Japan's Abe unlikely to meet South Korea's Moon at UN in September

TOKYO: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is unlikely to meet South Korean President Moon Jae-in during the United Nations general assembly in September, the Sankei newspaper reported, the latest sign of worsening relations between the key US allies.

Abe will not hold talks with Moon unless Seoul takes constructive steps on the issue of World War Two labourers and other issues, the Japanese daily said on Monday.

Japan has tightened restrictions on exports of some high-tech materials to South Korea, citing what it has called inadequate management of sensitive items by its Asian neighbour.

The curbs were seen as a response to South Korean court rulings ordering Japanese companies to compensate wartime forced labourers.