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Asahi Shimbun
23-06-2025
- Business
- Asahi Shimbun
Poll: Japan favors security over economy in S. Korean ties
A new joint public opinion survey conducted in Japan and South Korea reveals differing priorities between the two nations regarding areas where future cooperation would be most beneficial. When asked to select the field bilateral cooperation should focus on, 34 percent of Japanese respondents chose security, while the most common response among South Koreans was the economy, at 37 percent. The poll was carried out by The Asahi Shimbun and South Korea's Dong-A Ilbo, marking the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two Asian neighbors. In Japan, security was followed by the economy at 28 percent, historical issues at 24 percent and responses to the aging population and declining birthrates at 8 percent. Next to economic cooperation, South Korean respondents ranked historical reconciliation at 28 percent, followed by national defense at 20 percent and demographic challenges at 12 percent. The survey was conducted via telephone in both countries and follows up a similar joint poll from 2015. Although the previous Japanese poll was conducted via mail and is not directly comparable, this year's results show a notable improvement in perceptions of bilateral relations. The percentage of Japanese respondents who believe relations are 'going well' rose by 22 points to 29 percent. In South Korea, it increased by 23 points to 26 percent. Meanwhile, the percentage of those who disagreed with that view dropped significantly in both countries, falling by 36 points to 50 percent in Japan and by 31 points to 59 percent in South Korea. Concerns about North Korea's nuclear program remains high in both countries, though the intensity differs. Eighty-two percent of Japanese respondents said they feel 'very' or 'somewhat' concerned compared to 52 percent in South Korea. Meanwhile, 17 percent of Japanese and 48 percent of South Koreans said they feel 'limited' or 'no' concern. The idea of strengthening defense cooperation between Japan and South Korea received majority support in both nations, with 56 percent in Japan and 60 percent in South Korea in favor. Opposition stood at 30 percent and 37 percent, respectively. Although Japan and South Korea are not in a formal security alliance, they are increasingly participating in joint military drills within multilateral frameworks. These are typically led by the United States, which is the primary ally of both countries. On the economic front, both populations expressed a strong preference for ties with the United States over China. In Japan, 80 percent said relations with the United States are more important while 77 percent of South Koreans agreed. Only 11 percent of Japanese and 14 percent of South Koreans prioritized relations with China.
Asahi Shimbun
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Asahi Shimbun
Poll: Japanese opinion of South Korea up from 10 years prior
A recent survey has revealed sentiments and perceptions of current Japan–South Korea relations have improved among residents of both countries compared to a similar survey taken a decade ago. This latest joint public opinion survey was conducted by The Asahi Shimbun and South Korea's Dong-A Ilbo to mark the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and South Korea. On the Japanese side, those who said they 'like' South Korea increased from 10 percent in 2015 to 19 percent this time around. Those who felt that Japan–South Korea relations are 'going well' rose from 7 percent to 29 percent. Even so, views on the future of the bilateral relationship remained mostly unchanged from a decade ago, with only 17 percent of Japanese respondents believing ties will move in a 'positive direction.' BILATERAL FEELINGS IMPROVED This year's survey was conducted by phone in both countries, while the 2015 joint survey relied on the post on the Japanese side, making a direct comparison of the figures difficult. However, compared to the strained relations at that time, in the wake of events such as the 2012 visit by then South Korean President Lee Myung-bak to Takeshima, known as Dokdo in South Korea, and the 2013 visit by then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to Yasukuni Shrine, current relations appear more favorable. On the South Korean side, those who said they 'like' Japan increased from 5 percent in the previous survey to 23 percent. Those who said they 'dislike' Japan dropped from 50 percent to 23 percent, while those who answered 'neither' increased from 43 percent to 54 percent. In Japan, older age groups were less favorable toward South Korea 10 years ago. However, in the survey this time, age differences were small, except that only 12 percent of respondents in their 40s answered that they like South Korea. Twenty-two percent of those in their 60s and the same ratio of those in their 30s answered that