A Japanese daily has assessed that South Korea is making progress in efforts to cut its reliance on Japanese suppliers for parts and materials after Tokyo applied exports curbs against Seoul last year.

The Asahi Shimbun reported on Tuesday that South Korea is making progress in efforts to end its reliance on Japan in the areas of parts, materials and manufacturing equipment.  

The report said that Seoul in the past had made little progress in attempts to reduce its reliance on Japan for parts and materials, citing a five-point-four trillion won figure spent over the past 19 years.

The newspaper said such efforts were unfruitful, but things changed last year due to active cooperation from the government, conglomerates and small firms in South Korea. 

It said South Korean conglomerates acted first to end their reliance on Japan after Tokyo rolled out the export restrictions.

Asahi added that small firms had difficulties using conglomerates' production facilities to develop and test new parts and materials, but many large firms were willing to open their facilities for those tests after the export restrictions were introduced.