The leaders of Japan and South Korea vowed Saturday to strengthen bilateral ties despite lingering disputes, stressing the need for closer coordination with the United States as regional security challenges mount.
Disputes over territory and Japan's use of forced labor during its decades-long 20th-century occupation of the Korean peninsula have long strained ties between the two neighbors.
But the neighboring countries have drawn closer in recent years, setting aside historical grievances to better counter North Korea's nuclear threats.
"Amidst the increasingly challenging strategic environment surrounding both countries, the importance of Japan-South Korea relations and cooperation between Tokyo, Seoul and Washington is growing," Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba told a joint statement after the meeting.
The trip marks first time a South Korean president has chosen Japan for their inaugural bilateral visit since 1965, when diplomatic relations were normalized.
