Kishida's farewell visit to Seoul a bid to cement improved ties

Analysts say this bodes well, even with impending leadership change in Japan

-  Wendy Teo

South Korea Correspondent SEOUL - Outgoing Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida arrived in Seoul on Sept 6 for a whirlwind two-day farewell visit before he officially steps down later in September.

The visit, made at Mr Kishida's request, is widely seen as a move to keep up the newfound warmth in bilateral relations, which have historically been fractious after Japan's colonial rule of the Korean peninsula from 1910 to 1945.

In a meeting with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, Mr Kishida expressed sympathy for the suffering of Koreans under Japanese occupation, adding that "it is very important to inherit the efforts of our predecessors who overcame difficult times, and cooperate towards the future".

Noting that difficult issues in Japan-Korea ties remain, Mr Yoon agreed that it was critical to sustain the positive momentum of bilateral cooperation.

"I hope that both sides will continue to work together with a forward-looking attitude so that we can continue to take steps towards a brighter future," he said at the meeting at the presidential office.

The two leaders have been lauded for thawing previously frosty relations, with Mr Yoon taking the first step by unveiling a framework in March 2023 to resolve long-running compensation issues for Koreans forced to work for Japanese companies during the colonial period.