It seems that Korea and Japan are looking to go for all out diplomatically regarding president Obama’s trip to Asia in April.
Some have said that president Obama’s visit to Korea would be helpful in preventing Japan’s distortion of history and moving farther to the far right.
For this trip Japan may be looking to show a positive attitude much they did in sending their Foreign Secretary to America. Prime Minister Abe has been looking to receive America’s support on an amendment to the pacifist constitution and the territorial dispute between China and Japan.
If Obama decided to visit only Japan not to Korea, it would a wrong and erroneous diplomatic sign to Abe cabinet. It has become known that the White House shares this opinion and is considering a visit to Korea.
It has been reported that it has been difficult for Obama to visit to Japan and “Nothing at all was decided yet” regarding which countries will be visited by him during his trip to Asia. However, it also has become known that governments have been in communication and Korea has been pushing the US in support of a visit to Korea.
On February 4th, Kyodo News reported that America and Japan are facing difficulties on rearranging Obama’s schedule to visit Japan in April.
According to foreign news reports, Japan would like Obama stays more than 2 days in Japan during 20th~23th, April on the ground that they need as much time when inviting a national guest.
Korea has requested a visit by Obama to Korea for the same period, so the two countries, Korea and Japan, are quarreling over the visit schedule due to Obama’s limited schedule in his trip to Asia.
According to a source on the relationship of Korea, America, and Japan, America cannot help considering the Korea-Japan disagreement regarding their respective views on their shared history.
Joe Tae-yeong, a spokesman for the Foreign Ministry gave a regular briefing and stressed that, “No specific details regarding which countries he will visit had been decided yet” at the government building in Doryeom-don, Seoul.
