US Looks to Ease Japan-S Korea Tensions

April 23,2013

The United States is hoping to help ease tensions between Japan and South Korea that could undermine regional unity on North Korea. South Korea's foreign minister cancelled a trip to Japan this week over a visit by Japanese government ministers to a controversial war shrine.

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry has said Japan and South Korea are central to containing North Korean aggression. So Washington is working to reduce tensions between Tokyo and Seoul.

"We believe that strong and constructive relations between countries in the region -- particularly our allies South Korea and Japan -- promote peace and stability and are in the interest of those countries and indeed of the United States," said Patrick Ventrell, Deputy State Department Spokesman.

South Korean Foreign Minister Yun Byung-Se cancelled a trip to Tokyo this week after Japanese cabinet ministers visited a controversial war shrine.

The shrine honors Japanese war dead, including convicted war criminals. For Koreans, who lived under Japanese rule for decades, the shrine is a symbol of Japanese imperialism.

"Our government strongly urges the Japanese government to immediately stop its anachronistic action and take a responsible measure based on the correct knowledge of history so that it can restore trust from neighboring countries," Cho Tai-Young, spokesman, S. Korean Foreign Ministry.