Former Japanese Prime Minister Suga Yoshihide will assume the head of the supra-partisan Japan-South Korea parliamentarians' union.
The Japanese lawmakers' group held a meeting of executives in Tokyo on Friday.
Former Finance Minister Nukaga Fukushiro of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party has served as the head of the union for the past 10 years.
Nukaga said he was hoping to step down as the head and hand the task to a successor when Japan-South Korea relations showed signs of improvement.
He added that recent talks between the two governments toward settling the issue of wartime labor, which are reportedly in the final stage, support brighter expectations for the future.
Nukaga nominated Suga as his successor. The meeting endorsed the nomination.
Suga said he will work to achieve friendlier ties.
Nukaga told reporters after the meeting that he believes Suga will use his expertise to support Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol.
The union will hold a general meeting to officially decide on Suga's inauguration by the end of March.