[EAI Issue Brief] The Future of Korea-Japan Relations Driven by the 20s and 30s: A New Public Opinion Landscape in Korea-Japan Relations as Seen Through the 1st Korea-Japan-US Public Perception Survey

The "1st Korea-Japan-US Public Perception Survey / 12th Korea-Japan Public Perception Survey," announced on August 28th as the joint survey results of EAI, API, and KEI, can be considered a barometer showing the changes in public opinion surrounding Korea-Japan relations. Amidst increasing favorability towards Japan, there is a noticeable spread of cultural exchange, particularly among the younger generation, growing interest in practical cooperation, and a desire to establish future-oriented relations. These results suggest a turning point in Korea-Japan relations and the direction they should take moving forward. This study aims to analyze these changing trends and present policy recommendations for sustainable Korea-Japan cooperation.

Changes in Public Opinion Landscape Regarding Korea-Japan Relations: Favorability Towards Japan Driven by the 20s and 30s Generation

Traditionally, South Korea's perception of Japan has been negative. For the past 30 years, since the 1990s, negative perceptions have consistently outweighed positive perceptions in surveys of South Korea's views on Japan,[1]and these results have been taken for granted. However, with a major transformation in Korea-Japan relations in 2023, mutual perceptions between the two countries have also begun to shift positively. And at the center of this change are the generations in their 20s and 30s.

This trend is even more pronounced in the public opinion survey recently released by EAI. Figures 1 and 2 below graphically represent the mutual perceptions between South Korea and Japan from 2013, when EAI first began its surveys, to the present in 2025.

[Figure 1] South Korea's Impression of Japan (2013-2025)

Source: Author's compilation based on EAI, "Korea-Japan Public Perception Survey (2013-2025)"

[Figure 2] Japan's Impression of South Korea (2013-2025, no survey in 2024)

Source: Author's compilation based on EAI, "Korea-Japan Public Perception Survey (2013-2025)"

As can be seen in Figure 1, South Korea's perception of Japan has continuously risen since 2023, and in this year's survey, a 'golden cross' occurred for the first time, with positive perceptions (52.4%) surpassing negative perceptions (37.1%). In contrast, as shown in Figure 2, Japan's perception of South Korea has seen a decline in positive perceptions from 37.4% to 24.8% compared to the 2023 survey, while negative perceptions have risen from 32.8% to 51.0%. This is believed to reflect anxieties stemming from domestic instability due to the December 3rd martial law incident and the change in government in South Korea. Considering the survey period was August 19-20, it is reasonable to assume that the effects of President Lee Jae-myung's visit to Japan (August 23-24) and the Korea-Japan summit with Prime Minister Ishiba have not yet been reflected.

Meanwhile, a noteworthy aspect of the change in South Korea's perception of Japan is that this change is not a temporary phenomenon but a structural change based on generational perceptions.This structural change in South Koreans' perception of Japan has also been revealed through an analysis of public opinion surveys conducted by the Asan Institute for Policy Studies,[2]and this changing trend has been reconfirmed in the current survey.

[Figure 3] South Koreans' Impression of Japan (2025) (by age)

Source: Author's compilation based on EAI, "Korea-Japan Public Perception Survey (2025)"

Figure 3 shows South Koreans' impressions of Japan broken down by age. Those aged 18-29 showed the highest favorability (62.7%) among all age groups, followed by those aged 30-39 (57.9%). Notably, in terms of unfavorability, they exhibit the lowest rates across all age groups (18-29: 22.3%, 30-39: 26%). These resultsmean that the 20s and 30s generation are driving the recent increase in South Korea's favorability towards Japan.So, where does the high favorability towards Japan among the 20s and 30s generation stem from?

The Younger Generation's 'Japan through the Lens of Culture,' the Older Generation's 'Japan in Historical Relations'

What do the 20s and 30s generation think of first when they think of Japan? Figure 4 below shows the responses to what comes to mind first when thinking of Japan (up to 3 items), broken down by age. While cultural aspects and historical conflicts received many responses overall,the younger the generation, the more they think of Japan as 'an object of cultural consumption, hobbies, and enjoyment,' such as culture and sports, while the older the generation, the more they think of Japan as 'an object of Korea-Japan relations and conflict,' such as the Dokdo issue and historical issues.This is evident from the data.

[Figure 4] What comes to mind first when thinking of Japan (select up to 3 items) (by age)

Source: Author's compilation based on EAI, "Korea-Japan Public Perception Survey (2025)"

The 20s and 30s generation show significantly higher responses for cultural elements such as Japanese cuisine (sushi, ramen, okonomiyaki, etc.) (70.8%) and popular culture (J-POP, manga, anime, etc.) (50.1%) compared to the older generation. The difference between the highest and lowest response rates for the image of Japan recalled by the younger and older generations is 44.6 percentage points for cuisine and 45.3 percentage points for popular culture. While the 20s and 30s generation also recalled conflict issues such as the Dokdo issue and historical issues to a considerable extent, the fact that the age-based differences are much larger for cultural elements is highly significant.

