PM Suga talks with Moon for first time but signals no fresh start
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Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga spoke with South Korean President Moon Jae-In over the phone Thursday, amid speculation over whether the stepping down of former Japanese leader Shinzo Abe will mark a change in tone for a bilateral relationship that has been at its lowest ebb in decades.
The 20-minute phone call — proposed by the South Korean side and the first since Suga became leader — offered a glimmer of hope that the ties between the two Asian countries may finally improve after having come to a standstill. During Abe’s almost eight-year tenure, Tokyo’s relationship with Seoul soured as they engaged in tit-for-tat actions over wartime history and trade issues. The last time Abe and Moon spoke was in December.