Approaching Neighbor Country with Common Security Concerns

Given a possibility that incoming president of the United States may retreat from the frameworks of like-minded countries, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba focuses on maintenance of security cooperation with neighbor countries. Considering current developments on the side of authoritarianism, it is likely that the Republic of Korea is a reliable country to share common security goals. Ishiba accelerates normalization of bilateral relationship with ROK.

Ishiba had a meeting with ROK President, Yoon Suk Yeol, in Lima, Peru, in the backdrop of Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit meeting. Both leaders shared “serious concern” on North Korea’s nuclear and missile activities and further advance of its military cooperation with Russia including deployment of North Korean troops to Russia.

 

As a relatively pro-Japan President, Yoon has made efforts to improve bilateral relationship with Japan, taking measures to resolve the issue of forced labor of Koreans under administration of Imperial Japan. Yoon resumed shuttle diplomacy between the leaders of ROK and Japan, which had been unrealistic at the time of Japanese Premier Shinzo Abe who was unable to build close relationship with ROK.

 

Based on a trend of diplomatic improvement, Ishiba and Yoon agreed on enhancing bilateral relationship to new heights toward next year, which marks the 60th anniversary of the normalization of Japan-ROK relationship. “Given a severe security environment, it is important for us to enhance cooperative relations between Japan and ROK, or Japan-ROK-U.S. relations,” said Ishiba to Yoon.

 

The trilateral meeting among Ishiba, Yoon and the U.S. President Joe Biden became an opportunity to consolidate that trilateral framework, before the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 47th U.S. President, who is expected to defy that trilateral framework, which may increase security cost of the U.S.

 

They agreed on establishing Trilateral Coordinating Secretariat to continue working together in various issues including policies toward North Korea. They also exchanged views on unilateral attempts to change status quo by force, which indicated China’s unilateral advance to the East and South China Seas. However, it is unclear whether Trump will succeed this achievement of Biden.

 

Nikkei Shimbun reported that Japan’s Minister of Defense, Gen Nakatani, expressed his intention to visit ROK by the end of this year. It will be the first visit of Japanese defense minister to ROK in these nine years, if it is done. The both governments expect the bilateral security cooperation will work as a deterrence against North Korea, which currently is reinforcing relationship with Russia.

 

Concerning China’s unequivocal ambition for annexation of Taiwan, Japan, with ROK or other like-minded countries, hopes to build up security framework as less dependent on the U.S. as possible.

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