Japan's Abe strikes conciliatory note on South Korea, row may be easing

FILE PHOTO: Japan's Prime Minister Shinzo Abe speaks at the 8th trilateral leaders' meeting between China, South Korea and Japan in Chengdu, in southwest China's Sichuan province December 24, 2019. Wang Zhao/Pool via REUTERS

TOKYO (Reuters) - Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said on Monday that South Korea was its "most important neighbour" and that the two shared basic values, taking a conciliatory tone towards the country that has been locked in a bitter row with Tokyo for over a year.

The comment comes after South Korean President Moon Jae-in last week proposed the two countries work together to resolve the issue of wartime forced labourers, and called Japan "our closest neighbour."