Japan, S. Korea hail spring thaw in wintry relations as they seek closer ties in security and trade

South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol (left) and Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida at Rengatei, a popular restaurant in Tokyo's Ginza district, on March 16. - Reuters

TOKYO (The Straits Times/Asia News Network): Japan lifted export curbs on the supply of materials for high-tech chips to South Korea on Thursday (March 16), while South Korea declared the “complete normalisation” of their bilateral military intelligence sharing deal.

These quick-fire breakthroughs came as the two countries with a difficult shared history vowed to turn the page on relations that have blown hot and cold with nearly every change in government.