Tokyo, Japan - National Assembly Speaker Kim Jin-pyo met with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo on Wednesday. During the visit, Speaker Kim called for Tokyo's support in uncovering the truth behind a massacre that occurred in Japan 100 years ago, following the 1923 Great Kanto Earthquake.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the meeting at Kishida's residence focused on the need for cooperation between the parliaments and governments of South Korea and Japan. He emphasized the importance of working together in a "future-oriented" manner to improve relations between the two nations. The Kanto Massacre, which resulted in the deaths of up to 6,000 Koreans at the hands of Japanese people, was spurred by rumors spread by the government of a planned Korean riot, historians note.
Additionally, Kim discussed the prospect of enhanced trilateral cooperation among South Korea, Japan, and the United States, particularly in countering threats from North Korea. He noted South Korea's recent appointment as a nonpermanent member of the U.N. Security Council for the 2024-25 term.