It was billed as a state visit. Yet, the results are lackluster. The Korea-Japan summit held in Tokyo produced nothing more than a joint press statement. There were no bold decisions commensurate with the status of a state visit.

The restoration of shuttle diplomacy, which was touted as an achievement, was already a matter agreed upon by the previous administration. Cooperation on hydrogen and AI, responses to low birth rates, and the expansion of working holiday programs are merely generic agenda items. The term "state visit" rings hollow.

A greater concern is the direction of the summit. The joint statement was filled with rhetoric regarding North Korea’s nuclear program, Russia-North Korea military cooperation, and responses to cyber threats. This is not a framework independently crafted by Japan and South Korea; it is merely a reaffirmation of the trilateral cooperation among the U.S., South Korea, and Japan—a priority emphasized by the Trump administration. The state visit was effectively reduced to a message directed at the United States.

The issue of President Lee Jae-myung’s consistency is also significant. In the past, he condemned cooperation with Japan as "pro-Japanese treason." Regarding the ruling on forced labor, he stated that "historical distortion cannot be covered up." However, this time, he responded to Prime Minister Ishiba’s remarks on "inheriting the Kim Dae-jung-Obuchi Declaration" without making any specific demands. There was not even a mention of Japan's historical responsibility. When a president’s stance shifts according to the needs of the regime, the international community no longer places its trust in them.

A state visit is not merely a protocol event. The Kim Dae-jung-Obuchi Declaration of the past set a milestone for Korea-Japan relations. However, this summit merely listed abstract phrases such as "cooperation for mutual interests" and "expansion of future industries." While the Presidential Office may package this as an achievement, the public is asking soberly: Why did you even go to Japan?

The reality of this visit is clear: a list of agenda items devoid of substance, a reaffirmation of subordination to Washington, and a collapse in the credibility of the President's words. Ultimately, this trip to Japan remains a hollow diplomatic event, embarrassing to even call a state visit.

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