
The recent detention of South Korea's impeached former president, Yoon Suk-yeol, has raised concerns about the potential impact on Japan's relations with its neighbor and their trilateral partnership with the United States. Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya emphasized the importance of cooperation between Japan and South Korea, stating that the significance of their partnership will only continue to grow despite the challenges.
Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, who succeeded Fumio Kishida in office, had been working towards improving relations with South Korea. However, Ishiba had to cancel a planned visit to South Korea following Yoon's declaration of martial law, which created turmoil in the country. Yoon, who faces insurrection charges for his brief imposition of martial law in December, had previously made efforts to resolve historical issues between South Korea and Japan, including a settlement regarding Korean laborers from World War II and the inscription of gold mines on Sado Island as a World Cultural Heritage site.
Although efforts had been made to improve Japan-South Korea relations under Yoon's leadership, historical issues and differing perspectives regarding Japan's colonization of the Korean Peninsula have often led to tensions. The Democratic Party of Korea, South Korea's main opposition party, has taken a firm stance on historical issues with Japan, causing further complications in their relationship. Additionally, the potential change in U.S. leadership from Joe Biden to Donald Trump, who has a more isolationist approach, adds another layer of uncertainty to the trilateral cooperation between Japan, the United States, and South Korea.