Tokyo has said the issue was settled under a 1965 treaty that normalised diplomatic relations, and the two neighbours agreed to “irreversibly” end the dispute in a 2015 deal.
When asked about the latest court ruling, Japanese Foreign Minister Yoko Kamikawa said on Friday that Japan had expressed to the South Korean side that it is “unacceptable” and in violation of the agreement between the two countries.
She said the government had no intention of appealing against the court ruling because Japan is not subject to South Korea’s jurisdiction under international law.
Earlier this year, Seoul announced South Korean companies would pay to resolve a dispute over forced labour under Japan’s 1910-1945 occupation, seeking to end what has undercut US-led efforts to present a unified front against China and North Korea.
The move was hailed by US President Joe Biden as “groundbreaking”.