Prime Minister Ishiba said, "Korea-Japan cooperation is very important for each other's interests."

Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said close cooperation between South Korea and Japan in the current strategic environment is very important to each other's interests.

Prime Minister Ishiba made the remarks in his first parliamentary address since taking office today, citing Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the recent situation in the Middle East.

Prime Minister Ishiba said, "Although there are difficult issues between Korea and Japan, we will strengthen and broaden cooperation between the two countries ahead of the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations next year."

Prime Minister Ishiba, who took office on the 1st, seems to have expressed his intention to continue efforts to improve relations between Korea and Japan following the former Kishida administration in a speech announcing the plan for state administration for the first time.