The lack of recent cooperation between South Korea and Japan is partly because of the evolution of their relationship, Izumi said.
"It used to be that Japan was the big power and Korea was a small nation," he said. "Japan was advanced while South Korea was developing."
In those days, Japan felt generous, and South Korea had an inferiority complex.
"They would complain and make anti-Japanese comments, but in the end, they would beg Japan to solve the problem," he said.
Rapid advances in South Korea's economy and standard of living at a time when Japan's economy has stagnated and its population is shrinking has put the two nations on the same level, Izumi said.
"Today there is no generosity from Japan, which can't afford it, and South Korea thinks it doesn't need Japan anymore," he said.
Japan is being eclipsed by China, which has become South Korea's biggest trade partner, he said.
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