Tokyo: Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is considering visiting South Korea on March 20 to hold talks with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, Japanese government officials said Wednesday.

The trip will be part of shuttle diplomacy between Japanese and South Korean leaders. Kishida and Yoon will mainly discuss North Korea’s continued provocations.

It will be Kishida’s first visit to South Korea since May last year. Relations between the two countries have improved rapidly since Seoul unveiled a plan to settle claims against Japanese companies by World War II-era Korean laborers in March last year.

Kishida hopes to further strengthen the bilateral relationship by promoting mutual visits.

Some South Korean government officials are cautious about Kishida’s visit ahead of a general election in April, a Japanese government official said.

On March 20, the Los Angeles Dodgers with Japanese two-way star Shohei Ohtani will kick off their season in South Korea.

JIJI Press