The march toward stronger, more institutionalized ties among Japan, the United States and South Korea is set to accelerate as the leaders of those countries meet (at the time of this publication) at Camp David, the U.S. presidential retreat, for a trilateral summit. All three governments understand the need for a deeper, more stable structure of cooperation, one that is insulated from the corrosive effects of historical legacies.
Yet no matter how far those men go, or how forward-looking their declarations, the future of trilateral cooperation will depend on work to be done. Among the most important tasks is forging deep bonds of trust and confidence among the citizens of the three nations. Real leadership is needed to build that foundation for the future.
The summit is the culmination of years of hard work to overcome bitter historical legacies, most stemming from Japan’s occupation and colonization of the Korean Peninsula in the first half of the 20th century. Compelling as that grim past is, it has been overshadowed by a darkening regional security environment.