TOKYO (Reuters) -Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga and South Korean President Moon Jae-in are set to hold their first in-person summit on Friday, coinciding with the start of the Tokyo Olympics, Japan’s Yomiuri newspaper reported on Monday.
They are likely to discuss issues that have strained relations over generations, including compensation for people forced to work in Japanese firms and military brothels during Japan’s 1910-1945 colonial rule, the paper said.
Japan is also planning to replace a senior Seoul-based diplomat after his widely reported comment last week likening Moon’s dealings with Japan to “masturbation”, the Yomiuri said.
A Japanese foreign ministry spokesman said no one could immediately comment on the reports.
Suga this month called relations between Japan and South Korea “very difficult”, adding that it was up to Seoul to provide a response to the problems. South Korea’s presidential Blue House has said a visit by Moon may be possible if he could meet Suga and if progress on some agreements could be expected.
(Reporting by Chang-Ran Kim; Editing by Tom Hogue and William Mallard)
