Japan will canvass public opinion on restoring South Korea to a "white list" of countries with fast-track trade status, the trade ministry said on Friday, a key step towards resolving an economic row that strained ties. Japan lifted export curbs on high-tech materials to South Korea in March as the nations mended ties in the face of North Koreas frequent missile launches and Chinas more muscular role on the global stage. Public comment will be sought from Friday until May 31, a Japanese trade ministry official said, but declined to elaborate. South Korea and Japan dropped each other from their respective lists in 2019, amid a decades-old row over a 2018 South Korean court order for Japanese companies to compensate forced laborers during Japans 1910-45 occupation of Korea.