The mayor of the German city of Berlin has reportedly vowed to resolve conflicts surrounding a statue symbolizing the victims of Japan's wartime sexual slavery in central Berlin, hinting at a possible removal of the statue.

According to a press release by the German city on Thursday, Berlin Mayor Kai Wegner said it is important for the city to make a change regarding the matter during his meeting with Japanese Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yoko in Tokyo.

Wegner reportedly told Yoko that he supports monuments against violence against women, but there should no longer be one-sided expressions.

The city said that it is in talks with all relevant parties on the matter, including the relevant district office and the federal government, and also plans to involve the Japanese ambassador to Germany in discussions.

Japan has been calling for the removal of girl statues around the world, claiming that they reflect South Korea's one-sided stance.

The Berlin statue was erected in October 2020 in the Mitte District of central Berlin. The district ordered the removal soon after the erection, but a Korean association that set up the statue took legal action to suspend the order.

The district council has since passed a resolution several times to keep the statue.