Vice Foreign Minister Akitaka Saiki held fence-mending talks Thursday with his South Korean counterpart, Kim Kyou-hyun, in Seoul, amid bilateral relations strained over a territorial dispute and divergent perceptions of history.

"I had talks (with Kim) in an extremely friendly atmosphere and had a constructive exchange of opinions," Saiki told reporters after the meeting.

Saiki, who arrived in the South Korean capital for a two-day visit earlier Thursday, is set to meet with South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se on Friday to discuss bilateral ties as well as issues relating to North Korea.