Chronologies
Japan - Korea
Chronology from Oct 2001 to Dec 2001
: Nihon Keizai Shimbun reports that the unidentified ship that sank in the East China Sea on Dec. 22 sent messages to an unidentified destination that it would “self-destruct to complete a mission.”
: Bank of Korea states that South Korea’s trade deficit with Japan is expected to surpass $10 billion for 2001, despite the drop in imports.
: Japanese officials state that construction work on two light-water reactors in North Korea will be delayed for around six years and will be completed in 2009 at the earliest.
: Chief Cabinet Secretary Fukuda Yasuo attacks North Korea’s response as “regrettable” and “vulgar” given mounting evidence linking the ship to North Korea.
: North Korea’s official news agency branded the incident in which an unidentified ship sank on Dec. 22 an act of Japanese “brutal piracy” and “unpardonable terrorism;” denies a link to the ship sunk on Dec. 22.
: Japanese Coast Guard vessel exchanges fire and sinks a suspected DPRK vessel near Japanese territorial waters.
: Japanese officials state that resumption of normalization talks with North Korea will be delayed because of Pyongyang’s decision to suspend the search for missing Japanese.
: North Korean Red Cross drops probe into “kidnapped” Japanese, citing Japan’s unnecessary playing-up of the issue and defamation of the DPRK.
: Japan eases visa regulations for South Koreans ahead of 2002 World Cup.
: Japanese police arrest four former executives of a credit union for illegally lending about ¥340 million to a pro-Pyongyang credit union, despite knowing that the loans would go sour.
: Japanese and South Korean industry ministers agree in Tokyo to enhance ties in the exploitation of crude oil and natural gas resources.
: A group of Japanese and ROK citizens file a lawsuit over PM Koizumi’s Yasukuni visit saying that it violated the Japanese Constitution.
: Japanese police search the headquarters of Chongryon, a pro-DPRK association, which has been suspected of embezzlement. The action followed the arrest of a Chongryon executive who is said to have ordered the Chogin Tokyo credit union to embezzle ¥830 million of the union’s funds.
: Japanese Ambassador to the U.S. Kato Ryozo states that the international community should increase pressure on Iraq and North Korea to accept UN inspections of their alleged programs to develop weapons of mass destruction.
: TCOG meeting in San Francisco.
: Japan Times and Joongang Ilbo report that Japanese and North Korean officials met at the working-level in early November to explore ways to resume stalled normalization talks.
: South Korea and Japan hold annual working-level defense policy talks in Tokyo.
: South Korea launches a 100 km short-range missile in the Yellow Sea for research purposes.
: ROK ballistic missile test misfires, landing without incident about 300 km west of Kyushu.
: Japanese government sources state that Japan and South Korea are expected to conclude an extradition treaty by early next year in an effort to enhance judicial and investigative cooperation ahead of the 2002 World Cup soccer finals.
: Mainichi Shimbun reports that the Japanese government decided to delay its humanitarian rice aid shipment to the DPRK.
: President Kim, Chinese Premier Zhu, and PM Koizumi agree to establish a trilateral forum of economic, foreign, and finance ministers at the ASEAN Plus Three summit in Brunei.
: North Korea’s official newspaper, Rodong Shinmun, criticizes Japan for enacting a law to allow the Self-Defense Forces to provide logistical support to the U.S.-led military operation against terrorism.
: A senior South Korean official states that the passage of Japan’s anti-terrorism bill should not be allowed to harm peace and stability in Asia.
: Delegates from South Korea and Japan meet in Tokyo in an effort to resolve their fishing disputes.
: ROK government lifts countermeasures taken against Japanese history textbook and the Yasukuni Shrine visit.
: President Kim and PM Koizumi reach a seven-point accord aimed at resolving disputes between the two nations in Shanghai, including the creation of a joint history research forum and talks to resolve a fishing row. Koizumi promises to seek new ways to pay homage to Japan’s war dead.
: PM Koizumi cancels a proposed trip to the South Korean National Assembly due to threats by the parliamentary opposition to stage a demonstration.
: President Kim Dae-jung and PM Koizumi meet at the Cheong Wa Dae; Koizumi offers his “heartfelt apology” for South Korean suffering under Japan’s colonial rule.
: Japan considering extending rice aid to North Korea next year, hoping to move ahead in stalled normalization talks.
: Secret fisheries talks between South Korea and Japan held in Tokyo fail.
: South Korean lawmakers demand Japanese PM Koizumi apologize for historical distortions in Japan’s textbooks and his visit to the Yasukuni Shrine when he visits Seoul.