Japan seeks to maintain progress in bilateral ties with South Korea made under ousted President Yoon

By Berk Kutay Gokmen

ISTANBUL (AA) – Japan hoped on Wednesday to maintain the progress in bilateral relations with South Korea made under ousted President Yoon Suk Yeol.

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba made the remarks while hosting South Korea's new Foreign Minister Cho Hyun in Tokyo.

Japan wants to maintain and further develop good relations with South Korea, Ishiba told Cho, referring to the ties that improved under former South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, Jiji Press reported.

Yoon was ousted from office on Dec. 3 following a failed martial law bid. Yoon is currently detained, and South Korean prosecutors filed a new arrest warrant against the ousted president on Wednesday to bring him "forcibly" to face questioning on allegations of election meddling.

The two also discussed strengthening trilateral cooperation among Japan, the US, and South Korea during their meeting at the Prime Minister's Office.

Tokyo also wants to deepen three-way cooperation with Washington and Seoul, Ishiba told Cho, who paid his first foreign trip to Japan since being appointed by South Korean President Lee Jae Myung, who succeeded Yoon.

Ties between Seoul and Tokyo, which had been strained by Japanese colonization of the Korean Peninsula before World War II, improved significantly under Yoon, who closed ranks with the US and Japan.

Cho will fly from Tokyo to Washington, DC, to meet with US officials, including Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Separately, in Seoul, President Lee Jae Myung met with former Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga on Wednesday, and the sides discussed developing bilateral relations, Yonhap News reports.

"As neighbors sharing the same backyard, I sincerely hope our two countries will continue to strengthen relations," Lee said, according to South Korea’s presidential office.

Sugo is on his first visit to Seoul following Lee’s inauguration.

Ishiba and Lee held their first face-to-face meeting on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada, where they agreed to strengthen ties and continue reciprocal leader visits.