Korea-Japan friendship conference sparks dialogue

Rotary leaders from both countries reflect on the challenges and opportunities of peacebuilding across borders

By Seoha Lee and Reiko Tokiyama

Korea and Japan share a complicated history and sometimes have different views on historical issues. Yet Rotarians from these neighboring countries are determined to transcend such differences by building strong friendships.

For more than 40 years, Rotarians from Korea and Japan have come together through the Korea-Japan Rotary Friendship Conference, a tradition aimed at building peace, understanding, and friendship between the neighboring countries. This year, after a four-year pause due to the pandemic, the 16th Korea-Japan Friendship Conference was held on October 24-25 in Seoul. The conference, attended by 220 Japanese Rotarians and numerous Korean Rotarians, included a keynote speech by former United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon on the theme of “International Peace and Rotary.”

“In an era of global instability, the five ‘Ps’ — person, planet, peace, prosperity, and partnership — are essential virtues for Rotary,” Ki-moon said. “I hope all members will strive for the peace and prosperity of humanity.”

To mark this milestone event, we spoke with Past District Governors Kiho Hong of Korea and Hironori Sugawara of Japan, both of whom serve as vice-chairs of the Friendship Committees in their respective countries. In a conversation the day before the conference, they shared their experiences, the importance of collaboration, and their vision for future cooperation.

Past District Governor Hironori Sugawara (left) and Past District Governor Kiho Hong converse at the Rotary Center in Seoul, Korea.

Photo credit: Jong-Min Park, Rotary Korea magazine

Q: How did you get involved with the Japan-Korea Friendship Committee?

Sugawara: My family and I love Korea, so I’ve been visiting the country at least once a year. My club has a sister club in Korea, and that was how I first became involved. My district (D2520) and Mr. Hong’s district (D3640) are sister districts, so I also got involved at the district level. In 2019, the Japan-Korea Friendship Conference was held in my hometown, Sendai, and many Rotarians, including myself, participated. Now I am involved in this conference at a national level.

Hong: I’ve also been deeply involved in the exchange between Korea and Japan. The relationship is so close that, in my mind, I can’t distinguish between Japanese and Korean Rotarians.

Not only I, but many members in my district have relationships with Japan, especially through sister clubs. Members come and go like families and build friendships. What we gain from these experiences is not something we can buy with money.

Sugawara: About 220 Japanese Rotarians are coming to Seoul to attend this year’s conference. I would like to see more members attend. I know they need to pay and make time to travel, but this isn’t just any trip. Like Rotary’s international conventions, this is a wonderful opportunity to experience the significance of Rotary. I hope that all new members can experience this and feel the excitement like I do.

Q: What have you each learned from working with Rotarians from the other country? How has the collaboration contributed to building peace and understanding?

Sugawara: What I learned through my involvement in the exchanges is that Rotarians in both countries are the same, because we share the spirit of Rotary.

In Rotary, we don’t have representatives of a country, such as a representative of Korea or Japan. In Rotary, about 530 district governors deliver the president’s messages to their clubs. Those messages change slightly from year to year, but the underlying philosophy is the same. It has been the same since its founding.

Yesterday, I happened to have dinner with a group of four Korean friends. I first met them in Sendai when they visited us. They could only speak a few words in Japanese, but we were all happy for two to three hours at the dinner table. In Rotary, we all respect and understand each other, despite our differences, because we all feel and think in the same way.

Hong: Rotary’s philosophy and mission truly encompass everyone. As Sugawara mentioned, that’s why four friends could communicate in basic Japanese and still understand each other: because the way of thinking, the way of life, is the same. That’s peace. Take, for instance, past Rotary International President Sakuji Tanaka’s theme of “Peace through Service.” Peace is not just the absence of war. This peace starts with one person and gradually spreads, and for that, I’m grateful to Rotary.

Sugawara: When the Great East Japan Earthquake struck in 2011, we received a lot of support from all over the world, especially from Korean members. Likewise, if I hear about disasters in Korea, I worry about them and send emails or contact them immediately. There might have been political issues between our countries, but our continued friendship across the border will promote peace.

Q: Besides the conferences, how have Rotarians from Korea and Japan been working together?

Sugawara: On October 25, the second day of the conference, Rotarians from Korea and Japan will gather, wearing polio-themed T-shirts, to clean up the local area. This will also be reported at the Rotary Institute in Japan, sending a powerful message. This is a step forward from just holding a conference or enjoying the friendship.

Hong: Japan used to provide support to South Korea. Korea provided support to Japan after the Kobe Earthquake and the East Japan Earthquake. This kind of mutual support is not only financial, but also emotional. Today, Japan and Korea rank among the top countries in membership and contribution within Rotary International. Korea engages in service on a global scale, often contributing more than it has received. It would be even better if we could work together on joint projects, where both Japan and Korea could support other countries as partners.

Q: Looking ahead, what are your hopes for the future of Rotary collaboration between Korea and Japan?

Sugawara: I would like this event to be not only a time to say, “Hi, it’s been a long time”, but also an opportunity to discuss practical matters. We can have breakout sessions on topics like increasing membership. Through such discussions, we will be able to share challenges and ideas and further develop Rotary in both countries.

In terms of membership, the number of members has been increasing in Korea; in neighboring Japan, the number is decreasing. Korean members embrace changes such as new club models and focus on young people and DEI. Japanese members can learn from Korean members. There could be a sense of competition, but in a good way: to improve each other. My motto is “Persistence is power.” My job is to get more people involved in our friendship conferences. We do not live forever, so it is important to make sure that our efforts will be passed on to the next generation, like my predecessor did to me.

We have already decided on the dates and the location of the next conference. It will be held in Kobe, Japan in October 2026. It will be announced tomorrow.

Hong: Today’s world is completely different from the world in the past. We see more globalization and the world is becoming borderless. Global companies such as Google, Microsoft, and Samsung are emerging. The meaning of a country is much less, like you see in Europe. In the next 20 or 30 years, the values and ways of thinking of people around the world may become similar to Rotary’s.

If we continue our efforts between Japan and Korea, and if we do it well, I think we can become a role model in the world. The Japan-Korea Friendship Conference has strengthened our hopes, our mutual growth, and our friendship over time.