Japanese-South Korean Relations: On Identity Politics, Unresolved Historical Contentions, and National Narratives

by Theodor Mihai Dorin

Whenever discussions around identity politics and what they might entail emerge, it becomes clear that both Japan and South Korea take a rather ethno-centric approach to ascribing core characteristics of national identity. It stands to reason that one’s perception of their own nation’s image, the role the State plays on the international scene, political priorities and capacities, as well as cultural importance in a global context is greatly shaped by historical context and the development of regional dynamics over time. There are numerous factors that play a significant part in influencing Japanese-South Korean relationships, both historical and contemporary. Attempts to mend the thorny relationship to reach genuine, long-lasting cooperation have been made on different occasions, yet they failed to yield the desired cooperation. Despite sharing achievements of meteoric economic development that followed similar trajectories, geographical and cultural proximity, common anxieties around potential security threats, joined interests and the parallel allyship of the US, a painful historical backdrop has greatly hindered collaborations between the two countries; it has created a breeding ground for hostilities that bring about a rocky and difficult to navigate diplomatic landscape. Paradoxically, economic and social progress across North-East Asian countries has generated increased competition and rivalry, rather than a desire to cooperate and establish strong regional partnerships.

U.S.A., Japan and South Korea (ROK) foreign ministers meet in Rio de Janeiro, in preparation for this year’s G20 in Brazil. U.S. Department of State from United States, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

As these countries are considered to be fully democratic, public opinion and the sentiments of the population dictate the interests of the political entities in power. Consequently, the interests of the country on the global scene and how they interact with other nations should reflect their wishes accordingly. Thus, the unresolved issues of Japan’s and South Korea’s shared colonial past and the still-vivid traumatic memories delay progress for diplomatic connections to a greater extent. Historical contentions such as the active attempts to quench, subjugate, and even eradicate Korean national identity during the 1910-1945 colonisation period, coupled with disputes about Korean forced labourers and “comfort women” , as well as Japan’s apparent reluctance to address them properly make conducive international dialogue difficult to achieve. What is more, Japan is held as directly responsible for Korean cultural erasure and the lack of cooperation in making amends for said erasure during the post-WW2 period. This is evidenced by discussions around returning stolen Korean artefacts of great heritage importance from private Japanese collections. Another aspect that causes diplomatic clashes and frictions in public opinion pertains to narratives woven around national pride and victimhood status that are directly linked to contemporary national identity. While both countries centre economic achievements as key components of their identity, Japan takes pride in its status as a pacifist country, whereas the Republic of Korea (ROK) prides itself on its survival of colonial violence and swift emergence as an economic power despite this past. Perhaps Japan’s commitment to pacifism and its image as a beacon and active promoter of world peace are considered enough of an affirmative action for the nation’s past. Moreover, Japan’s status as a victim of the atomic bombings and US conquest in the post-world war period causes the population to fail to see the urgency in addressing pending frictions around historical aspects with South Korea or to see the position of Japan as a war-crime perpetrator altogether. Therefore, efforts at conciliation, apologies and compensations for historical grievances failed to be effective all the way as they fell into the framework of identity politics and faced public criticism on both sides. Pending territorial disputes around the Takeshima/Dokdo islands, which both countries claim sovereignty over, do not help assuage bilateral tensions between two countries where nationalist sentiments are on the rise.

Issues arise when discussing Japan and South Korea in a larger context as well. Firstly, although increased multicultural exchanges between the two countries through media, tourism, cultural dialogue, and so on, do help in consolidating their image in the eyes of the other and facilitate bridging the gap between the two nations, they also create a political climate that heightens competitive sentiments. With both countries vouching for popular culture to increase their soft power and global influence, Korean and Japanese media appears to be in a perpetual rivalry on all fronts, such as music and visual media, which are used to better captivate global audiences with a view for promoting their culture. On a larger scale, both nations seek to expand their influence in the Pacific Region and wish to take leadership roles in promoting regional development, human rights, and democracy, which causes additional clashes by each feigning moral superiority over each other, rather than cooperation towards a common goal. Secondly, questions about the degree of integration of their nation on the global scene, and if an outward approach is necessary, as opposed to an inward approach, are ubiquitous in public opinion in both cases. The tendency is to promote domestic political issues in disfavour of investing into a more advantageous international network. Thirdly, despite sharing a momentous economic partnership and certain security interests, such as the looming North Korean nuclear threat (albeit affecting each nation in a different manner), common endeavours are often overshadowed by the previously mentioned economic rivalry, historical tensions, and ineffective intercultural communication.

Demonstration in remembrace of WW II comfort women held in front of the Japanese Embassy to South Korea, in 2012. Pudmaker at Korean Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0> , via Wikimedia Commons

Relationships with the US and China, currently the largest economies in the world, equally impact Japanese-South Korean dynamics. Both nations share strong bonds with the US that have been going on longer than anticipated, yet they have been, for the most part, separate, parallel relationships that didn’t do much to improve direct contact or cooperation with each other. The three nations did notably sign a trilateral security pact in 2023 at the US’ initiative, yet it is unclear whether Washington should step in even further and take an active role as the mediator in this conflict or leave the nations to their own devices and wait for it to organically resolve on its own. Which approach would prove to be the best remains an open question. Past tensions between Japan and Korea previously ignored due to different national priorities at that time are currently re- emerging and increased engagement of the public opinion complicates affairs, putting the US in a difficult position. China is seen as an obvious threat, especially for Japan which was recently dethroned as the globe’s second largest economy. Since Sino- American tensions are also on the rise competing for world domination, this fuels anxieties of allyship entrapment: Korea and Japan ending up in the middle of two discording world powers. Another prevalent fear is that of the US losing interest in Japan and South Korea to establish better connections with China, ending up neglecting them. It is not even a question of action on the US’ side alone, as Beijing also makes active efforts to bring the other two East-Asian nations on their side and create a stronger regional alliance. Japan and South Korea find themselves at a crosswords between various, and sometimes clashing, interests within an intricate, rapidly changing international political climate. All the above help create further room for competition, contention, and new fears among the population.

To conclude, Japan-South Korea relationships are dependent on the concept of identity politics, which are in part influenced by historical context, national ambitions and pride, self-image, and cultural exchanges.