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Korea and Japan Pursue Future-Oriented Relations

The 16th Korea-Japan Forum, held at the Okura Hotel in Tokyo, Japan (August 28-30), included the participation of some 50 Korean and Japanese representatives who engaged in extensive discussions on various topics, including the domestic situations in Korea and Japan, societal developments, and key issues of the East Asian region.

The forum proceedings got underway with a visit to the Office of Japan’s Prime Minister, on the afternoon of August 28. Prime Minister Fukuda reflected upon his efforts to promote Korea-Japan relations and his four meetings with President Lee Myung-bak. He also emphasized that Japan would not consider the use of force to resolve the Dokdo controversy, which has become a particular sore point between the two countries.
In this regard, Korea-Japan Forum Chairman Gong Ro-myung called for Japan’s active role to strengthen cooperative relations in East Asia. This marked the first time for the Korea-Japan Forum participants to have paid an official visit to Japan’sPrime Minister. In addition to this meeting, a luncheon presentation by Japan’s Defense Minister Hayashi and a dinner hosted by Japan’s Foreign Minister Komura, on August 29, underscored the significance of the Korea-Japan Forum.



Political Situation
During the initial forum session on the political situations in Korea and Japan, Japan’s former Chief Cabinet Secretary Shiojaki explained that the political situation in Japan was quite fluid due to the Japanese public’s low expectations of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ), along with the people being dissatisfied with the current reality and concerned about the future. He also did not foresee any “philosophical” regime change, due to a general similarity in the ideology of the ruling party and the opposition party. Related to this, former DPJ President Okada pointed out that the LDP’s influence, as a political party, had seen a sharp decline. Member of the House of Councilors Fukuyama (DPJ) noted that the DPJ’s clear difference from the LDP was its distance from bureaucratic officials, while calling for a restructuring of the establishment through regime change.

Cooperative Approach to Regional Concerns
In regard to regional issues, Member of the House of Representatives Maehara expressed his conclusion that North Korea would never abandon its nuclear program, although the Bush administration was actively seeking to resolve the crisis in order to boost its diplomatic performance. He anticipated that North Korea would respond to U.S. initiatives just enough to save the face of the United States. He advocated close cooperation between Korea and Japan in the efforts to overcome the North Korean nuclear issue and to address problems related to China’s environmental and energy situation. In addition, Professor Ahn Byung-joon of the Korean side cited the need for restraint, on the part of all East Asian countries, which often serve to heighten the potential for conflict as a result of their nationalistic tendencies.



Dokdo Controversy
The issue of Dokdo was raised from the outset and was intensively discussed throughout the entire forum. Several of the Japanese participants pointed out the need for territorial designation in this dispute, while appealing for understanding from the Korean side, along with calling for rational dialogue between the two countries, devoid of excessive emotion and media distortion.
While noting that the Dokdo controversy is rooted in Japan’s past imperialism, the Korean side emphasized a need for Japan to recognize a proper understanding of the related details. In this regard, Chosun Ilbo Editor-in-Chief Kang Seok-cheon pointedly declared that while Korea and Japan should not be blinded by historical developments, it is necessary to remember the lessons of history as well. Above all, the participants concurred that the Dokdo controversy only serves to hurt both sides, while being a relatively minor aspect of the full spectrum of today’s Korea-Japan relations. For the time being, it was concluded that the two sides would have to “agree to disagree” on this matter, so as to avoid unnecessary consequences while searching for an acceptable resolution.

Future-Oriented Relationship
In his presentation on societal matters, Professor Chang Je-guk recommended that cooperation between Korea and Japan, which has thus far been dominated by centralized discourse, should adopt a broadened approach centered on regional-level cooperation, by boosting relations between local cities. His suggestion for the organization of dialogue channels for next-generation leaders and local legislators was well-received by all participants.
Similarly, Member of the House of Representatives Kosaka of Japan endorsed activities that promoted interaction between students from Korea, Japan, and China, as an effort to instill the next generation with a future-minded perspective toward East Asian cooperation. As for economic relations, the participants focused on Korea-Japan cooperation in regard to assuring the soundness of their financial systems, along with measures in response to the emergence of China and global warming. In particular, they exchanged thoughts on the need to promote balanced development, in light of East Asia’s rapidly declining birth rates.
The 16th Korea-Japan Forum again served as an occasion for the two sides to recognize the paramount importance of building a future-oriented relationship, in spite of the existence of territorial and history-related disputes. Indeed, the requisite trust and confidence for moving in this direction can best be realized through the frank dialogue and intellectual exchange provided by this kind of forum event.

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