Political and Social Elements in the Korea-Japan Relations

Abstract

The Political and social elements in the Korea-Japan relations display a very complex aspect. Historical Issues, Fishery Pact and North Korea Problems are among those elements to name a few. Moreover, those problems have been left without any clear solutions. Nevertheless, the changes in the environment, characterized by the globalization, localization, emergence of civil society and decentralization, request for an establishment of a new paradigm for the Korea-Japan relations. After the collapse of the Cold War period, the tendency of increasing military enhancement and problems regarding the environment, drugs and human rights, which occur across the national boarders, have necessitated unified counter-measures of the two countries. One of the movements displaying these efforts is the increasing number of associations between the non-national, local governments of the two countries. The activation and establishment of new relations between the local governments and NGOs of the two countries are not only the newly defined Korea-Japan relations, but also a provider of a new frame of mutual understanding for both Koreans and the Japanese. Among the Korean people, there seems to appear some changes in the recognition of a need for new Korea-Japan relations; more and more Koreans think the Korea-Japan relations will get better as time goes on. Therefore, the Korea-Japan relations have a better chance for improvement in affirmative way in the future unless any political, economic and social issues such as the historical issues cause the two countries' relations to distort.