announced."

https://www.mofa.go.jp/a_o/na/kr/page4e_000364.html

"Under the 2015 deal, endorsed by Moon's predecessor and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, Japan apologised to former comfort women and provided 1 billion yen ($8.8 million) to a fund to help them.

The two governments had agreed the issue would be “irreversibly resolved” if both fulfilled their obligations."

https://www.voanews.com/east-asia/south-koreas-moon-says-2015-comfort-women-agreement-japan-flawed

And still, not a single peep from the anti-Japan crowd on here about the South Korean activist who was charged with illegally using funding meant for comfort women, to benefit herself and her family.

Not only is the South Korean government never to be trusted, some of its own citizens cannot be trusted.

Imagine that, not only is the government encouraging anti-Japanese indoctrination of its citizens from a very young age and actively looking to discredit any and all forms of apologies and compensation from Japan, its own citizens are doing the same thing.

Japan has conflicts with all of its neighbouring Asian countries 

Complete nonsense. Japan has trouble with Korea, period. All countries have trouble with China.

Both nations were on a path to increased trade and friendly relations with each other before Abe became prime minister. Abe completely derailed the budding Korea-boom that was occurring all over Japan, and effectively squashed the increasing acceptance of Japan in Korea at the same time. Right up to the moment Abe came to power, both nations seemed to be much more willing to leave history to the history books and move forward with economic and cultural exchange. Young people from both countries were making trips to their neighbor at record levels, without any concern of things that happened 70 years ago.

Not that I think Suga is any better than Abe, but if his intentions on mending relations are real, I wish him the best.

Dan LavenderSep. 24  10:27 pm JST

Japan denies the existence of comfort women -period.

Japan obviously does not deny their existence. Otherwise how could Japan have agreed to the 2015 CW Agreement, with Abe issuing an apology and money given to South Korea?

Moon ripped up the agreement unilaterally, kept the money without giving it to the surviving Comfort Women.

Your comment is totally false - period.

HeckleberryToday  04:34 am JST

Wrong, All fact and can be substantiated- period.

@Ossan - You've provided zero substantiation of your claim that Moon kept the money meant for the victims. You keep repeating 'period' doesn't make it true.

I have substantiated everything I said. You have proven absolutely nothing.

Please provide substantiation that the 2015 Agreement money paid by Japan has been paid to the surviving CWs. I bet you can't because it hasn't happened. Please stop trolling and go bother someone else.

Yeah right what cave has Suga been hiding under.

Moon and the SK politicians are not to be trusted.

The day the SK government stops indoctrinating anti Japanese hatred, the day the SK govt stops reneging on past agreements, and the day the SK govt stops bullying Japan, is the day they can be trusted.

I often hear Japan side's pro-Korean politicians/activists stressing that the bilateral relations be maintained at any cost, because of "geographical proximity". In fact, diplomatic and armed conflicts are very common between closest neighbors (India vs Pakistan, Taiwan vs China, Israel vs Arab states, Greece vs Turkey to name just a few).

As for Japan-SK relations, deals were often made behind the door, which have turned out to be ongoing diplomatic repercussions. Let's it be clear and more accountable. Don't expect goodwill from the other party. Trust has already been broken, and it will take awhile to rebuild it.

S. Korea always says:

Japan let's talk, best friends, conversation, close countries, close neighbors....... 6 months later once in Person, Pay up Japan, Apologies, Your not Sincere, Your not remorseful.

The only conversation S.Korea wants to have, is how they are Right and Japan is Wrong. How we should pay up, how they are a victim, how not sincere Japan is because one politician visited a shrine for the dead. How they want to back out of aggrements and we should accept that.

The Korean has a long long long list of problems against Japan. They come up with new issues new problems every few years. UNESCO and our Flag is the newest issue, changing the name of Japan Sea too.

SmithJapan

No one at Hiroshima and Nagasaki is asking for compensation and apologies from America. We don't build statues around the world shaming America.

We don't sign Final Deal 1965, Final Deal 2015 and then later back out of it. Ask for new one, ask for more money.

America Never has and Never will give over 50 Apologies to one single country and keep doing it year after year for decades while the other side says it never happened.

No other country has done as much as Japan has for S. Korea. Apologies as much, paid compesation multiple times for the same issue. Only your S. Korea is so special and privilege!

If they are each to survive as democracies bordering dictatorships, they have a better chance of doing so by cooperating economically, politically, and militarily.

As the saying goes, they can either survive together, or die together.

This is a non issue, why do we keep reading about it. The wartime labor issue was solved 55 years ago in finality. Its all over, nothing to talk about. Moon is just using the non issue to whip up extreme hatred of Japan, thus ensuring votes.

Stand strong, PM Suga, be like PM Abe.