Recent political relations between Japan and the two Koreas

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Recent political relations between
Japan and the two Koreas

• Aleksandra Babovic
• MA student at Institute of Political Studies in
  Paris and IIPE member

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Introduction

• Normalization
• Japan South Korea (ROK) - Treaty on
  Basic Relations in 1965 motivated by economic aid
  (500)
• Japan North Korea (DPRK) trade
  relations initiated in 1961 while unofficial
  political relations established in 70s
• Nixon-Sato Communiqué in 1969 - Korean clause
  the security of the Republic of Korea is
  essential to Japans own security
• 80s favorable to the normalization talks
  between Japan DPRK, but from 90s till today
  they never resumed.
• Common point unsolved historical issues from
  Japanese occupation of Korean Peninsula
  (1910-1945) mutual resentment

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Thesis

• The current state of Japan and two Koreas recent
  political relations (from the end of the Cold
  war) dualistic with ROK and worsening with
  DPRK.
• The near future no likely to ameliorate -
  peoples mentalities and lack of pragmatic
  diplomacy
• Prospective Japans normalization process with
  DPRK and deepening of political ties with ROK
  still remain a long run goas for its diplomacy.

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Japan DPRK relations Sad State of Play and Sad
Prospects

• Normalization process unreachable goal of two
  diplomacies
• September 1990 - Three-Party Declaration
  encouraged apology and compensation from Japan
• Shift in Japanese policy toward DPRK (ROK and US
  pressure) inspection of nuclear facilities by
  IAEA as pre-condition normalization talks
  postponed until the new Millennium
• 1994 North Korean nuclear crisis and launching of
  a Taepodong missile in 1998 friction between
  US-ROK-Japan
• September 2001 Pyongyang Declaration violation
• Adoption of a hard-line policy toward DPRK -
  abduction issue as a top priority on governments
  agenda

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B. Resolving the thorny abduction issue

• Abductees 13 Japanese nationals, mostly young
  people, who were abducted to North Korea (1977 to
  1982) in order to participate in training of
  espionage agents
• Kim Jong Ils 2002 confirmation
• Diplomatic efforts 5 abductees returned in
  Japan BUT unconfident information on others
  pressure groups reason why Japan did not
  redraw from this question

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C. Japans role in DPRK denuclearization
within the Six-Party Talks

• Six-Party Talks- the international forum aiming
  at denuclearization of DPRK initiated in 2003
• The "stop and go negotiations - erratic posture
  of DPRK and divergent approaches of parties
  involved
• Six-Party Talks - a second place for Japan for
  making potential breakthroughs on the sensitive
  abduction issue by pairing it up with
  denuclearization process

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D. North Korea as a security threat to Japan

• Nuclear tests from 1998 - a wake-up call for
  Japan
• The US- Japan regional missile defense system
• Frequent smuggling of North Korean spy ships
  introduction of unilateral sanction in 2006 by
  Japan against DPRK (ships, goods, persons, and
  surveillance of money transactions)
• Explanation of the hard-line approach

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D. North Korea as a security threat to Japan

• Nuclear tests from 1998 - a wake-up call for
  Japan
• The US- Japan regional missile defense system
• Frequent smuggling of North Korean spy ships
  introduction of unilateral sanction in 2006 by
  Japan against DPRK (ships, goods, persons, and
  surveillance of money transactions)
• Explanation of the hard-line approach

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E. April 2009 ballistic launch new
developments and their impact on the future

• 2009 Ballistic Launch or communication satellite
  launch, DPRK expelled IAEA inspectors, threats
  to resume its nuclear program
• September 2009 announcement we entered the
  final phase of weaponizing plutonium and we are
  prepared for both, dialogue and sanctions
• A real military threat or a tactical move?
• Possible shift on the agenda abduction issue is
  to be topped by denuclearization issue
• Newly elected Yukio Hatoyama continuation of a
  hard-line policy

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2. Japan- South Korea relations

• A. The future-oriented and pragmatic political
  relations between Japan and ROK remain a goal
  difficult to achieve in the near future
• Future oriented statements strained by periodical
  flare-up of historical issues
• 1998 Joint Statement of a New ROK-Japan
  Partnership toward the Twenty-First Century and
  Roh Moo Hyun Premier Koizumi meeting
• The historical international politics or
  historical disputes involve the battle for the
  power or to be more precise, it becomes an arena
  when power dominates.
• Different perception of political and strategic
  environment of three key regional players
  impediment for building more strategic
  alliance between Japan and ROK

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B. Periodical flare-ups of historical and
territorial issues as a major impediment for full
reconciliation of Japan-ROK ties

• The comfort women 1992 official documents
  revealed the involvement of Japanese Imperial
  Army
• 1993 Kono Statement (Government admitted its
  moral responsibility for comfort women,
  apologized for their mental and physical
  sufferings, promised it would never repeat the
  same mistake and teach about it to future
  generations ) BUT never admitted legal
  responsibility
• Abe Shinzos 2007 denial of comfort women,
  controversy with textbooks negative impact on
  Korean public opinion
• The problem of Asian/Womens Fund created in 1995
• The international dimension Canada, GB, the US,
  the UN and the EU Parliament passed resolutions
  making pressure over Japan

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B. Periodical flare-ups of historical and
territorial issues as a major impediment for full
reconciliation of Japan-ROK ties

• The issue of Takeshima or Dokdo in 1905 put
  under Japanese authority
• 1952 Singhman Ree Line and two years later,
  Korean military presence on the islands
• The territorial dispute is also result of the US
  cold war policy
• 1954 and 1962 attempt of Japan for peaceful
  resolving of issue via ICJ (International Court
  of Justice)
• Dokdo is like a volcano, ready to erupt every
  time a minor incident happens

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C. Could Japan and ROK be a good neighbors
despite of their history burden?

• Fertile ground for establishing a good political
  neighbor policy
• Significant level of cultural and economic
  exchanges between ROK and Japan (J-Wave and
  K-Wave)
• Japan is Roks second largest trade partner,
  while the latter is the third one to Japan (2007)
• Frequent diplomatic visits on both sides
• BUT the demons of history continue and will
  continue to haunt Japan-Korea relations

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• Thank you for your attention!
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