Japan's PM tells South Koreans his 'heart hurts' over pain caused by occupation

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida during a joint press conference after their meeting at the presidential office in Seoul Sunday, May 7, 2023. The leaders of South Korea and Japan met Sunday for their second summit in less than two months, as they push to mend long-running historical grievances and boost ties in the face of North Korea’s nuclear programme and other regional challenges. - AP

SEOUL/TOKYO, May 7 (Reuters): Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told South Koreans on Sunday his heart hurts when he thinks of suffering and pain during Japanese colonial rule, in a nod to historical disputes that have soured relations between the two US allies.

Kishida was in Seoul for the first visit to the South Korean capital by a Japanese leader in 12 years, returning the trip South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol made to Tokyo in March where they sought to close a chapter on the historical disputes that have dominated Japan-South Korea relations for decades.