they liked South Korea. The proportion of people who said they 'dislike' South Korea was especially low among those in their 30s and younger, at around 5 percent. Among older generations, the figure was around 15 percent, with little variation by age. When asked about the current state of Japan–South Korea relations, 29 percent of Japanese respondents said the relationship was 'going well,' while 50 percent said it was 'not going well.' In the previous survey, those figures were 7 percent and 86 percent, respectively. So, the survey this time showed a significant improvement. On the South Korean side, 3 percent of the respondents said it was 'going well' and 90 percent said it was 'not going well' the last time. But the numbers shifted to 26 percent and 59 percent, respectively, this time. However, when asked about the future of Japan--South Korea relations, Japanese optimism remained low. Only 17 percent responded that the relationship would go in a 'positive direction,' nearly unchanged from the 15 percent of 10 years ago. Those who said it would go in a 'negative direction' was 14 percent, which increased from 10 percent in 2015, and those who believed it would 'remain the same' were 61 percent, decreased from 67 percent in 2015. While the Japanese outlook for future Japan–South Korea relations remains cautious, South Korean respondents showed a more positive trend. Those who said the relationship would move in a 'positive direction' doubled from 22 percent to 42 percent, making it the most common response. Those who expected it to worsen increased from 11 percent to 20 percent, and those who said it would remain the same dropped from 60 percent to 31 percent. HISTORICAL TENSIONS REMAIN In the joint poll, respondents were also asked about historical issues, including Japan's colonialization of the Korea Peninsula from 1910 to 1945. In Japan, opinions were evenly split: 46 percent respondents said the issues had been 'resolved,' while the same percentage of respondents said they had 'not been resolved.' In South Korea, 17 percent said the issues had been 'resolved,' up from 2 percent a decade ago, while those who said they had 'not been resolved' dropped from 95 percent to 80 percent. Although there are signs of a shift toward a more future-oriented perspective, a considerable gap in perceptions of historical issues still remains between the two countries. This year's survey was conducted by telephone in both countries. In contrast, the 2015 joint survey was conducted via postal mail in Japan, so a direct numerical comparison is difficult. At that time, 49 percent of Japanese respondents said the issue had been resolved, while 42 percent said it had not. Respondents were also asked whether they believed Japan had sufficiently apologized for its annexation of Korea and colonial rule. In Japan, 67 percent said the country had 'apologized sufficiently,' while 22 percent said the apologies were 'still insufficient.' These numbers were similar to the 2015 results, with 65 percent and 20 percent, respectively. In South Korea, 13 percent said Japan had 'apologized sufficiently,' while 85 percent said the apologies were 'still insufficient.' These figures on the South Korean side reflect a certain degree of change from 10 years ago when 1 percent were satisfied with the apology and 96 percent said it was not enough. However, the majority still believe Japan's attempts to make amends are not enough. Regarding the historical issues in Japan–South Korea relations, the two governments agreed at the end of 2015 that the issue of wartime 'comfort women' was 'finally and irreversibly resolved.' Despite this shared official stance, strong domestic criticism in South Korea against the agreement has been persistent, and effectively became a mere formality following the change in the South Korean administration in 2017. Regarding the issue of wartime mobilized workers, the South Korean Supreme Court ordered Japanese companies to compensate the South Korean wartime laborers in 2018. The companies did not comply with the order. Under then President Yoon Suk-yeol, the South Korean government proposed a solution in 2023 where a state-affiliated foundation would provide compensation on behalf of the Japanese companies, funded by donations. FINDING PARTICIPANTS On the Japanese side, The Asahi Shimbun carried out the survey with eligible voters on June 7 and 8, using both landline and mobile phone numbers that were randomly generated by computer. A total of 1,124 of 2,824 voters who received the phone call provided valid responses The Dong-A Ilbo conducted the survey in South Korea through a private research institution. The survey was conducted on those 18 and older on June 9 and 10 using mobile phone numbers that were also randomly generated by computer. A total of 1,010 of 13,828 people who received the phone call provided valid answers to the survey. (This article was written by Yasuhito Watanabe and Nozomi Matsui.)
