Within the tight circles of the Korean community of Tokyo, it is easy to witness a falling-out of sorts between ladies.

But eventually, they join or form new cliques. This way, previous alliances are destroyed, and new ones created.

These new alliances are maintained mainly due to the eagerness of the women to belong, since a clique would ensure that you have at least a few people who are willing to have your back in times of trouble.

And this is exactly what is happening between Tokyo and Washington.

Although traditionally close, the two have been hemming and hawing about their relationship status for some time before settling into the current intimacy level.

As international headlines have been screaming for a while now, U.S. President Barack Obama is to visit Hiroshima, the site of the world’s first nuclear bombing on May 27 as a part of this week’s G7 summit.

The message is crystal clear: Obama will make a celebrity appearance at Hiroshima, with his key mission being to butter up the Japanese and ultimately flaunt the strength of the solidarity between the two nations.

The whole world is meant to be the audience, but in particular, Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe are hoping to catch the eye of Beijing.

For Obama, this is the chance to tie up loose ends before he steps down. Among them is the ongoing territorial dispute between China and Japan over the Senkaku Islands.

The Obama administration has already voiced its full support for Tokyo on the matter. Many now believe the visit to Hiroshima is tantamount to rubbing it in Beijing’s face.

These are only some aspects of the silent but potent diplomatic battles that will no doubt occur when the G7 countries meet in Mie prefecture this weekend. 

And then there’s South Korea.

While the countries are gearing up to vie for their best interests, Seoul, who is probably going to be the most affected by the relationship between Washington, Beijing and Tokyo, seems to have nothing to say for itself.

If it has any strategies, these secrets are being well-kept.

The biggest problem with Obama’s visit is the influence it will undoubtedly have on China.

How will Beijing treat North Korea after seeing the U.S. and Japan so openly affectionate to each other in the international society?

Chances are, China may decide it needs Pyongyang on its side after all, and decide to sabotage the recent sanctions that have been put in place against the rogue nation.

The chaos that would ensue under such a scenario is too nerve-wracking to even consider.

Diplomats here assure journalists that the meeting -- while it should be closely watched -- will not affect South Korea too much, but really, who are they kidding?

And while all this is going on, about a dozen South Korean nuclear bomb victims are planning to visit Japan to coincide with President Obama’s Hiroshima trip.

They are members of a Korean nuclear bomb victims’ association, and they plan to hold a peaceful demonstration at Hiroshima on May 27.

On the day before, they are scheduled to visit the U.S. Embassy in South Korea to send a letter to Obama demanding an apology and compensation from the U.S.

The victims want the U.S. president to publicly pay his respects to the Koreans who were sacrificed when the U.S. dropped the bomb. 

This is so very much understandable. These people have been living with excruciating pain for years, a pain that has been handed down for generations.

But at the same time, I do wonder what such actions would mean to the U.S. and Japan at a time when the two nations are moving even closer to reaping bigger fruit.

I wonder if in any way, we have any idea what the big picture is. Or if people care at all. Or if they know that the G7 summit can have implications for Seoul that involve even more provocations from North Korea.

For now, the best anyone can do is to hope that many South Korean eyes will be on that meeting, and for critics to do their best to decipher the results.

(jemmie@heraldcorp.com)
김지현기자@heraldcorp.com