Japan–South Korea relations

Japan–South Korea relations (Japanese: 日韓関係, romanized: Nikkan kankei; Korean: 한일관계; RR: Hanil gwangye) are the diplomatic relations between Japan and the Republic of Korea. As the Sea of Japan and the Korea Strait geographically separate the two nations, political interactions date back from the 6th century when the kingdom of Baekje (which encompassed much of present-day South Korea) officially established relations with the Yamato Kingship of Japan. During the ancient era, the southern region of the Korean Peninsula served as the closest port for economic trade and cultural exchange between the Japanese archipelago and mainland Asia. Such relations would continue by the late 19th century when both Japan and Korea undergo modernisation from Western powers up until 1910, when Korea became a colony of Japan.

Shortly after gaining independence from the Japanese surrender at the end of World War II in 1945, Korea was divided into two states. During the Korean War, Japan took part in aiding South Korea by providing military supplies to US and UN forces against the communist-led North Korea.

Japan and South Korea formally established diplomatic relations in December 1965, under the Treaty on Basic Relations Between Japan and the Republic of Korea, with Japan recognising South Korea as the only legitimate government in the Korean Peninsula.

Japan and South Korea share many cultural, economic, and military ties. Their economies are respectively the second and fourth largest in Asia, and they are both military allies of the United States. Relations, however, are greatly complicated by a number of issues, including territorial claims on Liancourt Rocks and conflicting views on mutual history.

According to a 2014 BBC World Service poll, 13% of Japanese view South Korea's influence positively, with 37% expressing a negative view, while 15% of South Koreans view Japanese influence positively, with 79% expressing negatively, making South Korea, after China, the country with the second most negative perception of Japan in the world.

In spite of the issues, both South Korea and Japan have taken priorities to work alongside the United States in countering recent threats from China and Russia. Under the leaderships of South Korean president, Yoon Suk Yeol, and Japanese prime minister, Shigeru Ishiba, both countries are attempting to restore ties and trust with each other. In 2023, surveys showed Japanese people with a favourable impression of South Korea outnumbered those with an unfavourable one for the first time in a decade.