The brief meeting between the leaders of South Korea and Japan in Bangkok is viewed positively by many as a momentum that could lead to high-level Seoul-Tokyo talks.
According to the Yomiuri Shimbun... President Moon Jae-in told Abe that there are various ways to resolve the issue of Japan's use of wartime forced labor... while showing willingness to keep the dialgoue alive on that basis.
However, other major Japanese media remain skeptical that their brief meeting will restore ties between the two countries.
The Mainichi Shimbun reported that the conversation is unlikely to lead to a breakthrough,... and quoted Japan's foreign minister Toshimitsu Motegi, who warned against evaluating the discussion too highly.
The Japan Times said bilateral relations could deteriorate even further... because neither side showed any sign of concessions.
Japan's Chief Cabinet Secretary, Yoshihide Suga, said in a press briefing that Abe was firm on delivering what he called Tokyo's "principled" position on colonial-era issues, and that Japan plans to stick with its basic stance.