Preliminary results from a Cabinet Office survey show a record 76% of Japanese people believe promoting relations with South Korea is important. The improvement reflects leaders' efforts to build ties, coinciding with the 60th anniversary of normalized diplomatic relations. Views on relations with the US and China also shifted.
A Cabinet Office opinion poll's preliminary tally indicates that Japanese sentiment toward South Korea has reached an all-time high. Released on Friday, the results show 76% of respondents view promoting ties with South Korea as important. This uptick appears to stem from bilateral leadership initiatives, especially as 2025 marks the 60th anniversary of diplomatic normalization in 1965.
Perceptions of US-Japan friendship stood at 70.8%, down from over 85% in the previous five years, likely due to President Donald Trump's tariff hikes. Only 13.3% see friendly ties with China, up 4.5 percentage points from the prior survey but still low. These figures are from data up to October 24, before Trump's Japan visit and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's comments on Taiwan.
Just 6.3% acknowledged friendly relations with Russia, a level persistent since its Ukraine invasion. Regarding North Korea, 79.4% expressed high interest in abductions of Japanese nationals, followed by concerns over missiles and nuclear programs.
On aid to developing countries, 53.7% deemed the current level sufficient, while 22.6% called for more, 18.8% for minimal support, and 3.8% for cessation. Some respondents urged prioritizing aid for Japanese citizens.
The survey targeted 3,000 people aged 18 and over nationwide via mail starting September 25, with 55.5% valid responses by October 24.