Japanese Leaders Remember Ex-S. Korea Prime Minister Kim

June 24, 2018

Tokyo- Japanese ruling party leaders offered condolences on Saturday over the death of former South Korean Prime Minister Kim Jong-pil the same day.

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe sent a message of condolence to South Korean President Moon Jae-in, in which he praised Kim for "laying the foundation of Japan-South Korea relations" by his direct involvement in negotiations to normalize bilateral diplomatic ties.

Kim also made great contributions to the subsequent development of the bilateral relations, Abe said.

Fumio Kishida, chairman of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's Policy Research Council, noted that Kim played an important role for the conclusion of the 1965 bilateral agreement on Japan's financial assistance to South Korea on the occasion of the diplomatic normalization by holding talks with then Japanese Foreign Minister Masayoshi Ohira.

"I express heartfelt respect and appreciation for his efforts toward stable relations between Japan and South Korea," Kishida told reporters in Koriyama, Fukushima Prefecture, northeastern Japan.

Speaking to reporters in Osaka, western Japan, Natsuo Yamaguchi, leader of Komeito, the coalition partner of the LDP, expressed gratitude to Kim for shoring up Japan-South Korea relations in difficult times and prayed for the late leader.

In a statement, former Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone said he was very saddened to learn of the loss of a longtime friend.

Nakasone recognized Kim for assuming heavy responsibilities in the postwar reconstruction and development of South Korea and for working to improve Japan-South Korea ties and nurture bilateral friendship. Jiji Press