国际英语新闻:Japanese foreign minister outlines policies as regular Diet session opens

TOKYO, Jan. 20 (Xinhua) -- Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi in a speech on Monday at the start of this year's regular Diet session outlined a number of the government's foreign policy initiatives.

On ties that have been strained of late between Japan and South Korea, owing to a wartime labor row spilling over into tit-for-tat trade disputes, Motegi reiterated calls for a previous accord on the issue to be adhered to.

Relations between both countries have soured since South Korean court rulings ordered Japanese companies in October 2018 to pay compensation to victims of forced labor during Japan's colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula between 1910 and 1945.

Japan, for its part, has claimed the rulings are not in line with international law and run contrary to the foundation of friendly and cooperative relations between the two neighbors since the 1965 normalization of diplomatic ties.

Tokyo believes the matter of compensation for wartime labor was "finally and completely" resolved under the pact, whereas the administration of South Korean President Moon Jae-in has said that while it does not reject the pact in principle, it cannot overturn the decision of another branch of government.

Seoul not cancelling a key military intelligence-sharing pact with Tokyo and increasing dialogue between both countries on trade issues have seen ties improved to a degree, of late, government officials have said.

With Sunday marking the 60th anniversary of the signing of the security alliance between Japan and the United States, Motegi hailed the Japan-U.S. alliance as being "stronger than ever."

With regards to an ongoing territorial spat between Japan and Russia that has prevented both sides from signing a post-war peace treaty, Motegi said he planned to continue holding close discussions with his Russian counterpart on the protracted stalemate.

Both parties have, however, provisionally agreed to discuss furthering joint economic activities on relevant islands, with Motegi saying Monday that the joint activities would work to foster more trust between both countries.

As for plans to sign the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) pact in the months ahead this year, Motegi said Japan would take a leadership role in shaping international trade paradigms as well as debate on reforming the World Trade Organization (WTO).

The Japanese foreign minister also said that with regard to China, Japan's biggest trading partner, both countries "share a great responsibility to ensure the peace and prosperity of Asia and the world," and both countries should regularly conduct high-level dialogue and increase exchanges and collaboration traversing a variety of fields.