Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met with legislators and business leaders in Seoul on Monday to discuss potential bilateral cooperation, concluding the first visit of a Japanese leader to South Korea in 12 years. The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that "Kishida and business leaders from various companies hope to strengthen economic relations between the two countries and work to start a new era."
The meeting included discussions on building resilient supply chains and encouraging industrial cooperation in advanced technology sectors. In this context, Kishida told the South Korean people on Sunday that "his heart breaks when he thinks of the suffering and pain caused by Japanese colonial rule in their country."
His comments were seen as a reference to historical disputes that have strained relations between the two U.S. allies, but he did not go as far as to issue a new apology.
