Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi heads home after summit with Lee

Published: 20 May. 2026, 14:00

Japanese Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae bows on the tarmac at Daegu International Airport on May 19 ahead of the Korea-Japan summit talks. [YONHAP]

 

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi headed home on Wednesday after a two-day visit to Korea’s Andong, North Gyeongsang, the hometown of President Lee Jae Myung, where the two held a bilateral summit.

 

A vehicle carrying the prime minister left a hotel in Andong at around 8:50 a.m. and headed to Daegu International Airport to board a plane bound for Japan.

 


Police and security officials were deployed around the hotel. Citizens and reporters gathered to see Takaichi off as she departed for the airport.

 

After arriving in Andong the previous day, the two leaders held a summit, attended a banquet dinner and watched a performance, as the two countries seek to establish “shuttle diplomacy” aimed at fostering close cooperation and exchanges.

 

Takaichi’s visit reciprocated Lee’s trip to her hometown, Nara prefecture, in January, when the two last met.

 

During Tuesday’s summit, Lee and Takaichi agreed to strengthen cooperation in supply chains and in securing crude oil and liquefied natural gas supplies amid concerns over supply disruptions stemming from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Yonhap