Japan and Korea try to settle wartime labour issue

Lee Choon-shik, a victim of wartime forced labor during the Japanese colonial period, holds a banner that reads “Apologise for forced labour and fulfill the compensation” at an anti-Japan protest on Liberation Day in Seoul on Aug 15, 2019. (Photo: Reuters)

TOKYO: Japan plans to make clear it will uphold an apology to its neighbours over past aggressions, as part of efforts to improve ties with South Korea, if Seoul finalises a solution to compensation for forced wartime labour, a government source said on Saturday.

Tokyo is considering a show of remorse based on past statements, such as by then Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama in 1995, as the two countries enter the final stage of talks on the contentious issue following a recent proposal by South Korea.