Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono says regional or civilian exchanges between South Korea and Japan should continue despite intergovernmental disputes over recent South Korean top court’s decisions. 

NHK said that Kono told reporters on Friday that there is no need to stop exchanges between the people even though there is a problem between the governments. 

He said exchanges should continue, including exchanges between South Korean and Japanese cities engaged in “sister city relationships,” as well as sports and culture exchanges. 

His remarks came after South Korean city of Gangneung and Japanese city of Chichibu decided to suspend their bilateral personnel exchange program following the South Korean Supreme Court’s rulings against Japanese firms engaged in forced labor during Japan’s colonial rule. Daegu City also postponed a plan to send a delegation to Gifu City in Japan. 

Kono, however, urged the South Korean government to swiftly respond to what it calls a case posing a risk of suspending the bilateral exchanges. 

The Japanese government is threatening to file a suit against South Korea at the International Court of Justice over the recent Supreme Court rulings.