Japan's relations with South Korea are unlikely to see a significant improvement in 2019, as tensions over wartime issues have reared up in recent months and inflamed passions on both sides of the Sea of Japan.
In a fresh sign of friction, the Japanese government accused a South Korean warship of locking its fire-control radar on a Japanese patrol plane on Dec. 20 and released video footage taken from the aircraft. Seoul has denied Japan's claim.
"Mistrust of South Korea has risen more than ever" within the Japanese government, a source at the Prime Minister's Office said in the wake of the radar incident.