Japan's relations with South Korea, which were in terrible shape just a few years ago, are steadfastly becoming more "future-oriented" and "mature," as the two neighbors have begun to recognize common interests in boosting their global presence and securing their alliances with the new U.S. administration.
"There is no bilateral relationship in which no problems exist. Our predecessors in Japan and South Korea have applied their wisdom to overcome the issues and we, too, must further such efforts in a calm manner and put things in perspective," Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone said in wrapping up his visit Wednesday in Seoul.
At foreign ministerial talks, Nakasone and his counterpart, Yu Myung Hwan, reached various agreements on key tools to foster the "mature partnership" that the nations' top leaders are aiming for, including cooperation in providing development assistance for Afghanistan's reconstruction, the first such joint project between the two neighbors.