FOCUS: Japan-S. Korea Ties Remain on Rocky Ground over History

Tokyo, May 10 (Jiji Press)--History issues continue to cast a shadow over relations between Tokyo and Seoul even as ties have improved greatly since South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol took power two years ago.

Yoon's focus on mending ties with Japan has seen relations recover from what officials and experts said was the worst since the two countries normalized diplomatic relations in 1965.

"Under the leadership of (Japanese) Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and President Yoon, dialogue and cooperation are expanding strongly in various fields, both in quality and quantity," Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshimasa Hayashi said at a press conference Thursday.

The biggest obstacle that had impeded better relations two years ago was damages claims against Japanese companies by World War II-era Korean laborers.

In March last year, the Yoon administration announced plans to settle the claims without Japanese money.

[Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]