Japan's newly-elected Prime Minister Shinzo Abe vowed Friday in his policy speech to improve relations of trust with China, South Korea, calling them " important neighbors."

"China and South Korea are important neighbors, with which Japan has established unprecedentedly close relations in economic and other areas," Abe said in his first policy address to the parliament.

"It was extremely important, to Asia as well as to the international society, to strengthen trust with China and South Korea," said Japan's first premier born after World War II.

Japan has strained ties with its Asian neighbors largely due to its prime minister's visits to the war-linked Yasukuni Shrine, where top war criminals are honored.

"I think it is important for all sides to make efforts so we can have forward-looking and frank discussions," Abe added.

On Japan-U.S. alliance, Abe said that Japan will strengthen its relations of trust with the United States, which is the basis of their alliance. "The Cabinet will communicate with the White House regularly to strengthen the ties," he said.

The new premier also pledged to advance steadily in implementing an agreed plan to reorganize the U.S. military presence in Japan.

In the diplomacy part of his speech, Abe also touched on relations with Russia, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), India and Australia and others.

Source: Xinhua