KOREA-JAPAN FORUM

1993–Present

The Korea-Japan Forum was initiated in 1993, when South Korean President Kim Young-sam and Japanese Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa called for the formation of a new, forward-looking relationship between the two countries. The forum was modeled after the Shimoda Conference (a private forum on bilateral relations established in 1967 and sponsored by JCIE) and was designed to address common issues and challenges that the two neighboring countries will face in coming years. Leading citizens from Japan and Korea in the fields of politics, government, business, academia, the nonprofit sector, and media attended the first forum in Seoul on December 5–7, 1993. 

Since then, the forum has taken place annually and is held alternately in Korea and Japan, bringing together about 50 policy experts, government officials, legislators, journalists, business executives, and civil society leaders from the two countries. In 2015, the inaugural Korea-Japan Youth Forum was held, bringing together mentors from the main forum with around 18–20 young participants each year to discuss key issues facing the two countries.

This continuing dialogue has played a critical role in promoting mutual understanding and expanding the network of cooperative relationships between the two countries. 

2018 Korea-Japan Forum
A youth forum was added in 2015

JCIE serves as the Japanese secretariat and the Korea Foundation serves as the Korean secretariat for this dialogue.

PROGRAM NEWS


30th Korea-Japan Forum

August 18 and 24–26, 2022 | Tokyo

The 30th Korea-Japan Forum, held in Tokyo, brought together participants to discuss domestic political shifts and bilateral relations, economic and security issues facing the two countries, and the la…


29th Korea-Japan Forum

November 29 and December 3, 2021 | Online

The 29th Korea-Japan Forum, held online, brought together participants to discuss domestic political shifts and bilateral relations, economic and technology cooperation, and the latest geopolitical de…


28th Korea-Japan Forum

November 13, 2020 | Online

The 28th Korea-Japan Forum, which was held via videoconference between two venues in Tokyo and Seoul due to COVID-19 travel concerns, brought together more than 40 participants to discuss domestic pol…


27th Korea-Japan Forum

August 21–23, 2019 | Seoul

The 27th Korea-Japan Forum met in Tokyo, bringing together more than 50 participants from both countries. Discussion topics included the role of both countries in moving toward North Korean denucleari…


26th Korea-Japan Forum

August 20–22, 2018 | Tokyo

The 26th Korea-Japan Forum met in Tokyo, bringing together more than 50 participants from both countries. The meeting was focused on the 20th anniversary of the 1998 Japan–South Korea joint declaratio…


25th Korea-Japan Forum

August 28–30, 2017 | Seoul

The 25th meeting of the Korea-Japan Forum brought together more than 50 participants from both countries, including influential politicians, businesspeople, and representatives of private exchange org…


24th Korea-Japan Forum

August 24–26, 2016 | Tokyo

The 24th Korea-Japan Forum was held in Tokyo on August 24–26, 2016, convening 50 participants from both countries. Discussions were held on “Japan-Korea grassroots/citizen exchange,” “Japanese and Kor…


23rd Korea-Japan Forum

August 27–29, 2015 | Seoul

The 23rd Korea-Japan Forum was held in Seoul on December 27–29, 2015, convening 50 participants from both countries. As this year marks the 50th anniversary of the normalization of Korea-Japan relatio…


22nd Korea-Japan Forum

August 7–9, 2014 | Fukuoka, Japan

The 22nd Korea-Japan Forum, co-organized by JCIE and the Korea Foundation, concluded on Saturday, August 9th, with the issuance of a joint statement that calls for the creation of a “new win-win relat…


21st Korea-Japan Forum

August 22–24, 2013 | Seoul

The Korea-Japan Forum was initiated in November 1993 during a summit meeting between South Korean President Kim Young-sam and Japanese Prime Minister Morihiro Hosokawa where they called for the format…


20th Korea-Japan Forum

December 20–22, 2012 | Tokyo

On December 20-22, 2012, the Twentieth Korea-Japan Forum took place. Approximately 40 leaders from the political, nonprofit, academic, media, and corporate sectors gathered to discuss a variety of top…


19th Korea-Japan Forum

August 24–26, 2011 | Seoul

On August 24-26, 2011, the Nineteenth Korea-Japan Forum took place. Approximately 40 leaders from the political, nonprofit, academic, media, and corporate sectors gathered to discuss a variety of topi…


18th Korea-Japan Forum

October 3–5, 2010 | Tokyo

On October 3-5, 2010, the Eighteenth Korea-Japan Forum took place. Approximately 40 leaders from the political, nonprofit, academic, media, and corporate sectors gathered to discuss a variety of topic…


17th Korea-Japan Forum

December 6–8, 2009 | Seoul

This meeting, which gathered roughly 50 experts, was held in Seoul and focused on recent developments in each country and how the two countries could work together to address critical shared concerns.


16th Korea-Japan Forum

August 28–30, 2008 | Tokyo

On August 28-30, 2008, the Sixteenth Korea-Japan Forum took place. Approximately 40 leaders from the political, nonprofit, academic, media, and corporate sectors gathered to discuss a variety of topic…