North Korea's Relations with Japan Since Detente

Abstract

THE EASING OF tensions in East Asia since the 197I visit of Richard Nixon to Peking and Japan's diplomatic normalization with China in I972 has brought significant changes in North Korea's relations with Japan.* Though they are not yet normalized, the impact of detente has been great enough to raise hopes of eventual normalization. Such a development could significantly affect such crucial issues as the status of two Koreas, South Korea-Japan relations, and North Korean policies toward China and the Soviet Union. The coming of detente presented a dilemma for Japan because of the conflicting interests involved in dealing with North Korea. On the one hand, the Japanese government has to reckon with the increasing pressure from North Korea and from Japan's opposition parties for early normalization. It must also consider the attitudes of China and the Soviet Union, with which Japan has been endeavoring to improve her relations, for a persistent hostile or intransigent attitude on the part of Japan toward North Korea could be viewed by both China and the Soviet Union as a revival of Japanese militarism and colonialism. On the other hand, considering Japan's economic interests in South Korea (with a total investment of $2.012 million, some $6.2 billion of surplus resulting from Japan's trade with South Korea over the past ten years)1 and her national security ties with South Korea, she can not disregard South Korea's strong disapproval of Japan's flexible policy toward North Korea. Japan's basic policy of seikei bunri (separation of politics from trade),2 which has been intended to maximize her interest in and involvement with both Koreas, has not been satisfactory to either North or South Korea. Both have charged that such a policy could perpetuate Korea's division and aid one against the other. In essence,