Japan has decided to "swiftly transfer" one billion yen, or 9.8 million US dollars, to South Korea over the long-standing issue of World War Two sex slaves. The decision was confirmed during Friday's telephone talks between South Korea's Minister of Foreign Affairs Yun Byung-se and his Japanese counterpart Fumio Kishida.

The sum will be given to Seoul's Reconciliation and Healing Foundation by the end of this month at the earliest, and will be used for the medical and nursing care of victims and their families. Over two hundred thousand women were forcibly recruited by the Japanese army to work as sex slaves during the second world war.