Japanese media worry that Koizumi's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine will affect South Korea-Japan military defense cooperation

According to Kyodo News, August 15: On the 15th, Defense Minister Shigeru Koizumi visited the Yasukuni Shrine, sparking concerns over potential damage to South Korea-Japan defense cooperation.

Given the deterioration of relations between South Korea and Japan due to the "forced labor litigation" and the incident involving a South Korean warship using fire-control radar on a Japanese self-defense forces aircraft, recent signs indicate a possible improvement. However, senior officials at the Ministry of Defense are deeply concerned about South Korea's reaction to Koizumi’s shrine visit, despite his personal efforts to strengthen bilateral ties.

In October 2018, South Korea’s Supreme Court ordered Japanese companies to compensate for forced laborers. In December, a South Korean naval destroyer used fire-control radar to track a Japanese self-defense forces aircraft in the Sea of Japan. At the time, relations between the two countries—especially in defense—had reached an all-time low.

At a ministerial-level meeting in June 2024, both sides agreed to prevent the radar incident from recurring, marking a full resumption of defense and security exchanges.

In September 2025, then-Defense Minister Gen Nakagawa made his first visit to South Korea since 2015, reaching a mutual visit agreement with South Korea’s Defense Minister Ahn Gi-bong.

Since taking office, Koizumi has held multiple meetings with Ahn Gi-bong. This January, he met with Ahn during the latter’s visit to Japan at the JMSDF base in Yokosuka. Both sides agreed to enhance exchanges between the Self-Defense Forces and the Republic of Korea Armed Forces.

In June this year, Koizumi visited South Korea and agreed to discuss defense equipment collaboration against the backdrop of Japan easing its rules on defense equipment exports.

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1873592320211402/

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