New Phase of Japan-ROK Relation

Foreign Ministers of Japan and Republic of Korea agreed on final and irreversible solution of comfort woman issue in Seoul on Monday. Although detailed protocol has not been announced, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and ROK President Park Geun-hye will endorse the agreement as soon as next spring. After a long period of quarrels, both nations seem to have reached a historical reconciliation over the wartime infringement of human dignity.

The voice of Japanese Foreign Minister, Fumio Kishida, was delight and clear at the joint press conference with ROK Foreign Minister, Yun Byung-se. “Comfort woman issue is a matter of harming honor and dignity of many women under involvement of military at that time. On that viewpoint, Japanese government seriously recognize its responsibility on it,” told Kishida. He stressed that Prime Minister Abe would express sincere apology and reflection to all the people who suffered from unhealed memory of tremendous pain.

For Japanese government, the most important point of the agreement was that it must be an “irreversible solution.” Putting aside the fact that it has been the Japanese political leaders, including Abe, who kept on overturning sincere apology made by former Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yohei Kono, Kishida insisted on that the agreement was final and irreversible solution. To implement the apology to former comfort women, Japanese government pledged to subscribe ¥1 billion to new organization for supporting former comfort women.

The substance of the agreement was nearly perfect for any political powers in Japan. “We can recognize the agreement as a progress for a solution,” told Chairman of Japan Communist Party, Kazuo Shii. While sober relationship with ROK has been a major weakness of Abe diplomacy, reaching final solution on comfort woman issue made a great political advance.

Why did it take so long time, anyway? It was Abe who complicated the problem by questioning traditional definition that Japanese Imperial Army had been involved in the comfort woman issue. By denying coerciveness of recruiting those women, Abe invited sharp opposition from South Korean public. It is still unclear how Abe changed his mind. Necessity in political and diplomatic requirement does not completely explain it.

Abe and Park had a telephone talk after the ministerial agreement. “I welcome that comfort woman issue is finally and irreversibly solved by the agreement,” told Abe. “Expressing apology and reflection leads to restoring honor and dignity of the victims and healing wounds in their heart,” replied Park. It is undeniable that the bilateral relation stepped into new phase of implementation.