[Editorial] No easy salutation

The Liberal Democratic Party made a roaring comeback under the leadership of Shinzo Abe, bringing the Democratic Party of Japan to its knees in the Diet election on Sunday. It carried 294 of the 480 seats at stake while its alliance partner, Komeito, took another 31 seats. The DJP was given a humiliating 57 seats.

As one of Japan’s neighbors, Korea should respect the decision by the Japanese voters to bestow governing power on the LDP again for the first time in three years. Still, Korea finds it uneasy to send its heartfelt congratulations to the LDP, which is certain to strain Japanese-Korean relations if it makes good on its election promises.

During its campaign, the LDP vowed to make no compromises on territorial disputes with Japan’s neighbors ― over the Dokdo islets with Korea and the Senkaku/Diaoyu islands with China. It also raised the specter of its colonial aggression when it said it would seek to revise Japan’s peace constitution, turn its Self-Defense Forces into a national defense force and exercise the right to collective self-defense.

Abe, the prime minister-in-waiting, has in the past strained Japan’s relations with Korea, denying that Japan forced Korean women into sex slavery. He has also renewed Japan’s misplaced claim to the Dokdo islets, which are under the control of Korea.

Another Korean concern about the LDP’s return to power stems from its promise to print as much money as is needed for Japan’s economic turnaround. The LDP intends to breathe life into Japan’s moribund manufacturers by weakening the Japanese currency. This foreign exchange policy is certain to hurt Korean exporters that are competing against their Japanese rivals in the world markets.

One of the first tests of Korea’s relations with Japan under the new leadership of Abe will come on Feb. 22, three days before a new Korean president is scheduled to be inaugurated. The Japanese prefecture Sinema observes the day as “Takeshima Day,” with Takeshima being the Japanese name for Dokdo. Abe said that “Takeshima Day” would be elevated to a national commemorative day.

The ball is certainly in Abe’s court now, with the test coming at a time when Korea, China and Japan will have established their new leaderships. Should Abe go ahead with his promise, it certainly would turn Korean-Japanese relations confrontational. Abe will be well-advised not to waste an opportunity to start building a peaceful and prosperous Northeast Asia together with Korea and China.