From $2021$ to $2022$ I was stationed in Okinawa, Japan. Towards the end of my time in Japan I worked as the Logistics Planning representative for my unit. Whenever our unit was participating in a multi$-$national military training exercise, it was my responsibility to coordinate with the logistics representatives from other U$.$S$.$ military units, as well as those from our allied partner nations. One of the multi$-$national military exercises we were planning when I was in Japan included foreign military units from Japan, the Philippines, the United Kingdom, Thailand, Australia, South Korea, etc. During our planning conferences, I specifically remember how difficult it was to get the Japanese and South Korean military representatives to cooperate with one another. Oftentimes they would refuse to even speak with one another, let alone sit at the same table. Additionally, if one country was given the opportunity to participate in a training session with a U$.$S$.$ military unit, we had to ensure that the other country was also offered the same or a similar opportunity. We did this to ensure that one of the the countries didn't feel left out, and so that we could maintain stable relationships with military representatives from both nations.

Hearing that both governments are actively working together to mend their relationship is quite the opposite of what I've personally experienced, however it is a welcome change to bilateral relationships on the international stage. Japanese and South Korean cooperation could help create a more stable situation in the Pacific and could curb Chinese aggression in the region. As the old saying goes "The enemy of my enemy is my friend", and that certainly seems to be the case with the recent improvement in relations between the South Korean and Japanese governments. Below I've attached a video that gives some background on the first summit in twelve years that occurred between Japanese and South Korean leaders last year: