Japan's Ishiba, S.Korea's Lee agree to advance bilateral ties on G7 sidelines
The two leaders met in person for the first time for about 30 minutes in Canada on Tuesday on the sidelines of the Group of Seven summit. South Korea is among the countries invited to the gathering.
At the beginning of the meeting, Ishiba again congratulated Lee on his inauguration.
Ishiba noted that Japan and South Korea reach a milestone this year, as it marks the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties.
He said he hopes that exchanges among the governments, companies and citizens of both countries will grow even more vibrant.
He also said he expects cooperation and partnership between Japan and South Korea to be a powerful force for the region and the world.
Amid the increasingly severe regional security environment, the two leaders said they would continue to coordinate their responses to North Korea's nuclear and missile development as well as the abduction issue.
They also agreed to maintain close communication through shuttle diplomacy, with mutual visits by the two leaders.
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