This means that while conflict issues between Korea and Japan do have a significant impact on the perception of Japan among the 20s and 30s generation, the influence of personal and cultural exchange with Japan is overwhelmingly greater.This also serves as proof of the effectiveness of cultural and personal exchanges, which began in earnest with the 'Kim Dae-jung-Obuchi Joint Declaration' in 1998. The perception of Japanese popular culture among the younger generation, who were born after the opening of Japanese popular culture or spent their childhood after Japanese culture had become established in Korea, is bound to be different from that of the older generation, who spent their childhood during a time when Japanese popular culture was considered taboo. Indeed, as shown in Figure 5, when examining the extent to which people enjoy Japanese popular culture by age group, it can be confirmed that the younger the age group, the higher the rate.

[Figure 5] Extent to which Japanese popular culture is enjoyed (by age)

Source: Author's compilation based on EAI, "Korea-Japan Public Perception Survey (2025)"

In fact, this cultural preference leads to favorability towards the other country. As seen in Table 1 below, when asked about the reasons for having a good impression of Japan, the 20s and 30s generation cited "Japanese cuisine, shopping, popular culture, etc." as the primary reason. In contrast, as age increases, more emphasis is placed on universal and normative aspects such as national identity, including shared values of liberal democracy, rather than cultural factors.This is evident from the data.

[Table 1] Reasons for having a good impression of Japan (by age) (select 2)

Source: EAI. Excerpted and reorganized from "Korea-Japan Public Perception Survey (2025)"

Meanwhile, the experience of visiting the other country due to the revitalization of people-to-people exchanges also serves as a foundation for forming such positive perceptions. The following [Table 2] shows the experience of visiting Japan and the number of visits to Japan in the past five years, broken down by age group.

[Table 2] Experience of Visiting Japan and Number of Visits in the Past Five Years (by Age)

Source: Reconstructed by the author based on EAI. "Korea-Japan Mutual Perception Survey (2025)"

While the experience of visiting Japan shows no significant difference across age groups, the fact that individuals in their 20s and 30s account for the highest proportion of repeat visits in the last five years compared to other age groups is noteworthy. Specifically, the 18-29 age group recorded the highest rate of 2-4 visits in the past five years, while the 30-39 age group recorded the highest rate of 5 or more visits compared to other age groups.

Younger generations, relatively free from historical burdens, visit each other freely, naturally accept each other's culture, and this leads to increased favorability towards the other country. This change in perception among future generations is an important signal foretelling positive changes in future Korea-Japan relations.How, then, should future generations envision Korea-Japan relations?

The 20s and 30s Generation Seeking Balance Between 'Past' and 'Future'

Although the younger generation, showing high favorability towards Japan, might seem to neglect historical issues, their perception of historical problems is no less than that of the older generation. While their sensitivity to historical issues may be lower than that of the older generation, the seriousness of the issues and the necessity of their resolution are not significantly different from those of the older generation. As can be confirmed in [Figure 6], the 20s and 30s generation presented the 'resolution of historical issues between the two countries' as the most important goal for Korea-Japan relations.This was the case.

[Figure 6] Goals for Korea-Japan Relations (2 responses) (by age group)

Source: Partially excerpted and reconstructed from EAI. "Korea-Japan Mutual Perception Survey (2025)"

Similarly, as shown in [Figure 7], the most frequently suggested measures for advancing Korea-Japan exchange were "expanding youth exchanges" and "private dialogue between Korea and Japan to reduce differences in historical perception." The 20s and 30s generation, who best understand the positive effects of cultural and people-to-people exchanges, are hoping not only for an increase in the quantity of exchanges but also for an improvement in their quality.The older generation should pay attention to the meaning conveyed by this result.

[Figure 7] Priority Measures for Advancing Korea-Japan Exchange (up to 3, multiple responses)

Source: Partially excerpted and reconstructed from EAI. "Korea-Japan Mutual Perception Survey (2025)"

The Korea-Japan relations envisioned by the 20s and 30s generation are thus a search for a balance between the past and the future. Amidst considerable exchanges targeting young people, they express a thirst for more exchanges, implying the need for qualitative exchanges for mutual understanding rather than a simple quantitative increase. Looking deeper, it can also be seen as the younger generation's will to directly confront uncomfortable historical issues between the two countries, rather than avoiding or postponing them. This aligns with the promise made by the leaders of Korea and Japan in 1998, Kim Dae-jung and Obuchi, to move forward with a future-oriented approach while facing the past. A structural change is emerging, requiring an approach to historical issues to be paralleled with the continuous expansion of active cultural and people-to-people exchanges.

