Foreign Minister Yohei Kono met South Korean President Kim Dae Jung on Monday to discuss a proposed visit by Kim to Japan and the two countries' ties with North Korea, government officials here said.
Kono told Kim that the Japanese government is planning a Japan-South Korea summit somewhere outside Tokyo.
"We want to have a place where you can exchange ideas with Prime Minister (Keizo) Obuchi in a relaxed atmosphere," Kono said. Kim responded favorably to the idea and indicated he would like the trip take place at an early date.
On March 11, Kim said that sometime in May would be a good time for the visit. But on Monday, both he and Kono refrained from mentioning any dates due to the unpredictability of the date of Japan's next general election.