Washington's top envoy to Asia says his government will do what it can to help strained Seoul-Tokyo relations.

Visiting U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Asian and Pacific Affairs David Stilwell met South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha and other key officials in Seoul on Wednesday before a brief news conference. 

[Sound bite: U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Asian and Pacific Affairs David Stilwell]
"The truth is no significant issue in this region can be resolved without cooperation between our two allies, Korea and Japan. Fundamentally the Republic of Korea and Japan must resolve these sensitive matters, and we hope that resolution happens soon. The United States, as a close friend and an ally to both, will do what it can to support their efforts to resolve it."

Seoul previously asked Washington to intervene in the situation and make Tokyo reverse its export restrictions against South Korean tech giants.

The trade measure is widely viewed as retaliation to South Korean top court rulings that ordered defendant Japanese companies to pay reparations to Korean victims of their wartime forced labor.

Ahead of his three-day trip to South Korea, the envoy visited Japan.