Kishida, Yoon agree to improve Japan-South Korea relationship

The turning point. Adults back in charge hopefully. I really never trusted Moon, he was very prone to throwing people into jail and letting them out for now reason other than because a chaebol is in the background pulling strings. Even the Japanese steel plant compensation thing was a chaebol move.

This call at least sounds promising.

Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President-elect Yoon Suk Yeol agreed Friday to improve bilateral ties frayed over wartime issues and expressed hope to meet in person as they spoke by phone for the first time since Yoon's election win.

These corporatist stooges will get along swimmingly I am sure.

Good start!

I wonder how Kishida will reconcile his membership in Nippon Kaigi and good relations with Korea. On the other hand, Yoon seems to put profits for the rich over people and principles as well, so it might turn out all good.

"Japan and South Korea are important neighbors and healthy bilateral ties are essential in protecting the rules-based international order and in ensuring peace, stability and prosperity in the region and the world," Kishida told reporters after their roughly 15-minute call.

No fan of either of them, but the greater good is what's at stake here. Some adult behaviour would be a nice change instead of squabbling like children over the events of their great grandparents. I hope things are looking up.

YotomayaToday  06:12 pm JST

I wonder how Kishida will reconcile his membership in Nippon Kaigi and good relations with Korea.

There's nothing to reconcile there. It's up to South Korea to recognize that fact.

It's up to South Korea to recognize that fact.

Oh, I'm sure enough Koreans recognize the fact that Japan's elites are in a revisioninst ultranationalist organization.

No mention of Abe's export ban or the writer doesn't see it as also a reason for the strained relation.

Good. About time both countries grew up and moved on.

Moon proved to be more reactionary, dictatorial and oppressive of individual liberty not to mention playing fast and loose with the norms of government to the detriment of democratic government in Korea than any of his predecessors since the end of the dictatorship.

In principle it bodes well though whether he can achieve that much with the opposition still in control of the rest of government remains to be seen.

YotomayaToday  08:14 pm JST

It's up to South Korea to recognize that fact.

Oh, I'm sure enough Koreans recognize the fact that Japan's elites are in a revisioninst ultranationalist organization.

South Korea is the revisionist ultranationalist country. Moon is proof.

drluciferToday  08:55 pm JST

No mention of Abe's export ban or the writer doesn't see it as also a reason for the strained relation.

That's because there wasn't any export ban. Japan gave South Korea a special favorable treatment by putting them on their expprt "white list". But South Korea refused to comply with one of the requirements, to submit futher export documengtation. As a result Japan renmoved South Korea from their White List. That put South Korea on the same footing as other countries.

That's because there wasn't any export ban. Japan gave South Korea a special favorable treatment by putting them on their expprt "white list".

Thanks for letting me know that it was fake news. That there was no export curbs and SK did not retaliate by not sharing GSOMIA.

Yes we have all heard about these issues .

But what are the solutions to these problems and how will they achieve success.

Talk is cheap.

Bury the hatchet already !

drluciferToday  09:36 pm JST

That's because there wasn't any export ban. Japan gave South Korea a special favorable treatment by putting them on their expprt "white list".

Thanks for letting me know that it was fake news. That there was no export curbs and SK did not retaliate by not sharing GSOMIA.

Japan did remove Soth Korea from their Export White List. It was not an "Export Curb". And Moon did retaliate by threatening to not renew GSOMIA. However under pressure from the United States, Moon never fulfilled that threat.

Let's give the new guy some time and space to prove himself, and hope that the two leaders are able to work together - this is going to be very necessary with the direction being taken by the Great Dictator Xi lately; SK and Japan have to be strong to stand up to the hegemony coming down the stretch sometime soon...... especially as he has the Little Rocket Man kicking-off in the background to deal with as well.

I am very skeptical but I am willing to give them a chance.

Japan has always given South Korea chances.

We always wanted good relations.

That's why Japan has apologies over 50 times and paid compensation multiple times.

Agreements signed as Final and Irreversible multiple times.

It's South Korean court and government going after Japanese companies in Korea over past historical grievance which Japan already paid for multiple times.

South Korea was the invader in the 50s taking Japanese island after we signed article 9 and renounce war, with no navy to defend.

This is not a back and forth issues, but South Korean Squid Games at play. Just like their government, including the race between Lee and Yoon. Own S.Korean media called it Squid Games, ugly election, shady all around.

Lets see South Korea and Yoon keep promises made and agreements signed!

The headline alone is progress. At least Yoon publicly admitted he wanted better ties and said 'future oriented'. This is light years better than his predecessor, who had no reservations when stating virtually everything in terms of conditional terms like 'when Japan fully realizes its past mistakes will the relationship prosper' or something along those lines.

However, this was not the defining issue of Yoon's platform, so he might just reverse course when things get tough since Japan-bashing almost always guarantees a bump in approval polling.

Interestingly, China seems to be helping unite Japan and Korea. Funny how that works.

With Russia invading its neighbors, and China threatening to do the same with Taiwan, Korea and Japan are wise to put old grudges behind them, and unite for their own safety in a destabilizing region.

Japan should stop pursuing Liancourt Rocks, use an apologetic tone about its Imperial past, and Japanese politicians should stop visiting Yasukuni shrine. Korea should stop trying to reopen closed books about the colonization period and indoctrinating hatred towards Japan to its youth. There, all problems solved. Will any of this happen during our lifetimes? I am not holding my breath.

Yet any agreement with South Korea is worth as much as an agreement with Russia or nothing.