Lawmakers Welcome Lee’s Emphasis on Relations with Japan, Pledge to Cooperate With Seoul

By Tatsuya Tanoue and Naohiro Tamura / Yomiuri Shimbun StaffWriters

14:52 JST, August 21, 2025

Japanese ruling and opposition parties welcomed South Korean President Lee Jae Myung demonstrating his clear stance to emphasize relations with Japan during an exclusive interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun in Seoul.

The Japanese government will intend to steadily build cooperation with the new administration, while remaining vigilant against the resurgence of historical issues.

“I would like to commend the president for his commitment to visiting Japan,” former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who heads a multiparty group that promotes Japan-South Korea ties, said in reaction to Lee’s willingness to revitalize reciprocal visits of their heads of government.

Suga, who met with Lee during his visit to South Korea in July, also reflected on the meeting by saying, “I felt the president’s strong desire to build a forward-looking relationship between Japan and South Korea.”

Lee, who is known for his repeated criticism of Japan in the past, said in the interview, indicating his intention to adhere to existing agreements and solutions regarding historical issues.

Prime Minister’s Special Advisor Akihisa Nagashima said, “Many Japanese people were concerned about the president’s stance, but I think his current remarks will dispel those concerns.”

Nagashima also said a new joint declaration between Japan and South Korea, which Lee is aiming for, “will be possible if relations deepen.”

The opposition parties, which have increased their presence under the current minority government in both houses of the Diet, share a common understanding of the importance of the Japan-South Korea relations.

Constitutional Democratic Party of Japan Policy Research Committee Chairman Kazuhiko Shigetoku, who heads the party’s own Japan-South Korea lawmakers group, said he was relieved that Lee mentioned the need for security cooperation with Japan and said, “Japan and South Korea have no choice but to work together in East Asia.”

Japan Innovation Party coleader Fumitake Fujita said, “South Korea’s position is important with the United States and Japan unable to deal with China on their own.”

Democratic Party for the People leader Yuichiro Tamaki said, “I hope that Japan-South Korea relations that have fluctuated with each change of government in South Korea will change for the better,” and indicated his intention to support the Japanese government through diplomacy between lawmakers.

Regarding historical issues, however, Lee said “emotional issues” remain separate from government-level agreements and solutions on the issues, adding that “It is right to offer a heartfelt apology to the victims.”

Liberal Democratic Party Policy Research Council Chairman Itsunori Onodera in response said, “It is incompatible with our stance if he considers renegotiating historical issues.”

There are concerns that Lee’s proposal for the gradual denuclearization of North Korea could lead to de facto acceptance of its nuclear weapons.

“We want to thoroughly coordinate our views on the international situation and historical issues,” a senior Foreign Ministry official said.