Conciliatory gesture Japan should compromise to mend ties with Korea President Moon Jae-in has made a conciliatory gesture toward Japan to mend soured ties with Tokyo. In a nationally televised speech marking the March 1 Independence Movement Day, he said that Korea was ready to discuss strengthening cooperation with Japan. However, it is hard to expect a breakthrough any time soon because the Asian neighbor shows no signs of compromise over historical issues. Moon has reaffirmed a two-track approach in forging a future-oriented partnership with Tokyo while trying to resolve longstanding disputes over wartime atrocities committed by the former colonial power. "The only obstacle we have to overcome is that, sometimes, issues of the past cannot be separated from those of the future as they are intermingled with each other. This has impeded forward-looking development," he said.