Tokyo: South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Hyun met with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Wednesday, during which the Japanese leader reaffirmed his intent to maintain and further develop good relations with Seoul.
According to Yonhap News Agency, Ishiba made the remarks during his 15-minute meeting with Cho at the prime minister's residence earlier in the day, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said during a press briefing. Ishiba emphasized the importance of building on the favorable momentum in South Korea-Japan relations and expressed his intention to advance cooperation among South Korea, the U.S., and Japan.
Hayashi noted that the two countries have been communicating closely since the Lee Jae Myung administration took office, describing South Korea and Japan as "important neighbors and partners" on many international issues.
Cho's visit to Tokyo marks his first overseas trip since assuming office last week. Following his visit to Japan, Cho is scheduled to fly directly to Washington for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio later this week.
In his discussions with Japanese Foreign Minister Takeshi Iwaya the previous day, Cho highlighted South Korea's efforts to bolster ties with "friendly nations" under the Lee government, signaling an intent to maintain the thaw in bilateral relations with Japan.