Record 54% of South Koreans see Japan favorably, poll shows

Seoul - The proportion of South Koreans who have a favorable view of Japan increased to 54.3% in 2026, according to a survey by the East Asia Institute. This marked a 1.9 percentage point rise from the previous year and represented the highest level since the survey began in 2013. The survey found that 66.9% of those with a positive impression attributed Japan's favorable image to the kind-hearted nature of its people and the country's emphasis on maintaining order.

Additionally, 43.9% of respondents highlighted Japan's appealing food culture and shopping opportunities as contributing factors. The survey also revealed that 71.6% of respondents had visited Japan, suggesting that increased people-to-people exchanges between the two nations played a role in shaping South Korea's more favorable perception of Japan.

Conversely, 38.5% of respondents held a negative view of Japan. The survey was conducted in collaboration with the International House of Japan, a nonprofit organization in Tokyo that also surveyed Japanese perceptions of South Korea. The Japanese survey found that 35.3% of respondents had a positive view of South Korea in 2026, a 10.5 point increase from the prior year.

However, last year's figure had declined due to concerns over former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol's unsuccessful attempt to impose martial law at the end of 2024 and the inauguration of his successor, Lee Jae Myung, in 2025, who was known for his hardline anti-Japanese stance. The latest survey was conducted in mid-July and included responses from approximately 1,500 individuals aged 18 or older from both Japan and South Korea.