Yoon has met twice with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in recent weeks, demonstrating their intent to overcome historical grievances that have strained ties for years and to strengthen cooperation in response to shared challenges, including a nuclear-armed North Korea and growing Chinese assertiveness in the region.
Meeting with a delegation led by Mikio Sasaki, the former chairman of the board of Japan’s Mitsubishi Corp. who heads the Japan-Korea Economic Association, Yoon spoke glowingly about the potential for business cooperation in semiconductors, batteries and electric cars, and in building more resilient supply chains amid geopolitical uncertainties.
Sasaki told Yoon that exchanges between the countries are increasing as their relations begin to thaw and that his group will encourage Japanese companies to employ more South Korean students and young adults, according to Yoon’s office. Yoon’s meetings with Kishida came after his government announced in March a domestically contentious plan to use local funds to compensate a group of Korean plaintiffs who were enslaved by Japanese companies during the colonial period.