Yukio Hatoyama, former Japanese prime minister and current president of East Asian Community Institute, speaks during an interview with The Korea Times, Thursday, held on the sidelines of the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity in Seogwipo, Jeju Island. Korea Times photo by Shim Hyun-chul
SEOGWIPO, Jeju Island — South Korea should take the lead in reviving trilateral diplomacy with China and Japan by pushing for a three-way summit as soon as possible, former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama said Friday.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with The Korea Times on the sidelines of the Jeju Forum for Peace and Prosperity, Hatoyama said Seoul is uniquely positioned to bridge a deepening rift between Tokyo and Beijing.
"What I expect the most is that South Korea will take the lead in holding a trilateral summit by talking to China as early as possible, as the current relations between Beijing and Tokyo are not easy. I hope South Korea could create that mood," said Hatoyama, the 93rd prime minister of Japan and current president of the East Asian Community Institute.
Relations between Tokyo and Beijing have deteriorated sharply following remarks by Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who said Japan could respond to a hypothetical Chinese attack on Taiwan. China, which considers Taiwan its own territory under the One China principle, responded by slashing the number of flights to Japan and canceling Japanese cultural events, while Japanese officials have struggled to secure meetings with their Chinese counterparts.
