Returning Ambassador in Vain

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Fumio Kishida, announced on Monday that Japanese government would return its Ambassador to Republic of Korea, Yasumasa Nagamine, to Seoul as early as on Tuesday. Protesting weak handling of South Korean government in building a statue of comfort woman in front of Japanese Consulate General in Busan, Shinzo Abe administration pulled Nagamine back to Japan last December. Now, Abe administration finishes the policy without any achievement, leaving empty months in bilateral diplomacy with South Korea.

There have been a lot of events in these three months. When North Korea launched four ballistic missiles last month, which touched down on offshore of Akita Prefecture of Japan, Japanese government could not have necessary diplomatic contact with South Korea on the Ambassador level. Impeachment of former South Korean President, Park Geun-hye, who promoted the agreement with Abe for settling dispute over comfort woman, was a major damage for Japan. But, Japanese Ambassador to RoK, staying in Japan, could not obtain necessary information about the Presidential scandal.

Park is no longer in Presidency. The biggest opposite party in South Korea, New Politics Alliance for Democracy or Minjoo Party, raised Moon Jae-in for the candidate of Presidential election in May. As Moon was known as a hardliner to Japan in terms of comfort woman issue, Japanese government had to rebuild moderate relationship with possible candidates for next President. “Nagamine is going to directly urge Acting President, Hwang Kyo-ahn, persuade next administration to implement bilateral agreement on comfort woman,” told Kishida about the reason of sending Nagamine to South Korea again.

Prolonged stay of Nagamine in Japan proved absence of exit strategy on the protesting diplomacy of Abe administration. Some officers in Ministry for Foreign Affairs expected the recalling to end within ten days or so at the beginning. But, Kishida, backed by Abe, insisted on hard policy toward Park administration, requesting  removal of statue of comfort woman. Kishida admitted that his policy made no achievement.

It is necessary for Japanese government to make new connection with next South Korean administration before new President coming in. The Ambassador is the most responsible for the project. But, it is still unclear whether Nagamine will be successful in rebuilding preferable relationship with the Presidential candidates. Sober relationship between Japan and South Korea will give advantage to North Korea, which is preparing for next intimidation of development of nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles.