On March 16, South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol paid his first visit to Tokyo since taking office.

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida warmly welcomed his counterpart from Seoul. The two leaders held their summit, gave a joint news conference and enjoyed a dinner that included omurice (omelet rice), a favorite of Yoon’s.

What happened to the once hopelessly tumultuous Japan-South Korea relations? The following are some very personal and tentative observations.