Posted on: Tuesday, May 28, 2002

ISLAND VOICES
Japan, Korea coming together

By Minoru Shibuya
Japanese consul general in Honolulu

The people of Japan are very excited about having the opportunity to witness an important international event, the 2002 FIFA World Cup, which will be held in Japan and in Korea from May 31 to June 30.

This will be the first World Cup of the 21st century and the first tournament to be held in Asia. It will also be the first to be jointly hosted by two countries. The Japanese national team will be participating in the World Cup for the second consecutive time, following the 1998 tournament in France.

Since the establishment of the Japan Soccer League, soccer has become increasingly popular in Japan, and today boasts about 7 million players. Together with baseball, it is one of the most popular sports in Japan.

I would like to point out the significance of this year's World Cup in strengthening the bilateral relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea. It is important to take advantage of the important momentum created by the joint hosting of this internationally renowned sporting event by the two countries and to utilize it as a chance to promote a stronger bilateral partnership as we head into the 21st century.

Diplomatic relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea were normalized with the conclusion of the Treaty on Basic Relations in December 1965. Although the bilateral relationship between the two countries has sometimes been strained by a variety of problems, the two countries have steadily developed an amicable relationship.

In particular, there was the remarkable progress achieved by South Korean President Kim Dae-jung's visit to Japan in October 1998 and by the then Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi's visit to Seoul in March 1999. Through these exchanges, the two leaders put the issues of the past between the two countries behind them and agreed to establish a new Japan-ROK relationship.

Difficult problems such as the history textbook issue and the prime minister's visit to the Yasukuni Shrine can occasionally strain bilateral relations. However, the friendly relationship between the two countries has continued to advance with the visit of Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to the ROK last October and the summit talks at the APEC meeting in Shanghai, as well as Prime Minister Koizumi's recent visit to the ROK in March.

Various kinds of exchanges have been conducted between the two countries for many years. Beginning in 1998, the ROK government began to lift the long-maintained prohibition of Japanese popular culture. Meanwhile, the Japanese people, especially the younger generation, have begun to enjoy the Korean culture, including South Korean movies and Korean dishes.

Travel by the people of the two countries has also increased recently. Statistics show that, in the year 2000, the number of Japanese visiting Korea and Koreans visiting Japan annually reached approximately 2.3 million and 1.3 million, respectively.

Taking advantage of the opportunity to co-host the World Cup, the governments of Japan and the Republic of Korea have designated the year 2002 as "The Year of Japan-ROK National Exchange." The two governments have promoted various exchange programs with the participation of many citizens from a wide range of fields in both countries.

We hope that, as a result of such activities, mutual understanding between the people of the two countries will be further deepened, building toward a solid partnership in the future.

It is our honor and pleasure to co-host the 2002 FIFA World Cup with the ROK, and this occasion will offer a good opportunity for many people from abroad to visit and gain a better understand of Japan. I sincerely hope that the visits to Japan by the players and spectators will be very enjoyable and that this historic tournament will be a truly memorable success.