Yi Whan-woo is a Korea Times journalist primarily covering finance. He writes in-depth articles on macroeconomy and financial markets and previously covered sports, politics, diplomacy and inter-Korean affairs, among others. Feel free to contact him at yistory@koreatimes.co.kr.
Has US chosen Japan over Korea already?
By Yi Whan-woo
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s visit to the United States this week is raising concerns in Korea, which tacitly expects Washington to help settle historical disputes between Seoul and Tokyo.
Abe’s seven-day trip that started on Sunday comes amid Washington’s support for Tokyo’s larger military role while urging Korea and Japan to reach a “final resolution” over their historical tensions.
In particular, Abe is highly unlikely to apologize to its Asian neighbors over Japan’s atrocities during World War II in his speech to Congress slated for Wednesday. He is instead expected to present Japan as a stalwart U.S. ally.
The Abe government’s revision of its pacifist Constitution has raised a question of whether the Japanese military will forcibly enter the Korean Peninsula as Tokyo did during its colonial rule (1910-45).
Citing remarks by a senior U.S. official on Friday, Korean media are speculating that Abe’s trip may persuade the White House to centralize its Asia policies on Japan.
Evan Medeiros, senior director for Asian affairs at the White House’s National Security Council (NSC), said the 2+2 meeting between defense and foreign ministers from U.S. and Japan would “announce some historic changes to the way the U.S.-Japan alliance operates.”
Abe’s Cabinet members, including Defense Minister Koku Jieitai and Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida, are accompanying him.
The 2+2 meeting took place in New York on Monday to unveil the first update of U.S.-Japan defense cooperation guidelines since 1997.
According to Medeiros, the revised rules would “significantly expand” Japan’s role in the Washington-Tokyo alliance. He said the rules also would provide the “mechanism for Japan to provide a wider range of support to U.S. forces.”
Meanwhile, Medeiros’s remark over historical tension between Korea and Japan was seen as a mere repetition of Washington’s stance amid worsening bilateral ties between Seoul and Tokyo.
“We always stress that it’s important to address history questions in an honest, constructive and forthright manner that promotes healing, but also in a way that reaches a final resolution,” he said on Friday.
“We are very supportive of diplomatic efforts between Japan and the ROK to improve their relationship. We think all sides should address history issues from that perspective of being constructive and focusing on the future and final resolutions.”
According to the Munhwa Ilbo newspaper, Monday, Medeiros’s remarks should be seen as a possible sign of Washington’s pressure on Seoul to improve its ties with Tokyo to enhance a trilateral alliance.
Lee Won-deok, an international relations professor at Kookmin University, echoed a similar view.
“There’s nothing much we can expect from Abe,” he said. “We should not be too discouraged by his U.S. visit, because after all, his trip is to enhance ties with Washington, not with Seoul.”