Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida mentioned the names of only three leaders in his policy speech to the National Assembly on the 30th. In order, they are President Yoon Seok-yeol, Chinese President Xi Jinping, and North Korean Workers’ Party General Secretary Kim Jong-un.
Japanese media Fuji News Network (FNN) analyzed the differences from last year’s address by mentioning the leaders who appeared under their real names in Prime Minister Kishida’s address this year.
Prime Minister Kishida mentioned the three leaders by their real names when talking about relations with each country.
The first leader to appear was President Yoon Seok-yeol. He specifically said this:
“With Korea, an important neighbor with whom we must cooperate in responding to international challenges, we will further expand and evolve our broad linkage based on our relationship of trust with President Yoon, and we will also advance the strategic linkage between Korea, the United States, and Japan and the framework of Korea, China, and Japan.”
FNN noted that Prime Minister Kishida flaunted cooperation by mentioning his relationship of trust with President Yoon, but avoided mentioning issues of conflict between the two countries, such as the Dokdo issue and the ruling on compensation for forced labor.
In a speech last year, Prime Minister Kishida said, “We will communicate closely with Korea, an important neighbor with which we must cooperate in responding to various challenges in the international community, to return the Korea-Japan relationship to a healthy one and further develop it based on the friendly and cooperative relationship since the establishment of diplomatic relations.” He said.
At that time, President Yoon’s name was not known. FNN interpreted that the greatly improved relationship between Korea and Japan over the past year was also reflected in the text of the speech. Analysis suggests that the reason the conflict between the two countries was not mentioned this year was due to the judgment that there was no need to inflame the conflict.
During the Abe administration, when Korea-Japan relations were at their worst, there were cases where Korea was not mentioned in speeches. The media added that compared to then, the current trend of improving relations with Korea is clear.
◇“Summit meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping”
The leader that Prime Minister Kishida mentioned following President Yoon was Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Prime Minister Kishida said, “We are communicating at all levels, including the summit with President Xi Jinping last November,” and added, “We will continue to comprehensively promote strategic and mutually beneficial relationships, while at the same time eliminating the one-sided phenomenon caused by power in the East and South China Seas.” “We will assert what our country must assert, including regarding attempts at change, and strongly demand responsible action,” he said.
He added, “We will build a constructive and stable relationship through the efforts of both sides.”
In addition, regarding China’s ban on imports of Japanese seafood due to the discharge of contaminated water from Japan’s Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant, he said, “We will demand an immediate abolition of the suspension of imports.”
The mention of China did not change much from the city administration speech a year ago, but the phrase ‘strategic mutually beneficial relationship’ was added. FNN analyzed that Prime Minister Kishida expressed his desire to proactively promote strategic reciprocity through last year’s China-Japan summit.
◇“High-level dialogue with Kim Jong-un to realize North Korea-Japan summit”
The last leader whose real name was mentioned is North Korean Workers’ Party General Secretary Kim Jong-un.
Prime Minister Kishida mentioned Secretary General Kim’s name while mentioning the issue of Japanese abduction by North Korea and the situation on the Korean Peninsula.
He said, “To realize the return of all North Korean abductees to the country as soon as possible and to elevate relations with North Korea to a new stage, to resolve all issues with North Korea in accordance with the North Korea-Japan Pyongyang Declaration, and to realize a summit meeting with Chairman Kim Jong-un, high-ranking officials under direct authority.” “We will proceed with discussions,” he said.
A year ago, while pointing out that North Korea’s ballistic missile provocations were unacceptable, he said, “I have decided to face Chairman Kim Jong-un directly without conditions.” At that time, Secretary General Kim’s name appeared, but the expression ‘summit’ was added. FNN evaluated that a stronger desire for a meeting with Secretary General Kim was evident.
Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden’s name was not mentioned. FNN estimated that with former President Donald Trump expected to return to the White House at this point ahead of the US presidential election in November, he may have hesitated to mention President Biden directly.
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.