TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung held talks Tuesday on further promoting bilateral cooperation, as well as regional and global issues.

President Lee told Prime Minister Takaichi that cooperation between South Korea and Japan is more important than ever, citing complex and dizzying international order, calling for the two nations to take steps toward a better future.

Lee said South Korea and Japan have built mutually beneficial relations over the past 60 years since normalizing diplomatic ties and expressed hope to further develop the relationship over the next 60 years.

Takaichi said she would work closely with Lee to promote regional stability, expressing hope that his visit would help further elevate Seoul-Tokyo ties.

Lee arrived in Japan for a two-day stay as part of reciprocal leader-level visits dubbed “shuttle diplomacy,” aimed at sustaining the recent momentum in improving relations.

The two leaders first held summit talks on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Gyeongju in late October and briefly met again during the Group of 20 leaders’ gathering in South Africa in November.