But how long will the goodwill last? Concerns linger in South Korea that Takaichi, known for her nationalist leanings, may eventually adopt a more hawkish stance, risking again straining ties over long-standing issues such as Japan’s wartime history and territorial disputes.
“I would say there is optimism about the relationship at the moment, but South Korean people are worried about how things might change in the future because they know that Takaichi is a conservative nationalist on issues such as security and history,” said Yuji Hosaka, a professor of history and politics at Seoul’s Sejong University.
“The feeling here is that South Korea wants to have a positive relationship with Japan and that it would be beneficial to both nations in terms of trade, sharing technology, security and many other issues, but people are saying we have to see how things are in two or three months to understand how it is going to be.”
Seoul appears keen to start off on the right foot. On Tuesday, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung was among the first world leaders to congratulate Takaichi on her election, posting on social media that he was looking forward to meeting her in person at next week’s Apec summit in the South Korean coastal city of Gyeongju.
“I hope to work with you to further strengthen future-oriented, mutually beneficial cooperation between our two nations and peoples,” he wrote. “I also hope that, based on shuttle diplomacy, our leaders will continue to meet frequently and communicate closely.”
AloJapan.com