What will the ”moderate” Prime Minister Ishiba's Japan-Korea relations be like? Korean experts analyze

Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba is considered to have a "moderate view of history," unlike the conservative faction within the Liberal Democratic Party. According to the Asahi Shimbun and the Nihon Keizai Shimbun on the 2nd, Prime Minister Ishiba stated at the Prime Minister's Official Residence the previous day (1st) that
At his first press conference since taking office, he said of relations with the United States and South Korea, "Our bilateral relationship with the United States is important. The same is true with South Korea."
Prime Minister Ishiba said, "Different countries have different national interests," and "each country should take its national interests into account.
"What is important is how serious discussions will be held and what results will be achieved," he added. Regarding this remark, Korean experts said, "Prime Minister Ishiba may have prioritized Japan's national interests, but
"In terms of the Korea-US-Japan relationship, there are those who are more concerned about relations with the US than relations with Korea," said Lee Won-deok, a professor of Japanese studies at Kookmin University.
"If former President Donald Trump were elected, there is a possibility that we will move toward American-centrism, so I used the word 'national interest' to express my concern about that.
"I don't think there is anything that Prime Minister Ishiba is particularly worried about or thinks differently about regarding Korea-Japan relations," he explained. Professor Park Hong-ki of the Department of Politics and Diplomacy at Korea University said, "'For the sake of Japan's national interest,
"It does not mean that we will harm South Korea's national interests," he said. "In order to promote Japan's national interests, South Korea's cooperation may be necessary. In some cases, we may need to provide a certain portion of what South Korea wants (if Japan provides it).
South Korean experts predicted that the inauguration of the Ishiba administration would improve Korea-Japan relations. Prime Minister Ishiba is a "non-mainstream" figure within the LDP.
He has been critical of the policies of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who symbolizes the tendency towards historical revisionism. In particular, he has taken a rare position among LDP lawmakers in acknowledging Japan's responsibility on historical issues.
He has also criticized Japan's wartime issues by not visiting Yasukuni Shrine, where Class A war criminals from the Pacific War are enshrined.