South Korean President Lee Jae-myung and Japan’s new Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi both stressed on Thursday the importance of “forward-looking ties” as they held their first official talks.
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Relations have long suffered over issues related to Japan’s brutal 1910-45 occupation of the Korean peninsula, and there have been concerns that ties could worsen under Takaichi.
“In today’s rapidly changing international and trade environment, South Korea and Japan – as neighbouring countries with so many commonalities – must strengthen forward-looking cooperation more than ever before,” Lee told Takaichi at the meeting.
The Japanese leader, meanwhile, said there were “certain issues we disagree on precisely because we’re neighbours”.
“We agreed that we should exercise our leadership to take care of them, and develop our relationships in a future-oriented, stable manner,” said Takaichi, who took office last week.
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The meeting took place at an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Gyeongju, South Korea, that was also attended by Chinese leader Xi Jinping and, until Thursday, US President Donald Trump.