Japan-South Korea Relationship

The Relationship between South Korea and Japan
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Introduction
The now seemingly thawing relationship between South Korea and Japan dates back to the 19th century. At that time, the Meiji government, consisting of military and business personalities, that ruled Japan embarked on elaborate deliberations to integrate Korea's politics with Japan. Consequently, in 1897, Japan proclaimed the Korean Empire as its protectorate. Later the former ruled the latter indirectly through the Japanese Resident-General of Korea. After annexing Korea, Japan unilaterally named Korea "Chosen," a name that existed until the end of its colonial rule. To be specific, the occupation of Korea by Japan set into motion a series of disagreements between the two, which has precipitated talks in recent years to warm the frigid relationship. What significantly helped Japan to occupy Korea successfully was its dramatic rise from the ashes of semi-colonial status and overcoming the Western challenge. Some of the factors that enabled it to overcome the challenge posed by Western powers included Japan elite's heightened awareness of the crisis the West posed. In addition, the elite was pragmatic and open to new ways of dealing with emerging problems. On the flip side, Korea has gradually emerged from the shadows of Japanese occupation and is trying to assert itself as a force to reckon with in Asia. However, in its bid, it acknowledges the existence of various dynamics that could negatively impact its objective. For instance, it views the competition between the United States and China with tremendous apprehension, given the acute consequences it portends. Changes in the U.S.-China relationship have resulted in opposing impacts on Korea, forcing the two Korean nations to strategically position themselves by employing contrasting mechanisms. Probably, that explains why South Korea is gravitating toward Japan through bilateral talks. When all is said and done, the talks with Japan promise to usher in a new paradigm shift in the Indo-Pacific. The relationship between South Korea and Japan, dating back to colonial times, has witnessed numerous historical feuds, lasting until the last few years; however, the latest bilateral summit promises to change the trajectory and improve the relationship between the two neighbors.[John K. Fairbank. n.d. East Asia: Tradition and Transformation. Harvard University.] [Victor Cha. 2021. No Space to Hedge: U.S. -China Competition and its Impact on Korea. Brookings Institution Press, 216.]
Background
To get an incisive understanding of the relationship between Japan and South Korea, it is prudent to look at the historical backgrounds of the two. Despite many challenges, Japan has remained relatively peaceful since the Meiji Dynasty. The Meiji leaders were a close-knit group, and they created a government they could direct from above with remarkable ease. As such, Japan overcame challenges posed by the West and set the stage for a golden age that began in the early 20th century. The nation moved with astonishing speed in all fields and closed the technological gap with the West at an incredible rate. However, at the end of the second world war, new staggering problems set in, including profound fear of external forces and increasing internal conflicts. On the other hand, the history of South Korea is intricately intertwined with Japan since the former remained a part of the latter until 1945. At the end of the second world war, the United States occupied Korea, which was part of Japan’s territory at the time. In 1948, Korea gained full independence and split into the South and the North. South Korea has witnessed alternating eras of democratic and autocratic regimes. Nonetheless, it has achieved substantial development in education, culture, and economy. In addition, it has had a relationship that fluctuates from one extreme to the other with Japan.[Fairbank, 650.]
The historical relationship between South Korea and Japan stretches back to 1905 when Japan declared Korea its protectorate. That, in essence, meant Korea was part of the Japanese territory. Japan used knowledge production, economic policies, and brutal force to advance and reinforce its colonial ideology in Korea. It contended to have a valid mandate to initiate civilization and cultural development in Korea, given their racial similarities and dispositional differences. After South Korea won its independence in 1948, marking the end of a debilitating occupation, its relationship with Japan has largely not been cordial most of the time. Granted that the two are geographically situated next to each, this is a worrying fact. This is because consistent wrangling inevitably threatens regional security, economy, and climate change. As such, the two neighbors need to embark on deliberate efforts to improve their relationship. Concisely, they must provide ample space for reconciliation and dialogue.[Yi Wei. 2019. Japanese Colonial Ideology in Korea (1905-1945). October. http://yris.yira.org/essays/3523, par. 1.] [Andrew Yeo. 2023. South Korea-Japan Rapproachment Creates New Opportunities in the Indo-Pacific. March 17. /blog/order-from-chaos/2023/03/17/korea-japan-rapprochement-creates-new-opportunities-in-the-indo-pacific/, par. 9.]
