Japanese Foreign Minister Evaluates Korea-Japan Summit Phone Talk as "Good Exchange of Opinions"
[Asia Economy Reporter Jeong Hyunjin] On the 25th, Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu evaluated the first phone talk between President Moon Jae-in and Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide, saying, "We agreed to continue dialogue and communication between the two countries to resolve issues. It was a good exchange of opinions."
According to the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs, at a press conference that day, Foreign Minister Motegi was asked, "Compared to the previous administration, is there a possibility that Japan-South Korea relations will improve under the Suga Yoshihide Cabinet?" He replied, "South Korea is a very important neighboring country (to Japan), and cooperation between Japan and South Korea, as well as Japan, the U.S., and South Korea, is essential for regional stability, including the North Korea issue." He also said that even during the Abe Shinzo administration, Japan-South Korea relations were not entirely bad, stating, "I think communication between foreign ministers and at the foreign ministry level has been continuously maintained."
Foreign Minister Motegi said, "Neighboring countries inevitably have pending issues, and there are difficult issues between Japan and South Korea, including the 'former Korean Peninsula laborers (forced labor victims)' issue." He evaluated, "To resolve these issues, we agreed in unison during the phone talk between the two leaders yesterday to continue dialogue and communication between the two countries, including at the high-level."
Hot Picks Today
"Stocks Are Not Taxed, but Annual Crypto Gains Over 2.5 Million Won to Be Taxed Next Year... Investors Push Back"
- "Don't Throw Away Coffee Grounds" Transformed into 'High-Grade Fuel' in Just 90 Seconds [Reading Science]
- Signed Without Viewing for 1.6 Billion Won... Jamsil and Seongbuk Jeonse Prices Jump 200 Million Won in a Month [Real Estate AtoZ]
- [Breaking] Lee Targets Samsung Electronics Union: "Collective Bargaining Should Not Be Abused... There Is an Appropriate Limit"
- "Even With a 90 Million Won Salary and Bonuses, It Doesn’t Feel Like Much"... A Latecomer Rookie Who Beat 70 to 1 Odds [Scientists Are Disappearing] ③
Foreign Minister Motegi also said that during the phone talk held the previous day, "The two leaders repeatedly confirmed the importance of Japan-South Korea and Japan-U.S.-South Korea cooperation." He added that Prime Minister Suga conveyed to President Moon that "Japan-South Korea relations are in a very difficult situation due to issues such as forced labor, and we must not leave it as it is," and "We clearly stated our consistent position that the South Korean side must create an opportunity to restore Japan-South Korea relations to a sound relationship."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
