Japanese leader expresses sympathy for Korean victims of colonial rule

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, right, shakes hands with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida (Jung Yeon-je/via AP)

Japan’s prime minister has expressed sympathy for the suffering of Korean forced labourers during Japan’s colonial rule.

Fumio Kishida was speaking as he and his South Korean counterpart renewed their resolve to overcome historical grievances and strengthen co-operation in the face of shared challenges such as North Korea’s nuclear programme.