Treaty nippo - South Korean of June 22nd, 1965

The treated nippo-Korean of June 22nd, 1965 standardized the relations between the Japan and the South Korea, while making it possible Japan to become one privileged economic partners of South Korea.

Context of the agreement

Shortly after its nomination like Prime Minister of Japan in November 1964, Satô sends to Seoul its Foreign Minister in order to standardize the relations between two countries, whereas the new strong man of South Korea, the general Park Chung-hee, was trained in Japan and nationalism does not divide antijaponais of its predecessor Syngman Rhee.

The Japanese government wishes to improve its relations with its neighbors, in a context of rise of uncertainties in Asia: the United States does not manage to carry it in the Vietnamese conflict and China reached the row of nuclear power in 1964.

The relationship between Japan and Korea remains however marked by the historical dispute of the Japanese occupation of Korea and the “statute of citizens of second class” constituting a “minority scorned”, few 600.000 Koreans of Japan, present in the Japanese archipelago since Japanese colonization.

A standardization of the diplomatic relations together with an important economic aid of Japan

Under the treaty signed between Tokyo and Seoul on June 22nd, 1965, Japan recognizes the Republic of Korea like the only State representing the whole of Korea, whereas the two States did not have any more diplomatic relations since 1952.

Consequently of the agreement, the Koreans living in Japan must from now on choose between northern or South Korean nationality, while seeing themselves confirming the statute of permanent residents.

The treaty envisages moreover the payment not war reparations, of a Japanese assistance to the development of Korea of 300 million dollars, to which 500 million bank loans is added.

The dispute on the delimitation of territorial water is partially regulated by the creation of a common fishing zone, but the question of the sovereignty of the islands Dokdo, asserted both by Japan and by South Korea, remains outstanding.

An initiative badly accommodated in Korea and Japan

The standardization of the diplomatic relations between South Korea and Japan causes sharp demonstrations of oppositions in these two countries, like in North Korea.

The historical dispute of Japanese colonization is not regulated

The South Korean opponents with the treaty observe that the treaty of June 22nd, 1965 does not mean the recognition by Japan of the damage caused by the colonization of the peninsula between 1905 and 1945, the Japanese economic aid not being qualified besides repairs with the title of the occupation.

In particular, the question of the Korean Women of comfort, obliged prostituer in Japan during the Second world war, remains hanging.

The question outstanding of the relations between Japan and the North Korea

Isolated by the bringing together between Seoul and Tokyo, the president North-Korean Kim It-sung requires the abrogation of the treaty of June 22nd, 1965 like precondition to any bilateral discussion with Japan.

In the Japanese archipelago, the Japanese Communist party, the Japanese Socialist party and the Komeitô require a similar standardization of the relations between Tokyo and Pyongyang. Within the Left liberal-democrat, with the capacity in Tokyo, creates for itself a Ligue of friendship with the North Korea.

The association of the Koreans of Japan Chongryon, near to Pyongyang, is opposed to an agreement under the terms of which South Korea is the only legitimate government of Korea, and which weakens the legal situation of the Koreans of Japan choosing nationality North-Korean compared to those which choose to be South Korean citizens.

For their part, the mediums of Japanese businesses would have judged more advantageous to negotiate contracts with the North Korea, then more developed economically than South Korea, and whose basement is rich in raw materials. They however obtain to be able to develop the exchanges with the North Korea independently of the relations between Tokyo and Seoul.

Economic consequences of the treaty nippo-Korean

The treaty of June 22nd, 1965 facilitates the establishment of the Japanese companies in South Korea which becomes “a kind of appendix for some their essential industries”, while Japan becomes the first business partner of South Korea:

“Since 1969, Seoul carries out more exchanges with Japan (36,2%) that with the United States (34,6%) and receives more Japanese capital than American”.

The important Japanese investments in South Korea were one within the competences of the “economic miracle” South Korean.

References and notes

Jean-Marie Bouissou, “the standardization of the relations with Korea”, in ″ Japan since 1945 ″, Armand Colin, 1992, p. 114.
Jacques Grangereau, “the treaty with Korea”, in ″ Japan at the XXe century ″, the Threshold, 1993, pp. 444-446.
Edwin O. Reischauer, “History of Japan and the Japanese. From 1945 to our days”, the Threshold, 1973, pp. 110-111.

Category: History of Korea

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