The Japanese media gave a positive evaluation of the fact that the leaders of Korea and Japan had a summit meeting in Hiroshima, the site of the atomic bombing, on the occasion of the G7 summit, and jointly paid tribute to the Korean atomic bomb victims’ memorial. He urged that it should lead to stronger cooperation between Korea, the U.S. and Japan.
On the 23rd, the Mainichi Shimbun, in an editorial titled “Korea-Japan summit in Hiroshima, strengthening trust as a step toward peace,” said that joint worship at the Korean Atomic Bomb Victims’ Cenotaph in Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park was held on the occasion of the G7, “The Japanese side has sounded out. “This is the first time the leaders of Japan and Korea (Korea and Japan) have stood side by side in front of a memorial stone,” he said.
In particular, the newspaper evaluated it as “a sight that will surely be remembered for a long time as a symbol of improved Japan-Korea relations.”
Relations between Korea and Japan have been improving after the Korean government announced a law to resolve the issue of forced labor. The two governments have already held talks three times since March,” he pointed out.
Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida commented that he was “heartbroken” about the issue of forced labor, but “in Korea, voices saying that Japan’s apology was insufficient were deep-rooted. The newspaper analyzed that the visit to the memorial monument was intended to strongly show the attitude of facing history.”
Mainichi urged, “The important thing is to improve Japan-Korea relations and lead to strengthening cooperation between Japan, the US and Korea (Korea, the US and Japan).” “North Korea is accelerating its nuclear and missile development. Joint action is an urgent priority,” he stressed.
He also pointed out that Korea-US-Japan cooperation has a countermeasure against China, which the US has defined as ‘the only strategic competitor’, but to Korea and Japan, China is also the largest geographically close trading partner.
The newspaper said, “We must urge dialogue between the US and China to ease tensions. It is important to reinforce communication by resuming the Japan-China-Korea (Korea-China-Japan) summit as early as possible, which has not been held for more than three years,” he suggested. “We need to take measures that link improved Japan-ROK relations with peace and stability in the region and the international community,” he added.
On the same day, the Nihon Keizai Shimbun (Nikkei) also commented on the meeting between the heads of the three countries of Korea, the United States and Japan on the occasion of the G7 summit on the 21st in an editorial saying, “It was an extremely short time, but the heads of the three countries (Korea, the United States and Japan), which are the backbone of regional security in Asia, frequently saw their faces. It is of great significance that we met face to face and shared opinions.”
Regarding the three Korea-Japan summits in three months, including the meeting at the G7, he gave a positive evaluation, saying, “Isn’t it raising the trust essential for cooperation?”
The joint visit of the leaders of Korea and Japan to the Korean atomic bomb victims’ memorial was diagnosed as “historic.” “It can be evaluated as an act of healing the hearts of Korean people, including those involved,” he said.
In particular, regarding the invitation of US President Joe Biden to President Yoon Seok-yeol and Prime Minister Kishida to Washington, D.C., for a trilateral meeting between Korea, the US and Japan, Nikkei said, “It is a story that has been heartbroken over the Japan-Korea discord (conflict) since the time of former Vice President Barack Obama. President Biden’s extraordinary thoughts come through,” he noted.
President Biden’s invitation was pointed out as “evidence that the United States is feeling a sense of crisis from the military threat from China and North Korea along with Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.” It was also pointed out that there are growing concerns about the imminent launch of North Korea’s military reconnaissance satellite.
The Nikkei suggested, “We need to build a Japan-US-ROK system that will become an irreversible rock by utilizing momentum.” “That is the most effective way to deter North Korea and China. It goes without saying that Japan and South Korea should not be afraid to insist on the US if it is necessary from the point of view of national interests such as China policy,” he stressed.
In addition, the newspaper mentioned the fact that the South Korean government’s Fukushima inspection team is visiting Japan, and urged “to resolve pending issues steadily through repeated dialogues between the two countries.”
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.