![[Robert J. Fouser] A 'welcomeness consensus' for migrants](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwimg.heraldcorp.com%2Fnews%2Fcms%2F2025%2F03%2F20%2Fnews-p.v1.20250320.edc1267800cb45f3b2d2b27e6eb32d24_T1.jpg&w=3840&q=100)
![[Robert J. Fouser] A 'welcomeness consensus' for migrants](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fall-logos-bucket.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fkoreaherald.com.png&w=48&q=75){kind=small}
Korea Herald
20-03-2025
- Politics
- Korea Herald
[Robert J. Fouser] A 'welcomeness consensus' for migrants
Earlier this week, the 'Dong-A Ilbo' ran a story on how local governments in South Korea are repurposing abandoned public facilities to revive local economies. The article mentioned that Yeongyang-gun in North Gyeongsang Province, in cooperation with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), is planning to accept 40 refugees from Myanmar later this year. The county plans to repurpose an abandoned school to create a resettlement facility. Across the country, other local governments have been trying to attract migrants from abroad. In August, The New York Times ran a piece on efforts by the city of Jecheon, North Chungcheong Province, to attract ethnic Korean migrants from Central Asia. The city repurposed an abandoned university dormitory into a resettlement center that offers free housing and meals for four months after moving to Jecheon. Areas in other advanced countries with population decline have worked to attract migrants, despite recent criticism from right-wing political leaders. In the US, small and medium-sized cities facing deindustrialization and depopulation have long tried to attract migrants and refugees. For example, Dayton, a city of 135,000 in southwest Ohio, launched the 'Welcome Dayton' initiative in 2011. This community-driven effort aims to make the city more immigrant-friendly by focusing on four areas: Community engagement, business and economic development, education and health and social services. The initiative encourages local businesses to hire refugees and migrants, thus boosting the local economy and fostering diversity. Migrants have helped the city make up for a 50 percent drop in population since its 1960 peak. Running through various reports on efforts to attract migrants and refugees is the issue of welcomeness. How do local residents, particularly in rural areas and small cities, react to an influx of different people from abroad? And how do migrants and refugees interact successfully with their new community? One issue that most resettlement programs focus on is language education. Most local governments in South Korea offer Korean language classes to adult immigrants while many schools help non-Korean students learn Korean. Companies that employ foreign workers, many of which are located near larger cities, also offer Korean language classes. Taken together, there is a lot of Korean language education taking place in areas that have been more closed to outsiders. Korean language proficiency is only part of the story. Another important aspect is a welcoming atmosphere in the community, which is not necessarily teachable. Instead, local leaders need to make the case for the benefits of attracting new people to the community. This requires leadership and a strong consensus in the community. To return to the examples of Jecheon, Mayor Kim Chang-gyu, a retired diplomat, has taken the lead in developing programs to attract Central Asian migrants, which has encouraged local government and private sector cooperation. Equally important, leadership has helped maintain a consensus in favor of welcoming migrants. In the case of Dayton, 'Welcome Dayton' has maintained cooperation among government bodies, non-profit organizations and the business community. A survey in 2023 showed that 57 percent of residents would welcome a migrant moving in next door, whereas only 13 percent would not welcome a migrant neighbor. Strong local consensus has helped maintain support for migrants despite Donald Trump's strong showing in the 2024 election in southwest Ohio. Jecheon, Dayton, and other places with a successful history of accepting migrants counter the negative narrative about migrants that has filled the news since the mid-2010s. Communities facing long-term decline are often willing to try new things, such as accepting migrants, to slow or even arrest the decline. They turn the natural urge toward self-preservation into creating a welcoming atmosphere for those searching for a better life. But there is a caveat. Communities that welcome migrants often have an unstated tolerance threshold. Migrants in Jecheon are still a small percentage of the population. In Dayton, the total foreign-born population is only 5 percent, slightly lower than average for the state of Ohio and much lower than the 27 percent in California. Resistance to migrants often begins to grow as the population increases because they are no longer viewed as guests but as competitors. The threshold differs by time and place, but attitudes change with rapid increases in population that create new challenges for the community. At the end of 2024, the population of foreign nationals in South Korea passed 5 percent for the first time. Places like Jecheon and faraway Dayton have developed a 'welcomeness consensus' that offers a model for the nation it continues to attract more people from abroad. Robert J. Fouser, a former associate professor of Korean language education at Seoul National University, writes on Korea from Providence, Rhode Island. He can be reached at robertjfouser@ The views expressed here are the writer's own. -- Ed.
