Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida visits Seoul Sunday to meet South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, facing a skeptical public there as the leaders seek deeper ties amid nuclear threats from North Korea and China's increasing assertiveness. "We have a lot of opportunities to cooperate when it comes to addressing the threat of North Korea" and securing a free and open Indo-Pacific, a Japanese foreign ministry official said. But the historical differences between South Korea and Japan also threaten to cast a shadow over the blossoming ties between its two leaders. "They think that Prime Minister Kishida should show sincerity during his visit to South Korea, such as mentioning historical issues and expressing apologies," she said. Still, South Korea is an "important neighbor that we must cooperate with on various global issues," Japan's foreign ministry has said.

Source: The North Africa Journal May 07, 2023 02:51 UTC