Japan: South Korea wants to improve bilateral relations

Japan and South Korea have agreed that relations between the two countries could be improved, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi said today after a meeting with Yoon Sokgel, the neighboring country’s new president.

Yoon took office as the United States sought to boost trilateral security cooperation with Tokyo and Seoul amid new missile and nuclear threats from North Korea.

Ties between the two major US security allies in North Asia are suffering from the bitter legacy of the Japanese occupation of Korea from 1910 to 1945, and disagreements have recently arisen over issues ranging from wartime forced labor to controls. exports.

Yoon said he would like to improve relations between the two countries by maintaining close communication between them, the Japanese Foreign Minister told reporters.

“South Korea is an important country and cooperation (…) is essential for the stability of this region, including the reaction in North Korea,” Hayashi said after attending Yun’s inauguration in Seoul.

“We have agreed that we will not let Japan-South Korea relations deteriorate,” he said, referring specifically to co-operation between Japan and South Korea, as well as between Japan, the United States and South Korea.

Yoon also told Hayashi that he hoped to meet with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida soon and work with him to improve ties between their countries, according to a statement from the South Korean presidency.

Yesterday, Monday, Ram Emanuel, the US ambassador to Tokyo, said he considered Hayashi’s trip to Seoul “important” as it could “improve relations” between the two countries.

Source: ΑΠΕ-ΜΠΕ

Source: Capital

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