Japan and South Korea held talks in Tokyo Thursday to explore the possibility of Seoul's entry into the Trans-Pacific Partnership free trade negotiations, after it expressed interest last November in joining the prospective U.S.-led regional bloc.
After meeting with South Korean Assistant Trade Minister Woo Tae-hee, Japan's chief TPP negotiator, Koji Tsuruoka, told reporters that Japan welcomes Seoul's "keen interest" in the TPP.
Tsuruoka said the two sides should continue efforts to collaborate on the economic front regardless of the TPP, given the close trade ties between the two nations.