TOKYO – South Korean President Lee Jae Myung will make a two-day visit to Japan starting Aug. 23 to meet with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, the Japanese government said Wednesday.
Lee is set to visit Japan with his wife in his first trip to the neighboring nation since his inauguration in June. He took office following the ouster of his predecessor Yoon Suk Yeol, whose short-lived imposition of martial law last December led to his downfall.
After Japan, he is scheduled to visit the United States for a summit with President Donald Trump on Aug. 25.
Ishiba and Lee are expected to discuss fostering bilateral ties in a stable manner and the importance of trilateral cooperation with the United States, their common ally, in coping with the North Korea threat.
Lee, a liberal who in the past took a firm stance on Japan over wartime and territorial issues, has since becoming president spoken of the need for a pragmatic approach. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties.
Relations had been on the mend under the ousted Yoon, who had come to office in 2022, after hitting their lowest point in years during the time of his predecessor Moon Jae In, including over the issue of wartime labor compensation.
Ishiba and Lee previously met on the fringes of the Group of Seven leaders’ summit in Canada in June, when they agreed to increase high-level communication through reciprocal visits.
Former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga held talks with Lee in Seoul last month and conveyed Ishiba’s wish to host him in Japan.
AloJapan.com