As Japan and South Korea continue to deal with North Korean threats and growing concerns about China, the leaders of the two neighbours promised to rekindle ties in a fence-mending summit in Tokyo, reported CNN.
Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said, “From now on, I would like to open a new chapter in Japan-South Korea relations through frequent visits by both sides that are not tied down by formality.” He made these remarks in Tokyo after meeting with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol on Thursday. The leaders of South Korea and Japan haven’t met in 12 years because of strained relations stemming from a wartime labour dispute and other issues.
A report published by CNN stated that just hours prior to the trip, North Korea had launched its fourth intercontinental ballistic missile in less than a year, a long-range ballistic missile, into the waters off the east coast of the Korean Peninsula. This launch served as a stark reminder of the shared security challenges the two countries face. In the joint statement on Thursday, Kishida said that in response to North Korean nuclear and missile threats, Japan and South Korea had decided to resume bilateral security talks.