April 26, 2024

Balkan Travellers

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Kishida and Yoon hail improved relations as 'shuttle diplomacy' resumes

Kishida and Yoon hail improved relations as ‘shuttle diplomacy’ resumes

Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said he was “pained” by Japan’s colonial rule of the Korean peninsula, speaking after Sunday’s meeting with South Korean leader Yoon Sok-yul in Seoul — the first bilateral visit by a Japanese leader in more than 12 years — during which the two hailed their speed Progress in improving relations between their two countries.

The visit, which came on the heels of Yoon’s trip to Tokyo in March, was largely focused on maintaining momentum to improve ties after the relationship deteriorated in 2018 to its lowest point in years over war history and other issues.

But it also saw the two leaders agree on a range of issues, including sending South Korean experts to Japan next month to conduct scientific analysis as part of “meaningful steps” to help the South Korean public better understand Tokyo’s plan to release radioactive water treatment into the sea from the Fukushima plant. Deactivated Nuclear Power No. 1.