TOKYO: Tokyo is closely monitoring the situation in South Korea following President Yoon Suk-yeol’s temporary declaration of emergency martial law, with the political turmoil in Seoul expected to affect the improving relations between Japan and the neighboring country.

Some Japanese government officials have voiced concerns about the future of the Yoon administration as the political confusion in South Korea is expected to continue for the time being although the martial law order was lifted only about six hours after it was issued.

Japanese Prime Minister ISHIBA Shigeru told reporters Wednesday that he is carefully watching the situation in South Korea “with special and serious attention.”

He explained that the Japanese government has so far received no report of harm caused to Japanese nationals in South Korea and is taking as many measures as possible to ensure their safety, including sending out consular emails. “We will continue to take every possible precaution,” the prime minister pledged.

On his expected visit to South Korea, possibly in early January next year, Ishiba said, “Nothing concrete has been decided.”

Later in the day, Ishiba held a meeting with Chief Cabinet Secretary HAYASHI Yoshimasa, Foreign Minister IWAYA Takeshi and Defense Minister Gen Nakatani to discuss Tokyo’s responses.

It is the first time martial law has been issued in South Korea since the country’s democratization in 1987. Some Japanese government officials are struggling to understand Yoon’s intention. saying that the issuance was surprising and unexpected.

Speculation spread rapidly that Ishiba’s visit to the neighboring country would be difficult. A senior official of his administration said, “We can’t make arrangements (for the visit) until we see how the situation in South Korea develops.” A senior Foreign Ministry official went as far as saying that the visit would be “impossible.”

Next year marks the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and South Korea. Japan hopes to maintain the trend of improving relations under the Yoon administration after its proposal to resolve the bilateral wartime labor issue led to the resumption of so-called shuttle diplomacy, or mutual visits to each other’s country by their top leaders.

The Yoon administration also helped promote defense cooperation among Japan, the United States and South Korea in response to North Korea’s movements. A former Japanese minister said that the Japan-South Korea ties improved “thanks to Yoon.”

However, if Yoon is forced to resign, that could rekindle the risk of the South Korean side again taking a confrontational stance against Japan on such history issues as those of wartime labor and Korean “comfort women,” who provided sex to Japanese troops before and during World War II.

“If there is a change of government, (efforts to address) history issues could be overturned,” a Japanese government source said.

“Japan, the United States and South Korea may find it difficult to work together,” the source also said.

JIJI Press