► LDP’s decision to elect Kishida stems from its fear of chaos that could potentially result from undertaking such reforms. In essence, the LDP chose stability over reform. ► Since Kishida was elected as a result of strong support from his faction, many expect his future as prime minister to be a difficult one. ► In the end, whether the Kishida administration will maintain power will depe...

► Kishida will prefer the management of Japan-South Korea relations and not attempt the immediate improvement of the bilateral ties for the time being. ► However, the international environment surrounding Japan and South Korea under the U.S.-China strategic competition and the Biden’s Indo-Pacific Strategy surely encourage the cooperation between Tokyo and Seoul. ► It is time for Tokyo and Seo...

► If trust is restored between the two leaderships and both sides accumulate experiences of conflict resolutions through their economic-security compromise, the issue over wartime reparation—albeit difficult—can be resolved. For this to happen, Korea must find a way to create an environment conducive to dialogue. ► As such, if the Korean government has the will to resolve the issue at any c...

► By contrast, my research shows that history tends to follow –rather than drive—strategic relations. Namely, when countries view cooperation in their national interest, leaders work to create a shared narrative about the past. ► A sense of shared threat -- both in terms of declining American credibility, and a shared enemy’s growing power -- brings the countries closer together. But today in E...