Full Text

April 1, 2009: Prime Minister Aso Taro and President Lee Myung-bak meet prior to the G20 summit in London and agree that North Korea’s launch of a “satellite” will be a violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1718. April 5, 2009: North Korea launches a long-range ballistic missile. April 6, 2009: According to a Yomouri Shimbun survey, 78 percent of respondents want Japan to strengthen sanctions against North Korea. Eighty-eight percent of the respondents said that they feel anxious about North Korea’s missile development program. April 6, 2009: Japanese dailies Asahi and Yumouri report that the scope for response of the PAC-3 missile defense system falls short of effectively defending Japan. Japan-Korea Relations 129 July 2009 April 9, 2009: South Korean government protests over the Japanese government’s approval of a controversial textbook from Jiyusha. April 11, 2009: South Korean President Lee, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, and Japanese PM Aso meet in Thailand and agree that the three countries should voice strong concern over North Korea’s missile launch. April 13, 2009: The UN Security Council adopts a nonbinding President’s Statement condemning North Korea’s missile launch. April 15, 2009: PM Aso says that the Six-Party Talks should be the principal venue for the North’s denuclearization efforts. April 16, 2009: Foreign ministers of Japan and South Korea, Nakasone Hirofumi and Yu Myung-hwan, agree that the two countries should work closely to resume the Six-Party Talks to make progress on the North’s nuclear development program. April 19, 2009: Former Finance Minister Nakagawa Shoichi suggests that Japan should consider possessing nuclear weapons as a deterrent to a threat from North Korea. April 21, 2009: South Korea’s Foreign Ministry expresses deep regret over PM Aso’s offering to the Yasukuni Shrine. April 23, 2009: Japan and South Korea sign a letter of intent on bilateral defense cooperation, the first formal military pact between the two countries. April 28, 2009: Korea’s Shinhan Bank announces that it has won a preliminary license from Japan’s Financial Services Agency to operate a separate unit in Japan. May 3, 2009: As part of the Chiang Mai Initiative, China and Japan agree to provide $38.4 billion (32 percent) of the Initiative’s pool, while Korea agrees to provide $19.2 billion (16 percent) during their finance ministers meeting in Bali. May 8-12, 2009: U.S. Special Representative on North Korean Policy Stephen Bosworth visits China, South Korea, and Japan to discuss a response to North Korea’s threat to quit the Six-Party Talks. May 23, 2009: Former South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun commits suicide. May 25, 2009: North Korea conducts its second underground nuclear test and fires three short-range missiles toward the East Sea/Sea of Japan. May 25, 2009: Japan proposes that the UN Security Council be convened for an urgent meeting to discuss North Korea’s nuclear test. Japan-Korea Relations 130 July 2009 May 26, 2009: Japan’s Defense Minister Hamada Yasukazu says that Pyongyang may develop nuclear warheads. May 27, 2009: Japan’s House of Councilors unanimously approves a resolution condemning North Korea’s nuclear test. The House of Representatives adopted a similar resolution the day of the North’s test. May 29, 2009: President Lee and Japanese opposition leader Hatoyama Yukio meet and agree that Japan, South Korea, and the U.S. should closely work together to encourage China to come up with a strong UNSC resolution to deal with Pyongyang’s nuclear test. May 30, 2009: Defense Ministers of the U.S., Korea and Japan meet at the 8th Shangri-La Security Dialogue and agree that they will respond firmly to North Korea’s provocations with a nuclear test and missile launches. June 2, 2009: Over 2,200 people rally in Tokyo for the protection of Article 9 of the Japanese Constitution in commemoration of the late Kato Shuichi, one of the founders of the Article 9 Association. June 8, 2009: Korea Times reports a poll conducted by Hankook Ilbo revealed that 63.1 percent of respondents did not approve President Lee’s management of state affairs. The same poll shows that 57 percent believed that former President Roh Moo-hyun’s death had to do with the Lee administration’s “political retaliation.” June 8, 2009: Japan’s Chief Cabinet Secretary Kawamura Takeo says the Japanese government wants Washington to put North Korea back on its list of state sponsors of terrorism. June 9, 2008: LDP defense policy panel proposes that Japan should acquire a capability to strike its adversary’s missile sites under the new National Defense Program Guidelines. June 12, 2009: The UNSC unanimously adopts Resolution 1874 condemning North Korea’s nuclear test on May 25. June 14, 2009: Seoul, Beijing, and Tokyo sign an agreement on environmental issues during the 11th Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting in Beijing. The agreement covers a range of issues including green growth, prevention of yellow dust, and pollution control. June 16, 2009: President Obama and President Lee hold a summit in Washington DC and agree to strengthen cooperation with neighboring states to send a clear message to North Korea. June 16, 2009: The Japanese House of Representatives unanimously adopts a resolution that calls for further efforts for nuclear disarmament and nonproliferation. June 18, 2009: Japan’s economic sanctions banning all exports to North Korea take effect until April next year. Japan-Korea Relations 131 July 2009 Japan-Korea Relations 132 July 2009 June 19, 2009: An OCED report says Korea’s exports in the information and communication technology sector were recorded the first among member countries. June 22, 2009: Japan’s Coast Guard says that North Korea issued the ban on navigation on waters off its eastern coast for a military exercise from June 25 and July 10. June 23, 2009: Central News Agency of DPRK criticizes Japan’s move to enact a law enabling its Coast Guard to inspect North Korean cargo as “aiming at justifying war actions.” June 23, 2009: A labor union of high school teachers in Japan says that a poll shows that 60 percent of high school students in 148 schools oppose constitutional revision. June 27, 2009: Finance ministers of South Korea and Japan, Yoon Jeung-hyun and Yasano Kaoru, agree during their meeting in Tokyo that financial markets are stabilizing and agree to further cooperate in accordance with international agreements such as the leaders’ summit in London in April. June 28, 2009: President Lee and PM Aso hold a summit in Tokyo and agree to stand united to deal with North Korea’s nuclear and missile development program.