Lee, Takaichi aim to hold bilateral summit in Nara early next year

Korean President Lee Jae Myung, right, poses for a photo with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi ahead of a meeting held on the sidelines of the Group of 20 summit in Johannesburg, South Africa, on Nov. 23. [YONHAP]

 
Korean President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi are coordinating a summit to be held in mid-January in Nara, Japan, Kyodo News reported Thursday, citing multiple diplomatic sources from both countries.
 
According to the report, the planned summit is part of ongoing shuttle diplomacy efforts and is aimed at strengthening ties between the two leaders.
 
 
The Japanese government initially sought to host a trilateral summit together with China and Korea in Japan next January and had floated the idea to both countries, the diplomatic sources said.
 
However, the plan was reportedly scrapped after tensions flared between China and Japan over remarks made by Takaichi suggesting Tokyo could intervene a Taiwan contingency. China rejected the summit proposal, prompting Tokyo to pivot toward a bilateral summit with Seoul.
 
Lee and Takaichi previously met on Oct. 30 in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang, on the sidelines of the APEC Economic Leaders’ Summit, where they reaffirmed their commitment to shuttle diplomacy.
 
“According to the shuttle diplomacy rotation, it is now Korea’s turn to visit Japan,” Lee said at the time. “I hope to meet you in a regional city rather than the capital, Tokyo.”
 
“I look forward to meeting President Lee soon,” Takaichi reportedly said.
 
“We agreed to actively pursue shuttle diplomacy, and this time, we will welcome President Lee to Japan,” she told reporters.
 
During a joint press conference with domestic and international media on Nov. 1 following the APEC summit, Lee explained that he had proposed holding the summit in Nara, and that Takaichi had responded positively to the idea.
 
Nara, the prime minister’s hometown and electoral district, is a city steeped in history. It is home to cultural landmarks such as the centuries-old Todaiji Temple and Nara Park, famous for its freely roaming deer, which make it a popular destination for Korean tourists.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY JUNG SI-NAE [[email protected]]