Japan, South Korea Hold High-level Talks Amid Strained Ties - Institute for Maritime and Ocean Affairs

South Korea and Japan held vice ministerial-level talks Wednesday in Seoul to discuss improving strained relations.

The meeting between Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Akitaka Saiki and his South Korean counterpart Cho Tae-yong is the countries’ highest-level diplomatic interaction in months.

Relations between the two Asian powers have plummeted over what Seoul considers Tokyo’s unapologetic stance toward Japan’s imperialist past. Ties have also suffered over a territorial dispute.

Japanese officials said Saiki was to use the meeting to propose a trilateral summit between leaders of Japan, South Korea and the United States later this month. There has been no South Korean response to the reported offer.