Linkages Between History and Security Issues and Policy Makers' Perceptions of Win-sets in Japan-Korea Negotiations

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 19K01503
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Review Section: Basic Section 06020:International relations-related
• Research Institution: Doshisha University
• Principal Investigator: ASABA Yuki 同志社大学, グローバル地域文化学部, 教授 (70403912)
• Project Period (FY): 2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: 日韓交渉 / 争点連関 / ウィンセット / 認識ギャップ / パブリック・ディプロマシー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study elucidates how policymakers from both Japan and ROK perceived the linkage between historical issues and security cooperation, as well as the expectations of the United States, and domestic public reactions during various negotiations. These include the 1965 Claims Agreement, the Kono Statement and Asian Women's Fund in the 1990s, and the 2015 "Comfort Women" agreement. At each juncture, both junior partners recognized the U.S. expectation that their reconciliation would bolster trilateral security cooperation. There was a consistent intention to "settle" the historical issues at each stage.
However, while the Japanese government maintained that the issues were "legally resolved," domestic backlash in ROK and changes of a party in government continued to bring the issues before courts, and other problems over former workers/forced labors in the World War II also emerged as contentious points. Consequently, historical issues remain a defining factor in Japan-ROK relations.

Free Research Field

政治学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

現代日韓関係の研究は、外交史の観点からおこなわれることがほとんどであるなか、マルチレベルゲームの中に位置づけ、実証的にも理論的にも精緻な水準で分析したことが最大の学術的な意義である。争点連関という点でいえば、歴史と安保だけでなく、その後、経済と安保が「経済安保」「地経学」として喫緊の課題になっている。
「史上最悪の日韓関係」は首脳会談も定期的に行われ、各方面において「正常化」し、「日米韓」安保連携も強化されているが、歴史問題、政権交代、国内世論の反応は今後を左右する不確定要素である。その意味でも、本研究の社会的意義、政策的含意は大きいといえる。