Both nations need to repair damaged relations: Japan PM Yoshihide Suga tells South Korea's Moon Jae-in

Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga said on Thursday he told his South Korean counterpart Moon Jae-in that the two countries needed to repair their damaged relations, calling South Korea an important neighbour to counter the threat from North Korea.

Speaking to reporters after his phone meeting with Moon, Suga said: "I told President Moon that we cannot leave our relations, which have been hurt by issues including war-time labourers, where they are now."

Suga replaced Shinzo Abe as prime minister last week.