Kishida Asks Park To Make Efforts To Resolve Outstanding Bilateral Issues
Japan's Prime Minister Kishida Fumio has asked South Korean Foreign Minister Park Jin to make efforts to resolve outstanding bilateral issues.
Relations between the two countries are said to be at their lowest since the end of World War Two.
Kishida met Park for about 20 minutes on Tuesday at the prime minister's office in Tokyo. Park is visiting Japan for the first time since he assumed his post in May.
Park conveyed to Kishida condolences from South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol on the death of former Japanese Prime Minister Abe Shinzo, who was fatally shot during an election campaign speech this month.
Kishida expressed gratitude and requested efforts by South Korea to solve pending problems such as the wartime labor issue.
After the talks, Park spoke to South Korean media. He said he told Kishida he would work to seek a desirable solution before assets seized from Japanese firms are liquidated to compensate those who say they or their relatives were forced to work for the companies during World War Two. He also reportedly told Kishida that he hopes for a sincere response from Japan.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Matsuno Hirokazu told reporters that the Kishida-Park meeting was arranged after South Korea asked to directly convey condolences from Yoon on Abe's death. Matsuno said there were no detailed discussions on issues of bilateral concern.
Matsuno added that the start of the meeting was closed to media to follow treatment of other nations' foreign ministers who paid courtesy calls to Kishida to express condolences in a solemn atmosphere.