New Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi on Tuesday sought to downplay concerns that relations with South Korea could be affected under her leadership as she expressed her fondness for South Korean food and culture.
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“I love South Korea’s seaweeds and I also use South Korean cosmetics. I watch South Korean dramas as well,” said Takaichi, known for her hawkish stance on diplomacy and security, during a late-night press conference after she was elected prime minister the same day.
She made the remarks when asked for her thoughts about the bilateral relationship amid some concern in South Korea that her becoming the prime minister could strain ties.
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Sanae Takaichi becomes Japan’s first female prime minister
Sanae Takaichi becomes Japan’s first female prime minister
Takaichi has regularly visited the Yasukuni Shrine in Tokyo, a source of diplomatic friction with South Korea and China, due mainly to its connections to Japan’s wartime militarism.
But she skipped the shrine’s autumn festival last weekend – an event she had attended in previous years – apparently out of concern for the impact a visit by a prospective prime minister could have on Japan’s diplomatic relations.
At the press conference, Takaichi described South Korea as an “important neighbouring country” and expressed her eagerness to meet President Lee Jae-myung.
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South Korea will host a summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum beginning late this month.