Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and new South Korean President Lee Jae Myung agreed Monday to build stable bilateral ties amid a severe strategic environment, with both expressing hope to meet in person at an early date.

In their first telephone conversation since Lee took office last week, Ishiba and the South Korean leader also confirmed the importance of trilateral cooperation with their shared ally, the United States, the Japanese government said.

Japan and South Korea see each other as partners who can tackle global challenges, as the Asian neighbors have seen a thaw in ties long marred by issues linked to wartime history and territory, the two governments said.

During the roughly 25-minute conversation, Ishiba was quoted by the government as telling Lee he wants to advance bilateral ties, building on the "foundation" the two governments have already laid.

Ishiba sought Lee's cooperation in addressing challenges posed by North Korea, including Pyongyang's abduction of Japanese nationals in the 1970s and 1980s, according to Japan.

South Korea's presidential office also said that Lee and Ishiba agreed to build a "stronger and more mature Korea-Japan relationship based on mutual respect, trust and a responsible attitude."

Lee, a liberal who has taken a firm stance on the bilateral spat over wartime labor and territory, said last week as president that he places importance on consistency in bilateral relations with Japan.

After taking office following the ouster of his predecessor, Yoon Suk Yeol, over the abrupt imposition of martial law, Lee indicated he would uphold the previous administration's approach to compensating South Korean wartime laborers.

The Korean Peninsula was under Japanese colonial rule between 1910 and 1945.

The earliest possible opportunity for an in-person summit meeting would come on the fringes of a three-day meeting of the Group of Seven nations to be held in Canada from Sunday.

Ishiba is expected to attend the summit as head of G7 member Japan, while Lee has accepted an invitation to attend the gathering as a non-member.

Japan and South Korea hope to maintain momentum in improving bilateral ties as they mark the 60th anniversary of diplomatic normalization this year.

The two countries share a view on the need to deepen three-way cooperation with the United States amid growing security threats from North Korea, which is seeking closer military ties with Russia.

According to South Korea's presidential office, the two leaders expressed their "commitment" to jointly responding to various geopolitical challenges within the tripartite framework.