One year has passed since the South Korean government announced its "solution" to the long-festering issue of Japan’s compensation for former Korean wartime laborers, known as “choyoko” (drafted workers) in Japan.

Not all related problems have been resolved, however. Continuous efforts and gestures of sincerity on both sides are indispensable for overcoming such sensitive history-related disputes.

With this fundamental principle in mind, Japan should also seek ways to prevent the improved bilateral relations from becoming strained again.

In response to South Korean judicial decisions ordering Japanese companies to compensate former Korean laborers, Japan has refused to take the step, stating that the issue was "already resolved" with the 1965 Japan-Korea claims settlement agreement.

Amid a complete disagreement in the positions of the two countries, the South Korean administration of President Yoon Suk-yeol in March last year proposed a solution where a government-affiliated foundation would take over the compensation payments ordered to the Japanese companies.

Seoul’s move led to an improvement in Japan-South Korea relations, which had been described as being in the "worst shape since the normalization of diplomatic relations."

The “shuttle diplomacy” involving regular meetings of the Japanese and South Korean leaders was revived for the first time in 12 years, resulting in seven summits between Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Yoon last year alone.

Exchanges between the people of Japan and South Korea have also become more robust and vibrant in both the public and private sectors.

However, some South Korean plaintiffs have refused to accept the payment, remaining opposed to the resolution.

The foundation is attempting to get through this problem by depositing the funds with the court, but it has yet to be concluded whether this is a legally valid measure.

On the other hand, South Korean court rulings ordering Japanese companies to pay compensation have been finalized one after another, and the foundation, which is financed by donations from South Korean companies among others, is feared to face a shortage of funds.

To alleviate criticism that the "solution" is a unilateral concession to Japan, the South Korean government wants to gain cooperation from the Japanese companies involved.

The business communities of Japan and South Korea established a fund for promoting exchanges of young people of the two countries when Seoul announced the plan to settle the issue.

We are eager to see Japanese companies get actively involved in future-oriented efforts to heal the wounds of history.

A keen awareness lies behind the Yoon administration's push for improved relations with Japan.

South Korean policymakers are fully aware that enhancing security cooperation between Japan and South Korea, and among Japan, the United States and South Korea, is indispensable for responding effectively to the threat posed by North Korea's ongoing nuclear and missile development programs.

Such cooperation is also beneficial for Japan.

Japan and South Korea share many other common policy challenges. In 2023, South Korea's total fertility rate hit a record low of 0.72.

There are many factors behind the country’s demographic crisis that are similar to those confronting Japan, such as difficulties in balancing child rearing with work due to long working hours.

The two countries would reap benefits from bilateral cooperation in tackling the demographic challenges.

Therefore, it is imperative to prevent the bilateral relationship from deteriorating again over sensitive historical issues.

Yoon stressed the importance of solving these issues in his speech in a ceremony commemorating the March First Movement, a series of demonstrations for Korean national independence from Japan that began on March 1, 1919.

"If we solve the difficult challenges left by history together, we can open up a brighter and new future,” he said.

Just because the South Korean president emphasized a future-oriented Japan-South Korea relationship, Japan should not brush aside the choyoko issue as “a done deal.”

It is crucial for Japan to continue to demonstrate its commitment to facing its wartime past and to seriously consider the steps it can take to strengthen the bilateral relations.

--The Asahi Shimbun, March 7