Suggestions for Korea-Japan parliamentary diplomacy: Focusing on the analysis of Japan's Conservative Parliamentary Union

Eunsook Jung

majung21@sejong.org​

Emeritus Research Fellow

The Sejong Institute

❍ About Japan's Parliamentary Union

   - Name: Japan's Parliamentary Union mainly uses the name "Association for ○○", as well as the name "○○ Committee", "○○ Meeting", and "○○ Research Group". However, it is collectively called the 'Parliamentary Union".

   - Purpose: The Parliamentary Union is an organization of lawmakers founded for a specific purpose, which is for △ policy research, △ realization of ideological tendencies, △ inducing profits to specific industries or regions, △ foreign policy, and △ hobby activities

   - Form: A variety of cases, including only members of a particular political party participating or bipartisan participation

   - Current status: Currently there are a total of 388 congressional organizations identified. However, in Japan, it is very difficult to grasp information on the exact number, of members, and activities because it is an informal voluntary organization by Members of Parliament.

❍ South Korea's Parliamentary and Diplomatic Organizations and Parliamentary Research Organizations

   - While Japan classifies and refers to all union created by lawmakers as Parliamentary Unions, Korea divides into Parliamentary Diplomatic Organizations(enacted on December 17, 1991, on diplomatic activities of Members of Parliament) and Parliamentary Research Organizations (enacted on February 7, 1994, on the support of parliamentary research organizations)

   - The 21st National Assembly Parliamentary Union includes ① regular exchange system between the Korean and Chinese parliaments, ② 12 parliamentary diplomatic forums, ③ 115 parliamentary friendly associations, ④ 6 parliamentary organizations and corporations for diplomatic activities, and △ 54 parliamentary research organizations

❍ Japan's Conservative Members of Parliamentary Union

   - A phenomenon symbolizing the conservativeization of Japanese politics is the increasing and revitalization of the conservative and right-wing Parliamentary Union, which has been active since the mid-1990s.

 * This paper selects a conservative and right-leaning Parliamentary Union that pursues ideologies and activities that can affect relations with Korea among 388 Parliamentary Union and selects 5 Union that are highly exposed to the media and socially noted for their active activities. Hence review the members, ideologies, and activities and confirm the membership of the Second Kishida Administration's Members within the following Unions; △ Japanese Conference Parliamentary Meeting, △ Shinto Political Federation △ Association to pay respect to the Yasukuni Shrine △ Parliamentary Union for preserving Japanese Territory △ Union for Members of Parliament whom concern on Japan's Future and History Education.

❍ Evaluation and Recommendation

   - The task left through the above consideration is the establishment of relations with Japan, which is dominated by conservative Members of Parliament.

   - In Japan, even if ministers and party officials are replaced, the influence of the conservative Parliament Union is expected to be strengthened because the chairman and secretary-general of the Union are characterized by long-lasting "fixation and prolongation of personnel" unless Member of Parliament loses on election.

   - With the current low approval rating, the Kishida Administration finds it difficult to gain momentum to improve Korea-Japan relations, and it may be more likely to choose to make conservative options, led by the conservative Parliament Union and Abe supporters.

 * In terms of Korea-Japan relations, it is important to establish relations between governments, but considering the characteristics of Japanese politics in which influential politicians take turns serving as prime ministers and ministers and strengthening solidarity through the Parliamentary Union, it is important to establish relations with the opposing party and the Parliamentary Union

   - It is necessary for the Korean government to officially protest against activities such as politicians visiting Yasukuni Shrine by "Association to pay respect to Yasukuni Shrine", but unlike Korea, there is no need to officially respond to the activities of the conservative Parliamentary Union, given that the Union itself is a voluntary gathering of Members of Parliament and their actions are voter-conscious political activities.

   - Policy approach through parliamentary diplomacy is needed rather than approaching conservative and right-wing individuals.

* The role of the Korea-Japan/Japan-Korea Parliamentarians Union as a "Creator of Cooperation Agenda" between Korea and Japan

* It is necessary to seek and promote exchanges and cooperation in terms of parliamentary diplomacy on common agendas and global agendas of Korea and Japan, including children, women, population, human rights, and environment, between Korea and Japan's parliamentary diplomatic organizations and parliamentary research organizations.​