Japan, South Korea Close to Defense Pacts

[frigidmagi]

WSJ

From the end of Japan’s occupation of the Korean peninsula in 1945, it took 20 years for Japan and South Korea to establish diplomatic relations. Now, for the first time since the occupation, the militaries of the two countries are close to signing an agreement of their own.

At news briefings in Seoul and Tokyo Tuesday, the militaries of both countries said they are finalizing two cooperation pacts that will be signed at a bilateral meeting of defense ministers in coming weeks.

The two countries began discussing the agreements last year. The deals don’t mean that South Korea and Japan will fight for each other in a war. But they represent one of the last important steps forward in a bilateral relationship that, for several decades now, has flourished in economic and political terms.

A spokesman for the South Korean military said the pacts will cover humanitarian assistance, disaster relief and the exchange of military information. Media accounts in both Japan and South Korea said they also cover acquisitions and logistics (except for weapons) and peacekeeping operations.

Both countries are military allies of the U.S., which has been eager for several years to see some sort of formal relationship develop between the South Korean and Japanese militaries. In one sign of that, the U.S. welcomed Japanese observers to a joint naval exercise between the U.S. and South Korea in 2010, several months after North Korea’s attack on the South Korean warship Cheonan.

A precise date for signing the pacts hasn’t been agreed upon, however. The South Korean military spokesman said the target is to conclude them later this month or in June.

Japanese defense minister Naoki Tanaka said in Tokyo, “We are hoping we could present the outcome soon, so we are making our utmost efforts right now.”

Who knew all it took for South Korea and Japan to bury the hatchet was a rampant fear of China?

[Josh]

Holy crap, cats and dogs living together, mass hysteria.

[SirNitram]

Faint deja vu.

[Norseman]

Who knew all it took for South Korea and Japan to bury the hatchet was a rampant fear of China?

The charming antics of North Korea might also help here.

[frigidmagi]

I doubt it. They refused to consider the idea when we suggested it in the late 1950s, when the ashes from the North Korean invasion were still warm.

[Charon]

To be fair, the ashes of the Japanese invasion weren't all that cool either.

[Josh]

I'd lean more toward the China aspect, but even with the appearance that the DPRK's nuke program is mostly hot air, the prospect of missiles showing up in Japan does give them a common interest. Regardless of the warheads, nobody wants missiles raining down on their cities.