対北朝鮮、安保対話を推進　３年ぶり総会で共同声明―日韓・韓日議連

　【ソウル時事】日韓・韓日議員連盟の合同総会が３日、ソウルで開かれた。合同総会は年１回の開催だが、新型コロナウイルスの影響で昨年、一昨年は見送られており、２０１９年に東京で開かれて以来３年ぶり。北朝鮮の脅威に対応するため「両国議会間の安全保障対話を積極的に推進する」とうたった共同声明を採択した。
　討議では、日本側から特に安保協力に積極的な意見が出され、「あらゆる協力を強化すべきだという議論に終始した」（武田良太日韓議連幹事長）という。共同声明は、日韓関係の早期正常化を求め「真摯（しんし）な首脳会談」を要請。「首脳のシャトル外交を復活させ、緊密な対話の場を持てるよう環境整備に努力する」と明記した。（2022/11/03-19:47）

Japanese and South Korean parliamentarians' groups on bilateral relations held a joint general meeting for the first time in three years in Seoul on Thursday, with a view to building momentum for improving the bilateral ties and supporting both governments' efforts to resolve wartime labor and other pending issues.
   The annual gathering was skipped in the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It last took place in Tokyo in 2019.
   This year, the Japanese and South Korean groups marked the 50th year since their establishment, with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida sending a message to the Seoul meeting.
   In the message, Kishida said that it is more important than ever to advance cooperation between Japan and South Korea and among the two plus the United States.
   The Japanese leader noted that South Korea is an important neighbor for Japan to cooperate with. He vowed to keep in close contact with the South Korean government as it is necessary to restore a sound relationship between the two countries and further develop the bilateral ties.