Chapter 54 Prime Minister Koizumi's "No Credibility"

"Recently, Japan-South Korea relations are in an extremely bad period. It is very dangerous for you to choose to visit Japan at this time." "If you say a wrong sentence in Japan, you will be used by the ruling party as a political attack." "How about showing a tougher attitude than President Roh Moo-hyun this time, and come back from a big fight?" In 2005, the 40th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between South Korea and Japan, the two countries declared that year as the "Year of Friendship between South Korea and Japan", but the irony is that the relationship between South Korea and Japan at that time was the worst since the establishment of diplomatic relations.

Japanese leaders continue to make false statements about the Dokdo issue, Prime Minister Koizumi’s visit to the Yasukuni Shrine, the textbook issue, and the comfort women issue. Dialogue has also been cut off. In November 2005, the top leaders of the two countries met at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit held in Busan. They had a brief chat with each other with their respective emotions. The carefully prepared talks finally ended in a hasty chat after only 20 minutes. Finish. Under such circumstances, visiting Japan is a daunting task.Just as Japan is a very sensitive topic for our nationals, none of our politicians are willing to go to Japan to do anything.When I decided to visit Japan at such a moment, it is conceivable that people around me would persuade me to pay attention to various risks, and some even suggested that I should go to Japan and come back after a big fight.

However, my thinking is different.While Japan is responsible for the deterioration of relations between Japan and South Korea, issues such as North Korea's nuclear weapons have piled up on which the two countries must work together.I think someone has to come forward and resolve this before South Korea and Japan can commit to a shared future.Although I am in the opposition party, I want to break the deadlock between South Korea and Japan no matter what, and create an opportunity for Japan to change. This visit is expected to meet with many political figures including former Prime Minister Yoshiro Mori, Speaker of the Senate Ogaki Chikage, Speaker of the House of Representatives Taro Kono, Chief Cabinet Secretary Abe Shinzo, and Taro Aso.Although these people unanimously emphasized and insisted on the Japanese theory, I said: "The historical problems of the past must be unraveled in our generation and cannot be passed on to the next generation and burden them." Our talks proceeded in a serious manner, exceeding the Twice the originally scheduled time.In fact, regardless of past history, economics, diplomacy, exchanges between South Korea and Japan, etc., there are consensuses in various fields. This also proves that if the past historical problems cannot be resolved, even if South Korea and Japan have unlimited development possibilities, It will also become difficult to move.

Especially through the dialogue with Prime Minister Koizumi, I felt deeply.The interview with the Prime Minister was held at the Prime Minister's official residence on March 8, 2006, the second day of his visit to Japan. When arriving at the meeting site, many Korean and Japanese media were already waiting at the site.After we shook hands and said goodbye, we sat down and Prime Minister Koizumi greeted us first. Just two days before my visit to Japan, the Korean team finally won the Japanese team and advanced to the quarterfinals in the World Baseball Classic, which aroused enthusiastic cheers in South Korea. Prime Minister Koizumi started the topic with this.He imitated the defensive movements of South Korean player Li Jinying, and the atmosphere instantly relaxed.

Prime Minister Koizumi said: "The skill of the right fielder is really amazing! You should be very happy that the South Korean team reversed the situation later, right? If he hadn't caught that goal at that time, the result would have been different..." He congratulated the South Korean team for their victory, and also I feel sorry for the loss of the Japanese team.I replied: "I am even more happy to be able to win against the strong Japanese team in baseball." After finishing the topic of the baseball game, Prime Minister Koizumi talked about the meeting with Korean star Choi Ji-woo a while ago, expressing his interest in Korean fashion.

I mentioned to the Prime Minister that the Japanese government implemented a visa-free policy for Koreans to Japan and expressed my gratitude. I also congratulated the Prime Minister on the successful reforms that have lifted the Japanese economy out of the recession that lasted more than ten years and regained its vitality.Prime Minister Koizumi said that foreign countries agree with his policy more than domestic ones, and he is grateful for this. "Our two countries have a common understanding of the value of freedom, democracy and market economy. As friendly countries, we should solve economic and security issues together and become the core country of the East Asian community. It is a pity that because of the Dokdo issue and Prime Minister Koizumi's Yasukuni Shrine The shrine issue, the textbook issue, and the comfort women issue have made it difficult for the relationship between the two countries to move forward, and we must resolve it quickly and move forward to the future."

