Japan's Fm To Visit S.korea To Attend Presidential Inauguration
Japan's Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa is set to make a two-day visit to South Korea to attend president-elect Yoon Suk-yeol's inauguration ceremony.
Hayashi is scheduled to arrive in Seoul later on Monday.
It will be the first visit to South Korea by a Japanese foreign minister since June 2018.
Hayashi will attend Tuesday's ceremony as a special envoy of Prime Minister Kishida Fumio. Arrangements are also being made for Hayashi to meet Yoon and key members of the new administration.
Yoon has expressed a willingness to mend relations between the two countries. The ties are said to be at an all-time low.
Hayashi apparently wants to use the talks to improve bilateral ties. It is believed that he intends to express Japan's expectations for the Yoon administration. He is also likely to confirm that Tokyo will work together with Seoul to deal with North Korea and the situation in Ukraine.
The foreign minister is further expected to urge the Yoon administration to deal appropriately with the wartime labor matter, the issue of those referred to as comfort women, and other subjects.