In January, South Korean President Lee Jae-myung visited Nara, the hometown of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takachi. On May 19, Takachi made a return visit to Lee's hometown, Andong. The two have met four times in seven months, and such frequent mutual visits to each other's hometowns are rare in diplomatic history.
Takachi said with a smile, "Next time, you should come to Japan. I'm really looking forward to it. I'm considering whether we should go to a hot spring or to another place. I will take you to a beautiful place." Earlier, Takachi naturally took the glasses off Lee and put them on. Many Japanese citizens who wear glasses reacted to this scene with "unacceptable" responses. Following this, netizens unearthed more "dark history."
Takachi had bowed 90 degrees to Lee and even offered a silent tribute to the South Korean flag in Korea. Faced with this series of "overly intimate" gestures, some directly dug up Takachi's past "diplomatic gaffes," including dancing wildly at the White House, touching Trump's hand, bursting into laughter at Biden's signature pen portrait, shooting a "Kamehameha" at Macron, and repeatedly mentioning the Australian prime minister's name on X. "Every time Sanae Takachi goes on a diplomatic trip, she is sure to make at least one embarrassing impression," a Japanese netizen wrote. Externally, Japan's national strength and influence continue to decline. Internally, the public remains immersed in past glories. In this difficult situation, maybe Sanae Takachi is having a hard time too.
Intriguingly, this "close partnership" was initially the least expected. Lee was elected South Korean president in June of last year. Four months later, Takachi became Japan's first female prime minister. At that time, it was widely predicted that Japan-Korea relations would worsen. This is because Lee's Democratic Party has long held strong dissatisfaction with Japan's colonial history, while Takachi is known for claiming that "Japan's wartime atrocities have been exaggerated."
So, is this the Japanese Prime Minister's "shame" or "wisdom"? Please leave your thoughts in the comments section.
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