I raised four issues for discussion with the Japanese side. The Japanese side does not want to touch these four issues, but I think all of these issues should be discussed clearly on the spot. You cannot avoid them just because you don’t want to talk about them. becomes meaningless. Prime Minister Koizumi said: "Although there are many difficult issues between the two countries, there has never been a day like today. In the future, we also hope that the scope of friendship and goodwill between the two countries will be expanded. In order to promote non-governmental exchanges between the two countries, the government must also do more. Efforts are the key. Economic and sports exchanges have never been so popular, and recently I often hear the words 'hello' and 'thank you' in Korean, as if they have become as familiar as Japanese." He smiled.

I feel that Prime Minister Koizumi did not answer the question itself, but changed the topic.Prime Minister Koizumi continued: "During the Korean election, regionalism was quite obvious." "Korean female politicians are gradually becoming active in the political arena. As a female leader of the party, Korean women should have increased their professionalism in the workplace, right?" Then I mentioned Prime Minister Koizumi's motto.As far as I know, the Japanese attach great importance to the motto, and they will reveal their sincerity whenever they talk about the motto, so I checked the motto of Prime Minister Koizumi in advance.

"I heard that the Prime Minister's motto is 'No Trust, No Standing'. As the motto literally means, trust is very important. Prime Minister, you have successfully implemented economic reforms. I hope you can also solve problems in diplomacy and get high praise. As for the many problems that exist between South Korea and Japan, I hope you can make a wise decision and become a prime minister who laid a stable foundation for the East Asian community and will go down in history." Immediately the auditorium was filled with tense atmosphere. After I finished speaking, there was a moment of silence. Prime Minister Koizumi suddenly showed a slight smile, tapped the table with his palm and said, "I feel the same. In the future, I will Willing to work together.”

Not long after that meeting, Japanese Prime Minister Koizumi was replaced by Shinzo Abe. There are still many difficulties in Japan-South Korea relations, but I still hold hope.I know that it is impossible to solve all problems through just one conversation, just like friends need to meet and talk frequently to get to know each other and maintain a good relationship.I believe that the relationship with Japan can also be gradually clarified through continuous sincere conversations.And while having a dialogue, we should also consider the difficulties of the other party. Just blindly proceeding from our own point of view and acting will not have any results.

On the fourth day of my visit to Japan, I attended a luncheon and talks at the Japan Press Club.Due to the deteriorating relations between South Korea and Japan, of course many media reporters gathered.After my speech, Japanese journalists asked questions.A reporter from Shimane Prefecture (the site of fierce controversy over the claim that Dokdo belonged to Shimane Prefecture in 2005) raised his hand, introduced himself and started asking questions. "South Korea and Japan are constantly entangled over the Dokdo issue. What is your opinion?" "This question is not complicated or difficult to answer at all, because Dokdo belongs to South Korea, as long as Japan recognizes it, it will be fine." As soon as I finished speaking, the Korean reporters present cheered and applauded, and the Japanese reporters also showed complicated smiles because my speech was too sharp. There is a sentence in "Sun Tzu's Art of War" that reads: "Soldiers who subdue others without fighting are the ones who are good." Arguing with an angry heart, although you can get pleasure for a while, you still can't get the result you wanted at the beginning. .I think the power of diplomacy is that you can win without arguing, especially with Japan, which requires patience more than any other country.The two countries' efforts to restore trust in each other is the top priority, because the other party is a partner in creating the Northeast Asian Economic Community and a partner in developing the future together.Shan Chike, the chairman of the Senate, said to me: "I hope we can no longer be the 'nearest and most distant' country, but become a real 'nearest and closest' country." I believe that as long as we meet each other often and confide our sincere words, we will eventually accumulate trust.