Japan, S. Korea Launch “New Relationship” Talks: Abe

May 16, 2018

Tokyo- Japan and South Korea have begun talks on their "new relationship" featuring broadly enhanced bilateral cooperation and interactions, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe disclosed Tuesday.

Abe and South Korean President Moon Jae-in instructed officials of their respective governments to launch the talks after their summit in Tokyo on Wednesday, Abe told a meeting of Japanese and South Korea business leaders that started in the capital Tuesday for a two-day run.

At the summit, Abe said he hopes to endeavor together with Moon to establish future-oriented bilateral relations this year, which marks the 20th anniversary of the Japan-South Korea Joint Declaration on a new partnership between the two countries toward the 21st century.

In reply, Moon expressed his willingness to push up the bilateral ties to a higher level.

"For a future-oriented Japan-South Korea relationship, broad-based cooperation and personnel exchanges are indispensable," Abe said at the business conference.

"I expect the enthusiasm of the Pyeongchang Winter Games will be conveyed to the 2020 Tokyo Games, boosting interactions of people of the two countries," he noted.

Abe also said such common challenges facing the two countries as aging population, climate change and energy procurement can be turned into huge business chances, urging Japanese and South Korean companies to cooperate further in producing new ideas, goods and services.

In a message read out by Lee Su-hoon, South Korean ambassador to Japan, Moon called on the business leaders to tackle environmental and medical issues, which have crucial impacts on people's lives. Jiji Press