Explained: Japan-North Korea Relations

Japan-North Korea Relations: A possible North Korean intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) has landed, the country's first full-capability launch since 2017, within Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in the afternoon of March 24. However, no reports of damage to ships or planes have been received by the Japanese government.

It is the 13th ballistic missile tested by North Korea in 2022, a rate that has drawn strong criticism by the US, South Korea and Japan. Earlier, the US and South Korea warned about a possible test-fire by North Korea for the first time since 2017. 

NDTV quoted Makoto Oniki, Japan's state minister for defence, as saying, "Our current analysis indicates that the ballistic missile flew for 71 minutes and around 15:44 (0644 GMT), it landed in waters within Japan's exclusive economic zone in the Sea of Japan about 150 kilometres east of Hokkaido's Oshima peninsula."

"Given the ballistic missile this time around flew at an altitude of over 6,000 km, which was much higher than the Hwasong-15 ICBM that was launched in November 2017, the one today is believed to be a new ICBM," he added.

Japan-North Korea Relations

While Japan and North Korea share strained relations, there have been diplomatic talks to discuss North Korea's nuclear programme and the abduction of Japanese citizens from Japan by North Korean agents. 

In 2007, the two countries held bilateral talks in Beijing, which re-opened in 2008. Both sides wanted to resolve disputes after a nine-month-long hiatus. Tokyo wanted to resolve the abducted Japanese nationals issue while North Korea sought reparations for Japan's 35-year colonisation of the Korean peninsula before establishing a diplomatic relationship. 

A poll conducted by BBC in 2014 reveals that 91% of the Japanese view North Korea's influence negatively, while only 1% view it positively. 

History of Japan-North Korea Relations

After the proclamation of the North Korean state, the relations between the two countries were hostile. Initially, the North Korean leadership condemned the economic and political negotiations between Japan and South Korea but gradually took advantage of the conflict over the Syngman Rhee Line (marine boundary). 

From 1955 to 1964, the relations between North Korea and Japan saw a gradual expansion. On one side, North Korea helped Japan establish the General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, abbreviated as Chongryon, a favour that Japan returned through the voluntary repatriation of North Korean residents. Subsequently, hundreds of thousands of North Koreans returned to their country in charted Soviet ships by late 1960. 

The relations between the two started deteriorating when North Korea criticised the Treaty of Basic Relations inked between Japan and South Korea in 1965. 

A few years later, the Japanese administration adopted a policy of equidistance toward North Korea and South Korea and refused to take sides. However, under Takeo Miki and his successors, Japan started favouring the Republic of Korea, and North Korean leadership felt increasingly isolated. 

Till the late 1980s, North Korea aimed at minimizing cooperation between South Korea and Japan and strengthing its relations with Japan. The relations started deteriorating again when Japanese nationals, who accompanied their spouses to North Korea, were prevented from communicating with their friends and family back home. North Korea even provided a safe haven to the Japanese Red Army, which Japan considers a terrorist group. Further, its inability to pay debts to Japanese traders broadened this gap. 

As of 2022, Japan-North Korea relations are at an all-time low. The country recently test-fired a ballistic missile that landed in Japan's exclusive economic zone (EEZ).  

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