Milken Institute

Demystifying Korea and Japan: Parallel Paths and Practical Partnerships | Asia Summit 2025

The Asia Summit panel set out to demystify the historically tangled relationship between Japan and South Korea, arguing that their supply chains and industrial capabilities are now more intertwined than ever. Speakers highlighted a new joint‑venture fund, backed by Mitsubishi Corporation and Korean manufacturers, aimed at scaling disruptive technologies and supporting the energy transition in the United States, underscoring a strategic pivot toward collaborative growth beyond their domestic markets. Key insights covered a broad spectrum: complementary strengths in basic materials, chemicals, and industrial machinery; joint efforts on energy security, such as a proposed sub‑sea power cable linking Kyushu and South Korea; and the recognition that both economies face shrinking domestic demand and fierce competition from China. The discussion also noted Korean consumer brands—K‑beauty, K‑pop, and related sectors—making inroads into Japan’s traditionally insulated market, while private‑equity firms seek to merge Japanese and Korean deal pipelines to create a critical mass attractive to global investors. Notable examples included the Mitsubishi‑led fund targeting U.S. disruptive tech, Korean conglomerates like Samsung and Hyundai still struggling for market share in Japan, and AI deployment strategies that focus on vertical applications rather than competing directly with U.S. and Chinese large‑language‑model leaders. Participants cited the ASEAN region’s “goodwill balance sheet,” where positive perceptions of both nations can serve as a springboard for tech expansion, and highlighted Europe’s growing interest in dual‑use defense technologies from Japan and Korea. The implications are clear: deeper bilateral cooperation can mitigate reliance on China, unlock new growth avenues in energy, AI, and consumer sectors, and position the Japan‑Korea bloc as a more compelling destination for global capital. By leveraging complementary industrial bases and soft‑power assets, the two economies aim to build a resilient, diversified ecosystem that can compete on the world stage.