Japan-South Korea Relationship
The Relationship Before and During Colonial Times
Even though Japanese ethnographers portrayed Koreans as their kith and kin, most Japanese held a low opinion of the Koreans, leading to the occupation of Korea. As Wei intimates, the ethnographers depicted Koreans as lazy, ignorant, and incapable of initiating progress. As such, the ethnographic knowledge paved the way for the eventual annexation of the Korean Peninsula by Japan, which felt morally obligated to introduce cultural and economic development to the Koreans. Further, before colonization, Japan held the perception that Koreans were filthy people. As a matter of fact, some referred to the Korean capital, Seoul, as the "shit capital." In light of this, Japan arrogated itself the responsibility of establishing the Seoul Sanitization Association (SSA) during the protectorate era. The Japanese colonial police also employed brutal force to enforce hygienic standards on Korean households. In addition, the Japanese government denied tenants the right to own land, which deprived them of their means of production. Consequently, that relegated the tenants to laborers who were readily absorbed by the Japanese Capitalist machine. In sum, Japan used all means at its disposal to suppress Korea, which aggravated the relationship between the two countries. The atrocities perpetrated against Koreans by the Japanese continue to be a delicate issue to date.[Wei, par. 2.] [Wei, par. 6.]
Japan’s Regional Influence in the Early 20th Century
As indicated earlier, the Meiji Dynasty played a pivotal role in helping Japan establish and assert its dominance in regional affairs. Being a close-knit group, the Meiji managed to steer the country to unprecedented levels of progress in all aspects. Subsequently, Japan closed the developmental and technological gap that existed between itself and Western countries that had presented profound challenges hitherto. In the early 20th century, Japan became central to any concept revolving around the Asia-Pacific region. When the United States established a new economic order in the Asia-Pacific after 1945, Japan emerged as the most dynamic economic center. Indeed, Japan is not only a regional powerhouse but a global one, and in the geopolitical domain, it is located at the junction of the interests espoused by the United States, Russia, and China. Despite its apparent potential and power, Japan has chosen to take a back seat as far as global affairs are concerned. One fundamental reason for its rather baffling resolve is its fear of Westernization, which gained traction during the second world war. That fear makes Japan unwilling to exercise its capabilities to provide leadership to its Asian neighbors, more so South Korea. However, the quiet nature of Japan on regional and global matters gets jolted occasionally by unforeseen developments. For instance, after the U.S. opening to China and the withdrawal of its dollar from the gold standard, Japan embarked on developing a somewhat independent path. Despite its reserved nature, Japan’s neighbors, particularly South Korea, are still wary of its regional might. Most of them, for instance, have expressed concern about the possible re-emergence of Japan’s militarism. Premising their worry on Japan’s past aggressiveness, especially before 1945, they acknowledge the speed at which it can transform into an overwhelming regional military powerhouse. Undoubtedly, the fear professed by Japan’s neighbors has a sound basis, given its technological advances and heavy military spending. In addition, the neighbors argue that Japan's perpetual sense of vulnerability might trigger it to flex its muscles to prove military might. To be precise, due to a wide array of factors, Japan continues to inspire profound fear among its regional neighbors. Such fear has been integral in the relationship between South Korea and Japan, especially because the latter exercised excessive aggression on the former before 1945.[Michael Yahuda. 2011. The Cold War. Routledge, 160.]
Liberation of South Korea
Eventually, Korea managed to liberate itself from the clutches of Japanese rule after the latter suffered heavily in the second world war. The departure of the Japanese paved the way for the United States to occupy Korea. However, a brief reign of the Korean Republic Party preceded the occupation, which endeavored to present an image of a united front to the United States, preparing to come in. Upon occupying Korea, the Americans failed, whether by design or default, to initiate any tangible progress in curbing political, economic, and technical problems in Korea. The challenges ranged from an acute shortage of goods and services, soaring inflation, and a power struggle that sharply divided Koreans. As such, the United States had two options; to either withdraw from Korea and allow the Soviets to take over or turn around the bleak conditions in Korea, particularly the Southern zone. Faced with two undesirable options constrained the United States to formulate an exit strategy that would allow it to maintain its foothold on Korea. It called for elections with the foremost intent of creating a democratic client state in the South. After the elections, the superpower oversaw the ratification of the Constitution and the inauguration of an independent South Korea. In sum, the cold war tussle played a significant role in the journey to South Korea’s independence. Despite numerous challenges, successive regimes have engaged in revitalizing the country economically, culturally, and politically. Moreover, the leaders have worked tirelessly to remain allied to the United States.[Kornel Chang. 2020. "Independence without Liberation: Democratization as Decolonization Management in U.S.-Occupied Korea, 1945–1948." The Journal of American History 107 (1), 77.]
Implications of South Korea’s Closeness to the United States
From all perspectives, the robust relationship between South Korea and the United States impacts the former’s relationship with Japan in various positive dimensions. This, to a considerable extent, is because the two neighbors share common interests with the United States. The alliance between the United States and South Korea dates back to 1953 and has the enviable distinction of being one of the most successf...