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| Japan's Emperor Naruhito, right, takes part of the opening ceremony of an extraordinary diet session in Tokyo on Oct. 4. AFP-Yonhap |
By Do Je-hae
Tokyo is getting ready to celebrate the ascension of Emperor Naruhito, who succeeded his father Akihito in May, with a huge enthronement ceremony on Oct. 22. For the festive occasion marking the opening of the Reiwa era, Tokyo has invited dignitaries from more than 190 countries and international organizations.
Under normal circumstances, Koreans would take little interest in the upcoming coronation of the new Japanese emperor. But due to the ongoing bilateral conflict over colonial history, as well as trade and national security, there has been intense media focus on who will represent Korea at Japan's biggest diplomatic event in decades.
In particular, there has been keen attention on whether President Moon Jae-in would make a bold decision to visit Japan for the occasion, making an unforeseen move for a future-oriented relationship with Tokyo despite the Japanese government's rigid posture toward Korea since 2018 Supreme Court rulings on wartime forced labor.
Since the beginning of Japan's trade restrictions, seen by Seoul as retaliation for the court ruling on the colonial past, Cheong Wa Dae has eyed the coronation as a possible breakthrough for mending fences with Tokyo. On Sunday, the Prime Minister's Office announced Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon will be attending the ceremony.
"The Reiwa coronation could be a new turning point, but at this time, the two sides will not be able to communicate properly. Despite the gravity of diplomatic confrontations, there has been a kind of principle of separating politics and economics that has been applied to Korea-Japan relations for the past 54 years [since the 1965 normalization treaty]. That principle has collapsed. There is a possibility of further deterioration in bilateral relations," a former foreign first vice foreign minister said.
Making the first move
Insiders are underlining the importance of the coming weeks as the opportune time to resume high-level bilateral talks, given some crucial future developments that could have decisive impact on bilateral relations. A military intelligence-sharing pact with Japan will be concluded on Nov. 24.
"The two sides should not miss out on the opportunity for talks. Given the deadline for the conclusion of the General Security of Information Agreement (GSOMIA), the two parties must start talking in October," former Prime Minister Lee Hong-koo said during a recent forum on Korea-Japan relations.
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| Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe delivers the policy speech during the opening of the extraordinary parliament session in Tokyo, Oct. 4. Abe has continued to tell Seoul to rectify its 'breach of international law.' AP-Yonhap |
Also worrisome is the pending liquidation of assets of Japanese firms such as Mitsubishi Heavy Industries that have refused to comply with the top Korean court's order to compensate the victims of forced wartime labor. The liquidation of assets of the Japanese firms is expected to start taking place as early as at the end of this year.
Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi has warned Korea against taking steps that could inflict actual damage on the Japanese firms.
Tokyo has shown a continued disapproval of Korea's responses to sensitive historical issues ― the Supreme Court ruling and the 2015 agreement on victims of wartime sexual slavery.
Some experts are advising the Korean government to take the initiative in resolving the two countries' differences. "We need to approach the origin of the bilateral conflict from the perspective that one who has tied the knot must untie it. The Supreme Court ruling came from Korea, not Japan. From the Japanese standpoint, the Supreme Court ruling has shaken the very foundation of the bilateral relations established with the 1965 treaty. The ruling broke the status quo, so the Korean government needs to take the initiative," a senior diplomatic source said.
The Japanese government has been blocking the firms from carrying out the verdict, claiming that all colonial-era compensation was completely and finally settled with the 1965 treaty normalizing diplomatic relations. Tokyo provided $500 million in grants and loans under the Korea-Japan Claims Settlement Agreement attached to the treaty.
But in October 2018, the Supreme Court ruling angered Prime Minister Shinzo Abe by determining that individuals still retained the right to seek compensation for pain and suffering inflicted by the "illegal colonial rule." Abe has incessantly called on South Korea to rectify what he calls a "breach of international law," while the South Korean government has hit back with the logic that bilateral treaties cannot terminate individuals rights to claims, and has called on Japan to respect the Supreme Court ruling.
Due to the unbending positions of both governments, the leaders of the two countries have not been able to sit down for a summit since their last one on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly in October 2018. But that meeting significantly hampered Abe's trust in Moon when the latter elaborated on the need to dissolve a foundation, partially funded by Japan, to help the so-called comfort women under the 2015 bilateral deal.
Reviving 'Kim-Obuchi' spirit
Choi Sang-yong, former ambassador to Japan during the previous Kim Dae-jung administration, has highlighted the need for the two leaders to inherit the spirit of the 1998 "Kim-Obuchi declaration" and reaffirm their commitment to resolving contentious bilateral issues diplomatically.
Although bilateral relations have soured during his time in office, Moon congratulated the new emperor's ascension and showed his appreciation toward his predecessor Akihito in a letter.
"The President noted Akihito's focus on peace and the contributions made for bilateral relations during his reign," according to the foreign ministry. Moon has expressed his wishes for the new emperor to continue to embrace peace and improve ties between the two countries.
Some analysts have noted the need to first rebuild trust between the two leaders and make use of future diplomatic occasions, such as the APEC summit in November or the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.
Abe recently called Korea an "important neighbor," and some Japanese politicians have also been voicing conciliatory messages toward Seoul.
"Basically, the biggest problem is that mutual trust has been damaged, particularly between the leaders of the two countries. The key task from now is how to rebuild that trust. It's important to utilize certain occasions, such as the Olympics," Chung Jae-jeong, an emeritus professor at the University of Seoul said.
