MADRID -- Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi spoke with his South Korean counterpart, Kang Kyung-wha, on the sidelines of an Asia-Europe Meeting of foreign ministers in Madrid on Sunday.
The two ministers sat together for about 10 minutes, during which Motegi said he hoped that a positive outcome would be reached during a bureau chief-level policy dialogue between the two governments on Monday concerning Japan's tightened export controls on South Korea, according to officials accompanying the foreign minister.
According to the South Korean Foreign Ministry, Kang urged Japan to suspend the export controls as soon as possible.
The leaders of Japan, China and South Korea will hold a trilateral meeting in Chengdu, China, on Dec. 24. Motegi and Kang confirmed that their governments will beef up coordination to make the meeting successful, while also working to hold a bilateral meeting between the foreign ministers on the sidelines of the summit.
Motegi and Kang reaffirmed that Tokyo, Washington and Seoul will work closely together, with regard to North Korea.
Sunday's encounter took place before dinner on the sidelines of the Asia-Europe Meeting, after the two governments were unable to schedule an official bilateral meeting.
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