SOUTH KOREA-Leaders Talk Up Good Relations At Rare Meeting In Japan

Wires carrying comments from a joint presser between Japanese PM Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol taking place in Tokyo. Comes on the occasion of the first visit from a South Korean head of state to Japan in 12 years. Kishida: 'We agreed to restart shuttle diplomacy.' Yoon: 'We will strengthen communication in various areas including economics and politics.'

• Kishida: 'We cannot allow aggression by North Korea via its launching of missiles.'
• Kishida: 'Looking forward to further cooperation with South Korea, as well as trilateral dialogue with the US.'
• Yoon: 'South Korea-Japan relations at a new starting point...Cooperation more important as freedom, democratic values face grave challenges...North Korea's long-range missile launch on Thursday is a grave threat to the region, and the international community.'
• Yoon states that he welcomes the return to 'shuttle diplomacy' with Japan, says 'Talks with Kishida will turn long-strained bilateral ties into cooperative ones'

The landmark meeting has been greeted warmly by the US, which sees an improvement in Japanese-Korean ties as an important step in boosting security in northeast Asia. Closer military cooperation between Japan and South Korea could boost capabilities of both US allies, while greater economic integration could see South Korea in particular become less reliant on the Chinese economy for exports.