Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio and South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol held bilateral talks on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Hiroshima.
The two leaders' summit on Sunday came after they visited the memorial dedicated to Korean victims of the atomic bombing in 1945.
They reaffirmed their stance on improving the relationship between the two countries by praising each other's actions and words.
Kishida stressed that paying respect at the memorial of Korean atomic bomb victims together with Yoon and the First Lady is very significant in promoting bilateral relations and world peace.
Yoon, in return, mentioned Kishida's recent visit to Seoul. The South Korean president noted that Kishida's remarks about how his heartache over the suffering of Korean wartime laborers has resonated among the South Korean people.
Kishida and Yoon are scheduled to hold talks with US President Joe Biden in the afternoon. They are expected to discuss bolstering military deterrence to counter North Korea's nuclear development.