Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon agreed on Thursday on the importance of cooperating on North Korea and other issues, seeking to rebuild relations amid a bitter feud over history and trade, APA reports citing Reuters.
But there was scant sign of real progress and Abe reiterated that South Korea would need to keep its promises for ties between the two Asian allies of Washington to improve.
Relations between Tokyo and Seoul have deteriorated to their lowest in decades since South Korea’s top court last October ordered some Japanese firms to compensate Koreans forced to work in their wartime mines and factories.
Japan, which says the matter was settled by a 1965 treaty, calls the decision a violation of international law, and the feud has spilled over into trade and security matters.
About 100 journalists were present at the start of talks in Tokyo, the highest-level meeting between the two sides since the row flared. The meeting began with a handshake but no smiles.
Abe urged Seoul to keep its promises - a reference to the 1965 treaty - in order to restore relations, according to statement issued by Japan’s foreign ministry.
He also repeated Tokyo’s stance that the South Korean court ruling fundamentally overturned the basis of bilateral ties, a Japanese government spokesman told a briefing after the talks.
“Our two nations are important neighbors for each other, and keeping in contact over North Korea, bilateral relations and our ties with the United States are quite important,” Abe was quoted as telling Lee.
“Relations are currently in quite a severe state but should not be left that way. If South Korea can keep bilateral promises, that could be a chance to return to a healthy relationship,” Abe added.
The statement also quoted Lee as saying he shared the view that dialogue was important, while a parallel statement from South Korea’s foreign ministry said Lee agreed relations should not be left in their current difficult state.
In a sign that gaps remain wide, Lee told Abe: “South Korea has also respected and complied with the 1965 Treaty on Basic Relations and Claims, and will continue to do so,” according to Seoul’s statement.
Lee, who was in Tokyo to attend Japanese Emperor Naruhito’s enthronement ceremony this week, delivered to Abe a personal letter from South Korean President Moon Jae-in in which Moon called for attempts to resolve the pending bilateral issues, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency reported.
Moon and Abe have not held a summit in more than a year and the statements made no mention of any meeting planned between the two.
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