Leaders of Japan, S. Korea hold first meeting in 3 years Monday Nov 02,2015

The leaders of South Korea and Japan met on Monday Nov 02,2015 for their first formal one-on-one talks in 3 years, a day after they held a three-way summit with China’s premier and agreed to strengthen ties that have frayed over history and territorial disputes.

South Korean President Park Geun-hye and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe have held their first formal bilateral talks since both leaders took office(Abe took office in late 2012 and Park in early 2013)seeking to move beyond a bitter wartime history that has plagued ties between two of Washington's key Asian allies

Ties between Japan and its two Asian neighbours, key trading partners, have deteriorated after the hawkish Mr. Abe took office in late 2012. Seoul and Beijing see Mr. Abe as whitewashing Japan’s atrocities during and leading up to World War II. 

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe (left) in talks with South Korean President Park Geun-Hye (right) during their meeting at the presidential house in Seoul, South Korea, on Monday. Ms. Park and Mr. Abe agreed on Monday to try to resolve as soon as possible a row over "comfort women" forced into prostitution in Japanese wartime military brothels, a feud that has been a major obstacle to better ties between two of Washington's key allies. Mr. Abe announced the agreement after the first formal talks between the two leaders since both took office, as they seek to move beyond a bitter wartime history that has haunted relations.