This paper traces how the bilateral relations between Japan and Korea have been changing amidst changing world order. During the Cold War era, Japan and Korea formally entered into diplomatic relations, and the bilateral ties were mostly centered on economic concerns. The question of what to do with the colonial past was left ambiguous. With the detente, both Japan and Korea sough to ease tensions with the communist blocs. With the development of New Cold War order, there was renewed tension between the US and the Soviet Union. Against this backdrop, Japan-Korea relations were increasingly characterized by economic and strategic cooperation against the threat of the Soviet Union. With disintegration of the Cold War order, both Japan and Korea were seeking to improve relations with North Korea. At the same time, there were reconciliatory efforts to confront historical controversies springing from Japan’s past colonial rule of Korea. Based on these unfolding of events and recent developments, this paper concludes that contemporary Japan-Korea relations will very much be affected by the rise of China, North Korean and regional integration initiative in the Asia-Pacific.