Kishida Likely To Send Cabinet Minister To Yoon's Inauguration
Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio is reportedly considering sending a Cabinet minister in his place to attend the inauguration of Yoon Suk-yeol as president of South Korea.
Japanese government sources say Kishida plans to stay away from the ceremony scheduled for May 10 in Seoul.
The sources say arrangements are being made for Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa to attend.
Yoon won the March presidential election and will launch the country's first conservative government in five years.
He has shown a willingness to improve his country's relations with Japan, which are widely seen as being at a low point. A delegation sent to Japan by Yoon met with Kishida last week.
Sitting or former Japanese prime ministers have often attended the swearing-in ceremonies of South Korean presidents in the past.
By not attending this time, Kishida appears to be sending a message that differences between the two countries, including over wartime labor, must be resolved to improve ties.
At the same time, he is believed to be hoping that sending a key Cabinet minister will demonstrate his expectation that the new South Korean administration will seek to settle such issues.