April 26, 2022

Japanese Communist Party member of the House of Representatives Kasai Akira on April 25 as a board member of the Japan-South Korea Parliamentarians’ Union attended a meeting held between the supra-partisan Japanese Dietmembers’ group and a delegation sent by incoming South Korean president Yoon Suk-yeol.

In the meeting, delegation head and deputy speaker of the National Assembly Chung Jin Suk emphasized the need to improve troubled relations between South Korea and Japan without delay and restore good relations like the ones established in 1998 when the Tokyo-Seoul Partnership Declaration was signed by then South Korean President Kim Dae-jung and then Japanese Prime Minister Obuchi Keizo.

JCP Kasai referred to the joint statement of the Japan-South Korea and South Korea-Japan parliamentarians’ unions which was adopted in the joint general meeting at the end of 2018. He pointed out that the statement states that Japanese and South Korean parliamentarians agreed to achieve an early improvement of bilateral relations in line with the spirit of the 1998 Japan-South Korea Partnership Declaration which is to face the past squarely and establish future-oriented ties based on mutual understanding and trust.

In addition, Kasai pointed out that the joint statement of the parliamentarians’ groups also states that regarding historical issues, parliamentarians in the two countries will make efforts in the spirit of mutually beneficial cooperation to restore the honor and dignity of victims.

Kasai said that as a member of the Japan-South Korea parliamentarians’ union, he will work hard to bring about a thaw in bilateral relations.

Past related issue:
> Shii as member of parliamentary union speaks on Korean 'forced laborers' with President Moon [ December 15, 2018]