WASHINGTON, April 23 (Yonhap) -- A bipartisan group of U.S. congressmen, including the House Foreign Affairs Committee chairman, urged Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to address historical tensions with South Korea so as to bolster trilateral cooperation.

The 25 lawmakers, including Reps. Mike Honda (D-CA) and Ed Royce (R-CA), issued the appeal in a joint letter to Japanese Ambassador to Washington Kenichiro Sasae, just days before Abe begins a visit to the U.S. that includes an address at a joint session of Congress.