Tokyo: Japan and South Korea rescinded each other's favoured export partner status on Friday and Seoul said it would review a military information agreement, as a long-running row between the US allies hit a new low. The two countries are mired in long-running disputes over the use of forced labour during World War II. Tokyo, which made the first move despite US calls for both to calm tensions, insisted it was acting on national security grounds rather than retaliation.

"The government at a cabinet meeting today [Friday] approved a revision to the export control law", said Japan's Trade Minister Hiroshige Seko, referring to a so-called "white list", adding, "South Korea, the only Asian nation on the list, will be removed." South Korean President Moon Jae-in called the move "very reckless", warning that "responsibility for what is going to happen next also lies squarely with the Japanese government". "We will never again lose to Japan," he added.