Future Korea-Japan Relations: Measures for a Better Tomorrow

The increase in favorability towards Japan, centered around Korea's 20s and 30s, and the revitalization of cultural exchange signal a new turning point in Korea-Japan relations. What needs to be done to ensure the continuous development and stable maintenance of Korea-Japan relations amidst this shifting public opinion landscape?

First, it is necessary to set a direction based on an accurate understanding and analysis of the changing public opinion landscape, grounded in data. The current high favorability shown by the 20s and 30s generation can be seen as the accumulated outcome of cultural and people-to-people exchanges that have continued for over two decades. However, it cannot be guaranteed that the current high favorability will persist when they reach their 40s and 50s. Furthermore, the fact that the perceptions of the 40s and 50s, who form the backbone of both societies, have not significantly changed despite active exchanges between the two countries warrants further investigation. It is essential to track the changes in public opinion amidst evolving times and to clearly grasp the meaning embedded in the figures. This requires in-depth analysis not only of South Korea's perceptions but also of Japan's perceptions of South Korea.

Second, the institutional foundation for exchange must be strengthened. Despite a considerable amount of youth exchange between Korea and Japan, the voices of young people hoping for expanded youth exchange indicate that the current level of exchange is unsatisfactory. Therefore, not only must youth exchange be expanded, but it must also be institutionally supported. In particular, as the cultural affinity of the 20s and 30s generation is driving improvements in Korea-Japan relations, institutional support should be significantly enhanced through programs such as training, internships, and youth camps to increase youth exchanges, as well as joint cultural events, arts, and sports exchange projects. Moreover, policies are needed to increase direct experiential opportunities through the continued implementation of simplified immigration procedures between Korea and Japan, support for air and tourism infrastructure for youth, support for study abroad and short-term visits targeting young people, and expansion of job training programs.

Third, efforts must be made to bridge the generational gap in perceptions amidst the active exchange among the younger generation. To reduce the generational gap in perceptions of Korea-Japan relations, various exchanges, balanced education, and continuous dialogue platforms are necessary. Intergenerational exchange programs should be established to expand Korea-Japan exchanges, which are currently skewed towards the younger generation, to include exchanges between youth and older generations. For example, it is necessary to foster intergenerational empathy by creating opportunities for joint participation of youth and older generations in Korea-Japan history and culture camps, trips, and joint forums, and by establishing platforms for intergenerational dialogue to increase communication.

Fourth, measures must be devised to enhance mutual understanding and facilitate open discussion on historical issues between the younger generations of both countries. Given that the younger generation takes historical issues seriously, methods to satisfy their needs must also be considered. Furthermore, the process should be sublimated into one of harmony and reconciliation, rather than conflict and antagonism. For instance, the stories of Joseon Dynasty potters, who, though originating from the painful history of both nations, contributed to the revitalization of Japanese pottery culture, can serve as a valuable opportunity to naturally learn and internalize the history of Korea and Japan. Through objective and balanced historical and cultural education in this manner, the promotion of mutual understanding between the two countries can be pursued.

Lastly, based on cultural empathy among the youth of Korea and Japan, we propose the discovery of cooperative projects centered on the young people of both nations. Areas such as popular culture, cuisine, and travel are fields where the younger generation perceives each other positively. Efforts must be made to move beyond these as mere personal hobbies and to establish avenues for mutual cooperation. For example, joint planning and production projects between the next generations of Korea and Japan could be implemented across various broadcast content, including animation, manga, games, music, and dramas. In this process, by establishing an online content platform jointly operated by both countries, accessibility to cultural content in the digital space can be increased. Furthermore, measures to monitor the unauthorized appropriation of popular culture content and the cultivation of talent in related fields can also be pursued.

A new turning point in Korea-Japan relations necessitates the expansion of diverse and multi-layered exchange channels and the experimentation with new cooperation models. Practical progress in Korea-Japan relations can be achieved when open societal discussions, centered on the 20s and 30s age groups who are shaping a new public opinion landscape for Korea-Japan relations, are conducted in parallel, seeking a balance between the past and the future. We anticipate that the structural changes in perception and the influence of cultural exchange among the 20s and 30s, who herald a 'new normal' in Korea-Japan relations, will form the foundation for sustainable Korea-Japan cooperation.■

[1] Choi, Eunmi. 2022. Korea and Japan, What Are We to Each Other. ASAN Report. Asan Institute for Policy Studies.

[2] Choi, Eunmi and Ham, Geonhee. 2024. Korean Perceptions of Japan (2014-2024). ASAN Report. Asan Institute for Policy Studies.

■ Author: Choi Eunmi_Senior Fellow at the Asan Institute for Policy Studies.

■ Responsible Editor: Lee Sangjun_EAI Research Fellow
Inquiries: 02 2277 1683 (ext. 211) | leesj@eai.or.kr