Japan's industry ministry says it will hold a dialogue with senior officials from South Korea over Tokyo's tightened export controls on key materials for hi-tech products.

The ministry announced on Monday that the dialogue is to be held soon in order to have export controls return to the state before they were tightened.

The ministry said South Korea will suspend dispute-settlement procedures at the World Trade Organization while the dialogue is underway.

Seoul filed a complaint at the WTO in June 2020 after Japan imposed stricter export controls the previous year on three materials. The materials are essential for making semiconductors and organic electro-luminescent display panels.

Tokyo has also removed South Korea from the list of countries entitled to simplified export procedures.

Policy dialogues between senior ministry officials from the two countries have been suspended for nearly three years.

Through the upcoming dialogue, Japanese officials plan to check whether South Korea's trade management meets Japan's standard.