Chinese experts analyzed that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is showing enthusiasm for bringing South Korea into the “Quad” of the United States, Japan, Australia and India.
On the 26th, China’s state-run Global Times, citing an expert, said, “Prime Minister Kishida met President-elect Yoon Seok-yeol’s Korea-Japan policy consultative delegation (hereinafter referred to as the policy consultative group) this morning, showing his enthusiasm.”
The policy consultative group led by National Assembly Vice Chairman Jeong Jin-seok (Chairman) will visit Japan for 5 days and 4 nights from the 24th.
The policy council held a 25-minute interview with Prime Minister Kishida on the morning of the 26th and delivered a personal letter from President-elect Yoon.
According to the Japanese government, Prime Minister Kishida took into consideration the situation in Ukraine, China’s military expansion, and North Korea’s successive missile launches, “in an international situation where the international order based on rules is threatened. “There is never a time when strategic cooperation is so necessary.” He added that “improving Korea-Japan relations cannot be delayed.”
Dazgang, director of the Northeast Asian Institute of the Heilongjiang Provincial Academy of Social Sciences, analyzed, “Prime Minister Kishida’s acceptance of a meeting with Yun’s council is a concrete response to Yun’s will (to improve Korea-Japan relations).”
Director Da explained, “This interaction (a meeting between the policy council and Prime Minister Kishida) shows that both President-elect Yoon and Prime Minister Kishida have an essential agenda for improving Korea-Japan relations.” He continued, “For President-elect Yoon, improving relations with Japan is the key to further solidifying our alliance with the United States.”
Earlier, President-elect Yoon showed a positive attitude toward Korea’s accession to the quad, and China is paying attention to the possibility of Korea’s joining the quad.
In an interview with the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on the 24th (local time), President-elect Yoon mentioned that he would positively consider joining Quad if given the opportunity.
However, Chinese experts predict that it will not be easy to improve the strained relationship between Korea and Japan in the short term.
Director Da emphasized that “Korea and Japan have a long way to go to improve relations,” adding, “This is because serious emotional conflicts and historical issues remain between the two countries.” At the same time, he added, “The issue of comfort women, forced labor, and Dokdo are issues that President-elect Yoon and the Japanese government must solve.”
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