“Abe, the diplomacy is excellent,” Suga wants to go while consulting … Expert “The breakthrough in relations between Korea and Japan is this year’s summit”

Elected as chairman of the Liberal Democratic Party in Japan on 14
Diplomacy said: “It is urgent to establish a momentum of dialogue at the conclusion of the Korea-China-Japan summit”
Also “Dissolution of the House of Representatives – possibility of general elections”
Japan’s Secretary of State Yoshihide Suga was elected governor of the Liberal Democratic Party on the 14th, and on the 16th it became clear that he would be appointed the new prime minister after Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Attention is being drawn to all three issues from both countries.

On the 13th, a diplomatic source said: “The Korea-China-Japan summit being held this year, effective to compensate the victims of compulsory military service during the Japanese colonial regime and the Tokyo Olympics, which were postponed to next year due to the new coronavirus infection (Corona 19), there are three ways to improve relations between Korea and Japan over the next year. It will be a match. ”

The government is also watching and seeing that the launch of Suga’s Cabinet could serve as an opportunity to improve relations. A diplomatic source familiar with Japan-Korea relations said: “There are some observations that Suga’s Cabinet is an extension of Abe’s Cabinet and is a cabinet to handle the situation, but it does not rule out the possibility of actively working to improve the relations between Korea and Japan “.

First of all, the first topic that is imminent is the Korea-China-Japan summit that is promoted at the end of November. The government is known to go ahead with a plan to hold the Korea-Japan summit by inviting the next Prime Minister of Japan. This year’s conflict between Korea and Japan did not worsen as it did last year, and the situation was managed thanks to the ‘momentum of conversation’ created at the Korea-Japan summit that took place last December, so diplomacy It is fundamental for the assessment that it is essential to hold the summit this year to continue the situation. There are no differences of opinion. Jin Chang-soo, former director of the Sejong Institute, said, “If Suga becomes prime minister, he invites him to Korea and shares a message with President Moon Jae-in saying, ‘Let’s do well in the future’ and the relationship between Korea and Japan can be maintained. ” Taking into account the complicated process, the monetization of the victims of forced labor will be carried over to next year and the possibility of delaying up to two years or more is being discussed. Between the end of this year and the beginning of next year, the appraisal of seized assets from Japanese companies, a monetization process, is likely to be completed. For this reason, even within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, it is said that “cash is a catastrophe of Korea-Japan relations” and that work to find a diplomatic solution must somehow continue. Professor Park Chul-hee of the Graduate School of International Studies at Seoul National University said, “It is possible that the government will reimburse victims first and claim reimbursement rights from Japanese companies,” he said. “To stop the time bomb of the Korea-Japan relations catastrophe, the government must act quickly.” Kookmin University professor Lee Won-deok said: “Instead of Prime Minister Abe, who was ideologically oriented, Suga has a practical side, so it depends on how the government approaches him.” It is also possible to send a ‘message of cooperation’ to the celebration of the Olympic Games in Tokyo next year. CEO Jin Jin said, “A friendly public opinion will be created in Korea through the message of ‘Wishing the Olympic Games a Success’ in Corona 19.”

Meanwhile, according to Nihon Keizai Shimbun and others, Suga said in a debate on Liberal Democratic Party gubernatorial candidates on the 12th, I will go while consulting with Prime Minister Abe. “According to Kyodo News, Japan’s Deputy Prime Minister Taro Aso, and the finance minister expressed the view that the next prime minister could dissolve the House of Representatives early and hold general elections.

Kijae Han [email protected] · Reporter Jiseon Choi / Tokyo = Hyungjun Park Correspondent