Tokyo’s foreign minister says whether or not a summit between South Korean President Moon Jae-in and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will be held is up to Seoul. 

When asked during a press conference on Friday about the possibility of holding a summit in efforts to ease the current tension between the two countries, Toshimitsu Motegi claimed it depends on whether South Korea can arrange conducive circumstances for one to take place. 

Motegi argued that Abe's talks with South Korean Prime Minister Lee Nak-yon on Thursday presented Tokyo with a chance to clearly stress its stance on keeping promises between countries, apparently referring to its demand that Seoul abide by the 1965 normalization treaty. 

When pressed for to comment on Lee’s argument that Seoul has continuously kept the treaty, Motegi said Japan has a different perception and repeated Tokyo’s claim that the treaty has resolved all reparation issues regarding wartime treatment, including individual claims over forced labor. 

However he assessed that the Lee-Abe talks were still meaningful since the two countries could share their views on the importance of dialogue and exchanges between diplomatic authorities.