Mutual cultural acceptance underpins Japan-South Korea ties - The Japan Times

Mutual cultural acceptance underpins Japan-South Korea ties - The Japan Times



Mutual cultural acceptance underpins Japan-South Korea ties

Tokyo's Shin-Okubo district filled with Korean restaurants and shops. South Korean culture has increasingly been embraced as cutting-edge, especially among younger Japanese people. | REUTERS
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Sep 3, 2025


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As Japan and South Korea mark the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations this year, experts say a deepening acceptance of each other's culture now provides a solid foundation for bilateral relations.

Despite periodic strains between the two governments over history and other issues, people-to-people exchanges, particularly in popular culture, have steadily expanded, lifting mutual favorability to record highs.




In 1965, Japan and South Korea normalized diplomatic relations by signing the Treaty on Basic Relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea. Yet, given the legacy of Japan's colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula between 1910 and 1045, Seoul maintained strict controls on Japanese popular culture, easing them only in stages beginning in 1998.

Even so, South Korean youth had quietly embraced Japanese pop music and idol culture since the 1980s.

"There was considerable admiration for Japanese culture" in South Korea, said Kwon Yong-seok, an associate professor at Hitotsubashi University's Graduate School of Law and a specialist in Japan-South Korea cultural exchange. By contrast, he noted, Japanese interest in South Korea at the time was minimal.

The "Korean Wave," a widespread popularity of South Korean culture that swept Japan from around 2000, marked a turning point. Since around 2015, South Korean culture has increasingly been embraced as cutting-edge, especially among younger Japanese, Kwon noted.

He argued that younger people are less susceptible to political headwinds and that mutual cultural acceptance between Japan and South Korea has taken firm root. Even when tensions arise between the two governments, he added, these cultural ties have now "come to lend resilience" to the bilateral relationship.

In a public opinion poll conducted in February by the South Korean economic daily MoneyToday, 47% of respondents said they had a favorable impression of Japan. A separate survey by Japan's Cabinet Office in October-November last year found that 56.3% of respondents felt an affinity toward South Korea.

Support was strongest among younger people. Among those between the ages of 18 and 29, 66% in South Korea and 72.5% in Japan expressed favorable views. Among people in their 30s, the figure was 59% in both countries.

Kwon called the results "a historic record," saying they confirm that cultural exchange underpins Japan-South Korea relations.

He noted that while memories of Japanese rule persist in South Korea, its national strength has grown since 2000. In particular, younger generations show less fear and aversion toward Japan, contributing to improving perceptions, he added.

Japan and South Korea face shared challenges at home and abroad that call for coordinated responses.

Some observers worried that, given his past rhetoric, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung would take a harder line toward Japan. Yet his statements since taking office in June have emphasized prioritizing Japan-South Korea relations.

Confronted with issues ranging from steep tariffs introduced by the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump on both key Asian allies to the need to manage complex economic ties with China, Lee appears intent on keeping the bilateral ties on a constructive footing.

Both Japan and South Korea also face similar domestic challenges, including declining birth rates, aging populations and persistent gender inequality.

Kwon described Japan and South Korea as "mirrors of each other," noting many opportunities for mutual learning.

Beyond pop culture, Kwon urged Japanese audiences to engage with content that deepens their understanding of South Korea's history, politics and society, saying this is essential to building a more mature Japan-South Korea relationship.