US President Donald Trump on Friday offered to help ease tensions in the political and economic dispute between Japan and South Korea, which threatens global supplies of memory chips and smartphones.
Lingering tension, particularly over the issue of compensation for South Koreans forced to work for Japanese occupiers during World War Two, took a turn for the worse this month when Japan restricted exports of high-tech materials to South Korea.
The United States has been hesitant to publicly wade into the feud between its two biggest allies in Asia. Trump said South Korean President Moon Jae-in had asked him if he could get involved.