President Lee Jae Myung will hold a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba in Tokyo during his two-day visit to Japan on Aug. 23 and 24, the presidential office announced Wednesday.
The trip will take place immediately before Lee departs for Washington, D.C., for a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump scheduled for Aug. 25.
“President Lee will visit Japan from Aug. 23 to 24 ahead of his trip to the United States, where he will hold a South Korea–Japan summit and a state dinner with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba,” presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung said during a press briefing at the presidential office.
“Through the talks, the two leaders are expected to strengthen the foundation for forward-looking cooperation between the two countries, explore ways to enhance trilateral South Korea–U.S.–Japan coordination and exchange candid views on regional peace, stability and other global issues.”
While the presidential office did not state the exact date or time of the summit talk, it is expected to take place on Aug. 23, followed by a dinner hosted by the Japanese prime minister, as Lee is scheduled to leave for Washington on Aug. 24.
Kang Yu-jung, presidential spokesperson, speaks during a press briefing at the presidential office in Seoul, Wednesday. Yonhap
The upcoming meeting marks the second bilateral talks between Lee and Ishiba, following their first encounter on June 17 in Kananaskis, Alberta, on the sideline of the G7 summit. Their first meeting took place around two weeks after Lee’s inauguration on June 4.
During their first meeting, the two leaders reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening bilateral diplomacy, agreeing to hold regular direct talks. At his 30-day press conference last month, Lee told reporters that he was the one who proposed holding more summits with Ishiba.
“The two leaders agreed in June to promptly resume ‘shuttle diplomacy.’ We hope this visit will further deepen the personal bond and trust between the two heads of state,” the presidential spokesperson said. In Korean, “shuttle diplomacy” refers to bilateral state visits.
Lee is also expected to invite Ishiba to Seoul in the near future, marking a key step toward strengthening bilateral ties.
Lee’s decision to visit Japan and the U.S. in quick succession is seen as part of his administration’s strategy to emphasize cooperation between the three countries, signaling that strengthening trilateral ties is a key pillar of his foreign policy. This move is also expected to dispel perceptions at home and abroad that the Lee administration may favor Beijing above Washington and Tokyo.
The timing of the visit comes amid growing uncertainty in the global geopolitical landscape, which has heightened the need for closer cooperation between South Korea and Japan. Closer ties could also facilitate Tokyo’s support for Lee’s broader agenda of easing tensions on the Korean Peninsula and improving inter-Korean and U.S.-North Korea relations.
This year marks both the 80th anniversary of Korea’s liberation from Japan’s 1910-45 colonial rule and the 60th anniversary of diplomatic normalization between the two nations.
AloJapan.com