Foreign Minister Yohei Kono and visiting South Korean Defense Minister Cho Seong Tae agreed Monday that North Korea's expected membership in the ASEAN Regional Forum will help ease tensions, a Japanese official said.
"It's good that North Korea is joining the international society in the context of easing tension in the region through dialogue," Kono was quoted as saying in a meeting with Cho.
Cho agreed with Kono and said North Korea seems to be recognizing the importance of promoting economic exchanges with South Korea through its dialogue with other nations, the Foreign Ministry official told reporters.