HAMBURG - Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe met on Saturday (July 8) at the sidelines of the Group of 20 (G-20) Leaders' Summit.

Both leaders said they looked forward to further enhancing bilateral cooperation, said a statement from the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

During the meeting, they discussed the KL-Singapore High Speed Rail (HSR) project, and Mr Lee welcomed Japan's interest.

They also spoke about regional developments, and said they would continue to support efforts to explore the way forward for the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which the United States withdrew from in January.

Both prime ministers also agreed to work closely to enhance Japan-Asean relations.

They also discussed developments on the Korean Peninsula.

North Korea fired an intercontinental ballistic missile earlier this week, which experts say have a longer range than earlier missiles.

Mr Lee expressed Singapore's grave concerns over the escalating tensions in the peninsula which could jeopardise the peace and stability of the region.

On Saturday, both leaders also noted with satisfaction that Singapore and Japan had successfully celebrated the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations last year.

Mr Abe said during his opening remarks at Saturday's bilateral meeting that there had been extensive diplomatic engagements to commemorate the occasion.

This included Mr Lee's visit to Japan, and President Tony Tan Keng Yam's state visit.

"It's a pleasure to see you again in person," he told Mr Lee.

He added: "Japan is ready to further develop our cooperative relationship with Singapore, looking ahead to the next 50 years."

Thanking Mr Abe, Mr Lee conveyed his sympathies on the floods in Kyushu in southern Japan, which were caused by heavy rain and have killed 15 people thus far.