Former Japanese Prime Minister Yasuhiro Nakasone says Japan must reflect on its past wrongdoings and make efforts to build stronger relations with South Korea.

His remarks follow current Prime Minister Naoto Kan’s Tuesday apology for Japan’s colonial rule of Korea.

Nakasone, chair of the Japan-Korea Cooperation Council, said that the relationship between the two nations has become increasingly more important.

He also said that collaboration among South Korea, China and Japan is needed to develop East Asia and increase the region’s influence in the international community.

Nakasone said that to that end, Korea-Japan exchanges are key and that efforts need to be stepped up across the board for bilateral goodwill.