Japan PM vows to develop ties with S. Korea on 60th diplomatic anniv.
TOKYO (Kyodo) -- Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Thursday pledged to continue working closely with South Korea at a ceremony in Tokyo to commemorate the 60th anniversary of diplomatic ties, despite wartime and territorial disputes.
"We need to continue close communication so that the bilateral relationship will steadily develop," Ishiba said in a speech at the reception held by the South Korean Embassy in Tokyo, welcoming the vast exchanges that have taken place between what he called "the closest neighbors to each other."
Ishiba also said his government and the South Korean administration of President Lee Jae Myung, who took office on June 4, should join efforts in addressing common challenges such as low birthrate, shrinking population and regional revitalization.
Lee, the first liberal South Korean president in three years, took over from conservative Yoon Suk Yeol, who was impeached and ousted over his short-lived declaration of martial law in December.
Ties between Japan and South Korea significantly recovered under Ishiba's predecessor Fumio Kishida and Yoon, after largely souring over wartime labor compensation issues.
Ishiba and Lee held their first summit meeting on Tuesday in Canada, where the South Korean leader was invited to join a Group of Seven summit. Ishiba recalled in the speech that he had "very good discussions" with Lee as they sought to align their views.
Tokyo and Seoul signed the basic treaty to normalize diplomatic relations on June 22, 1965, about 20 years after Japan's surrender in World War II, which ended its colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula. The accord took effect on Dec. 18, 1965.
The Japanese Embassy in Seoul held a similar event on Monday to mark the diplomatic milestone. Lee was not able to attend due to his trip to Canada, but he sent a video message hoping for the development of the bilateral ties.
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