Even with overwhelming victory of Japanese LDP, PM is minority ... Improvement of Japan-Korea relations is unclear = Korea coverage

The Liberal Democratic Party, led by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, won the Japanese House of Councilors election on July 10th. For this reason, it is expected that Prime Minister Kishida will be able to manage the national affairs in a stable manner, but since Prime Minister Kishida is a minority former member of the party, it is unlikely that Japan-South Korea relations will improve.

Professor Lee Jung Wong of Waseda University said in an interview with Korea's YTN radio "News King Park Ji Hoon" on 11th, "The regent party's winning of more than a majority of seats has created conditions for stability in the Kishida administration, but the atmosphere of mourning for former Prime Minister Abe has only slightly increased the number of seats, and Kishida's faction remains the 4th or 5th smallest faction in the LDP," he clarified.

Professor Lee said, "The Kishida faction is a faction with a slightly liberal color, but it is a minority, and there is a tendency for other factions other than the Abe faction to be conservative. "The right wing has been campaigning since the election period to inherit the wishes of former Prime Minister Abe and promote reforms and increases in defense costs, so it is liberal in that respect. We have to keep an eye on whether they can produce liberal color."

In particular, regarding Japan-South Korea relations, he said, "The character of Prime Minister Kishida is not a strong pull, but a style of carefully advancing while adjusting little by little. There is a slight (opinion) disagreement as to whether or not to bring out one's own color immediately, but in that respect it can be said that Japan-South Korea relations are the same."

Professor Lee said, "He (Prime Minister Kishida) does not tend to beautify the past in a so-called historical revisionist manner than Mr. Abe, so it is possible that he will make more rational decisions about South Korea. It's still uncertain whether to push forward with a strong sense of speed because of the cautious and still minority aspect."

On the other hand, regarding the condolences of ROK President Yun Suk-yeol and the dispatch of a condolence group by the ROK government, Professor Lee said, "The condolences of President Yun are only of interest because the ROK president expressed his condolences relatively early, although relations between the two countries have been poor so far," and he predicted, "A high-level delegation visiting Japan would be an opportunity for renewed communication, but it may be a little difficult to expect an immediate effect (since many countries are visiting).