A New Chapter: Japan and South Korea Soften Relations

U.S. President Joe Biden, center, greets South Korea's President Yoon Suk Yeol, left, and Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Photo: AP/Andrew Harnick

On Sunday Oct. 21, Japan, South Korea, and the US conducted their first joint aerial exercise near the Korean Peninsula. The exercise comes on the heels of revived tensions between North Korea and its two Northeast Asian neighbors, as well as continued efforts to soften South Korean-Japanese relations due to the growing threat of China. 

According to the Associated Press, “The three countries have occasionally held trilateral maritime drills, such as anti-submarine or missile defense exercises, but Sunday’s training marked the first time for them to perform a trilateral aerial drill.” 

The elevated military cooperation of the two East Asian neighbors follows recent political cooperation by the two nations earlier this year. In August, President Biden hosted South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at the historic Camp David for a trilateral summit.

The summit publicly mended long-standing hostilities between Japan and South Korea, dating back to the Japanese occupation of Korea in the early 20th century and war crimes committed by the Japanese military during the second World War.

The summit also solidified the US’ East Asian alliance structure with pronouncements of increased military cooperation between the three nations (such as the aerial exercise) as well as a commitment to “counter threats from North Korea” and “stand up for international law, freedom of navigation, and a peaceful resolution of disputes in the South China Sea.”

A U.S. helicopter hovers above the U.S. aircraft carrier USS George Washington leaving for joint military exercises from Busan. Photo: AP/Lee Jin-Man

The official reasoning behind the aerial drill was to “boost [the] joint response capabilities against North Korean [nuclear] threats.” However, the role China plays in the mending of relations between South Korea and Japan (facilitated by their common military ally, the United States) has not gone unnoticed.

As per the Camp David communique, Japan, South Korea, and the US are committed to resolving disputes in the South China Sea and defending the freedom of navigation in the Indo-Pacific; South China Sea, Freedom of Navigation, and Indo-Pacific all being key terms US diplomats have used to refer to China-related issues without appearing too hostile to growing Chinese power. This is in line with the US policy of strategic ambiguity, often used when addressing Taiwan. 

Whether it be North Korea or China, the era of South Korean-Japanese hostility may be coming to an end. Many have speculated on whether the strategic benefits of a warmer alliance between the two nations would ever outweigh the domestic political cons of becoming too friendly with a past foe which has caused so much historical trauma.

It finally seems as if that time has come as Japan and South Korea are now seemingly closer than ever. The world will watch with suspense to see how China and North Korea respond to the recent rehabilitation of relations as North Korea and China hold similar historic animosities towards Japan.