from Channel News Asia: South Korea’s Foreign Minister Yun Byung-se arrived in Japan on Sunday (Jun 21) for a two-day visit to mark the 50th anniversary of the normalisation of bilateral ties, amid a diplomatic chill because of historical disputes.
The minister met with his Japanese counterpart on his first day in Tokyo.
Yun planned to visit Japan in 2013 right after being appointed South Korea's foreign minister but cancelled the trip after members of the Japanese cabinet visited the controversial Yasukuni Shrine which honours Japan’s war dead, including 14 convicted WWII criminals.
It has been these visits to the shrine, especially by Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, that have angered not just South Korea but China too.
During his visit, Yun is expected to discuss various concerns with his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida, such as North Korea and bilateral ties.
While the visit, the first to Japan by a South Korean foreign minister since 2011, has raised hopes among some political observers of a possible thaw in relations, experts are sceptical of a breakthrough in resolving long-standing historical disputes like the issue of comfort women.
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