Abe stresses bilateral cooperation for third consecutive day

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe stressed the importance of the South Korea-Japan relations for three consecutive days. Attention is now drawn to whether South Korean President Park Geun-hye can send a message to Japan that "the two countries are neighbors" to change the soured relationship.

During a surprise visit to the Korea-Japan Cooperation Committee held in Tokyo on Friday, Abe said, "Both South Korea and Japan are U.S. allies. Considering the current situation in East Asia, close cooperation between Japan and South Korea and the three-way cooperation among Japan, the U.S. and South Korea is strategically very important." He also expressed hope that Seoul and Tokyo strengthen their cooperation to establish a forward-looking relationship.

Abe said that South Korea and Japan are "the most important neighbors" that had been strengthening ties since the normalization of diplomatic relations in 1965, overcoming various challenges. He also stressed that the two countries should "cooperate to further improve the relations." Abe was the first incumbent Japanese prime minister to attend the opening ceremony of the joint meeting of the Korea-Japan Cooperation Committee since its launch in 1969.

Some analysts say that Abe`s remarks were aimed at checking the strengthening of the Seoul-Beijing relationship. However, others say that it is noteworthy for Abe to emphasize stronger ties with South Korea for the third consecutive day, after meeting with the South Korean delegation to the committee meeting.

Yasuhiro Nakasone, the Japanese side`s chairman of the committee who is called the "godfather" of Japan`s conservatives, supported Abe. "Continuing dialogue is the very basis of the Japan-South Korea relationship, which requires incessant efforts by both countries," the former Japanese prime minister said. "Since the launch of the committee in 1965, the two countries have overcome all kinds of misunderstandings and confrontations with respect (to each other)."

Taro Aso, the current Japanese deputy prime minister and finance minister who took over the Japanese side`s chairmanship of the committee Friday, urged the two neighbors to share values in Asia and Northeast Asia. "Dialogues are even more important when the two countries have difficult issues."

South Korean President Park Geun-hye sent her congratulatory message to the meeting, saying that the two countries are "neighbors sharing the values of liberal democracy and market economy." She also expressed hope that the bilateral committee will make "creative contribution" so that the two countries can develop forward-looking relationships based on mutual trust." Park also expressed gratitude for Nakasone`s contributions to the development of the bilateral ties during his tenure in office as Japan`s prime minister.