Japan FM shatters diplomatic etiquette
Japan’s foreign minister limbered up for his latest remarks to South Korean President Moon Jae-in with the words that risked insulting the South Korean leader, amid the deepening Seoul-Tokyo trade row.
But that strategy didn’t pay off as Foreign Minister Taro Kono directly asked the President to address the bilateral dispute in response to a question from Japanese media at an event. This isn’t the first time the Japanese government official has criticized the South Korean leader.
Most state leaders go out of their way to avoid such sharp sensitive topics in moments of extreme political stress. Respecting diplomatic niceties has not been Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and his aides’ style over the last few weeks, and Kono’s recent remarks underscored the intense challenge his assessment poses to the bilateral relationship.
In a meeting with Japanese reporters in Serbia, Aug. 16 (KST), Kono told them President Moon should exercise his leadership to resolve Seoul’s violation of international law.
The South Korean foreign ministry called the remarks “wholly inappropriate and rude” and filed its regret to Japan via diplomatic channels.
“How dare a foreign minister mention the name of a state head and demand something specific? It’s against the fundamental principles of diplomatic etiquette. We also want to point out that this is not helpful for both countries maintaining stable relations,” a foreign ministry official said last week.
Kono’s remarks were his response to President Moon Jae-in’s speech last week marking the 74th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japan’s 1910-45 occupation, in which the President expressed his willingness to reconcile with Japan via dialogue to resolve their trade and political dispute. “If Japan comes back on the road for dialogue and partnership, (South Korea) is willing to join hands with Japan,” Moon said at that time.
Back in May, the Japanese official took a swipe at the President saying, “Moon should have a sense of responsibility to deal with the dispute.” At that time, Seoul’s Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha warned that Kono should be more considerate in his remarks and behaviors.
Last month, Kono also came under fire here for a similar act of diplomatic discourtesy. In a meeting with South Korean Ambassador to Japan Nam Gwan-pyo, he raised his own criticism of Seoul for declining to respond to Tokyo’s proposal to form an outside arbitration committee to settle the dispute on compensation for wartime forced labor.
Kono was told that he intentionally cut Nam off while the South Korean ambassador was speaking during the meeting. The Japanese diplomat even rebuked Nam by calling him “extremely rude.”
Now, all eyes are on whether Kono will continue to make similar diplomatic blunders during a three-day talk of foreign ministers from South Korea, Japan and China from Tuesday.
Seoul plans to continue to urge Tokyo to return to the dialogue table for a settlement of their historic dispute. On the sidelines of the trilateral foreign ministers meeting, expectations are a dialogue between Kang and Kono would take place.
The top diplomats from the two countries failed to narrow their differences on the trade dispute during the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) in Bangkok earlier this month. Japan was upset after South Korea’s Supreme Court last year ordered Japanese companies to compensate surviving South Korean victims of wartime forced labor.