Publication

This paper discusses Japan-South Korea relations since the end of WWII, including the role that tensions created by Japan's colonial and wartime rule of Korea have played in these ties. Among other issues, the author looks at 1) how the Korean War complicated the task of reconciliation following WWII; 2) the normalization of Japan-South Korea diplomatic ties in the 1960s; 3) how South Korea's democratization has affected relations between Seoul and Tokyo, including how it has necessitated Japan to convince the Korean public of the sincerity of its efforts to achieve historical reconciliation; 4) the deterioration in relations following the election of Prime Minister Abe and President Park Geun-hye in December of 2012; 5) subsequent efforts in 2014 by the US to improve relations between the two countries; 6) what could influence the course of Japan-South Korea ties in the near future.