The Ghosts at the Table: Reconciliation Between Japan and Korea

Relations between Japan and the two Koreas have remained complex and contentious. Utilising a framework developed by Lily Gardner Feldman for Germany's relations with its neighbours, this article tests out whether the 4 variables she identifies apply to the contemporary Japan-South Korea relationship. Two variables, namely the thickening and institutionalizing of bilateral exchanges as well as the changing international environment, can enhance reconciliation, while two other variables, namely the leaders' personalities and the regular resuscitation of and failure to deal with historical problems, have slowed down the process of reconciliation. Without the two countries working through their various bilateral problems, the creation of a stable and structured framework for peace and prosperity in North-east Asia will remain problematic.