What Japan, South Korea leaders achieved at first working meeting in 12 years

• Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol met on 16 Mar in Tokyo, aiming to thaw years of diplomatic tension. It was the first visit by a South Korean leader to Japan for a bilateral working meeting in 12 years.
• The two agreed to revive regular visits to each other’s countries, or “shuttle diplomacy”. Kishida said the visits would be frequent and informal, in hopes of building a personal relationship with Yoon.
• The leaders also agreed to restart a bilateral security dialogue, suspended since 2018, in view of what they called heightened threats to regional security with North Korea’s frequent missile launches.
• Kishida also said the two countries will set up a conference to discuss economic security matters.
• Furthermore, Japan’s trade ministry said it would lift export curbs to South Korea on some high-tech materials, namely fluorinated polyimides, resists and hydrogen fluoride.
• In addition, Japan’s biggest business lobby Keidanren and its South Korean counterpart, the Federation of Korean Industries, agreed to each set up a fund aimed at building “future-oriented” relations through joint projects in the areas of politics, economy and culture, and promote the exchange of younger people between the two nations.

External Link : https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/what-japan-south-korea-leaders-achieved-first-working-meeting-12-years-2023-03-16/