S. Korean Pres. Lee to Visit Japan for 2 Days from Tues.

Tokyo, Jan. 9 (Jiji Press)–South Korean President Lee Jae-myung will visit the western Japanese prefecture of Nara for two days from Tuesday, the two countries’ governments announced Friday. On Tuesday, Lee will hold a meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and attend a dinner. The visit is part of the two countries’ “shuttle” diplomacy, or mutual visits by their leaders, and Takaichi hopes to build rapport with the South Korean leader by welcoming him to her home prefecture. Tokyo is seeking to strengthen relations with South Korea amid the deteriorating security environment surrounding Japan, with China, Russia and North Korea deepening their relations. “We believe that the two leaders can have frank discussions on further developing Japan-South Korea relations,” Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told a press conference Friday. According to the announcement by the South Korean government, Lee will arrive in Nara on Tuesday afternoon. At their summit, he and Takaichi will discuss the regional and international situations as well as measures to reinforce bilateral cooperation in the economic, social, cultural and other fields. The two leaders will attend a rapport-building event on Wednesday morning. Lee will meet with South Koreans living in Japan in the afternoon before flying back to his country. This will be the second Takaichi-Lee meeting. They had their first meeting in the South Korean city of Gyeongju late last October, at which Lee showed his hope to visit Nara. Lee took office in June 2025 and Takaichi in October. The South Korean presidential office said that the visit is expected to solidify the foundations for the development of future-oriented and stable bilateral relations by leveraging the essence of shuttle diplomacy. END [Copyright The Jiji Press, Ltd.]