Tempers flare in talks between Tokyo and Seoul, as Japan warns of ‘measures’ if its firms are hurt in escalating trade row

Japan’s foreign minister made the comments on Friday after summoning South Korea Ambassador Nam Gwan-pyo for a talk that turned briefly confrontational

The neighbours are quarrelling over South Korean court decisions ordering Japanese companies to compensate victims of forced labour during Japan’s 1910-1945 colonial rule of the Korean peninsula

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Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono, left, holds a meeting with South Korean Ambassador to Japan Nam Gwan Pyo, right, at the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo. Photo: Kyodo

Published: 12:30pm, 20 Jul 2019Updated: 11:33pm, 20 Jul 2019

Japan’s foreign minister said Tokyo will take “necessary measures” against South Korea if interests of Japanese companies are harmed in an escalating dispute over World War II forced labour.

The neighbouring countries and US allies are quarrelling over South Korean court decisions ordering Japanese companies to compensate victims of forced labour during Japan’s 1910-1945 colonial rule of the Korean peninsula.

Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said on Friday after summoning South Korean Ambassador Nam Gwan-pyo that Tokyo is prepared to take “necessary measures” to protect the interest of Japanese companies, without giving details.

Their talks were held in an icy atmosphere, briefly turning confrontational.

“It is extremely problematic that South Korea is one-sidedly leaving alone the situation that violates the international law, which is the foundation of our bilateral relationship,” Kono told Nam. “The action being taken by the South Korean government is something that completely overturns the order of the international community since the end of the World War II.”