日아베, 참의원 선거 '반쪽 승리' 이후…한일 갈등 영향은
Japan's upper house election comes amid high tensions between Seoul and Tokyo over historical disputes and export restrictions.
But it doesn't seem like the results will have a big impact on its ties with South Korea.
For details let's turn to our Lee Ji-won.
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's win in Sunday's upper house election is not expected to take a significant toll on the current tensions between Seoul and Tokyo.
This is according to multiple Japan experts.
Some say this is because Japanese lawmakers think the ball is in Seoul's court.
The general consensus in Japan is that strong restrictions against Seoul need to continue. Tokyo will go ahead and take Seoul off the "white list" of countries receiving preferential trade treatment."
The director says the retaliation will continue, but Yuji Hosaka, a professor of Politics at the Sejong University says that not all lawmakers agree on pressuring South Korea, and that tightening the sanctions further won't be so easy.
"Because the ruling coalition did not get a firm win, Prime Minister Abe will not be able to wield restrictions on South Korea however he wants. He will have to listen more closely to the public."
Before the election, the Abe government's decision to put trade restrictions on Korea was seen mainly as a way to rally conservative voters.
And had his Liberal Democratic Party and its allies won a supermajority, there was concern that Abe would be encouraged to get even tougher on Korea.
Professor Hosaka added that the ruling party will very much need its junior coalition partner Komeito, lacking a majority by itself.
Lee Ji-won, Arirang News.
