Nonpartisan lawmakers from Japan and South Korea held a joint plenary meeting in Seoul, agreeing to elevate cooperation in politics, economy, society, and culture. They adopted a statement denouncing North Korea's nuclear and missile programs and urging dialogue on unresolved issues.
On November 16, 2025, nonpartisan groups of lawmakers from Japan and South Korea convened a joint plenary meeting in Seoul to foster bilateral friendship. Discussions covered diplomacy, security, the economy, and culture.
The adopted statement strongly denounced North Korea's nuclear and missile development, calling for close cooperation between the two governments to achieve complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. It also advocated sincere dialogue on pending issues, including those related to wartime Korean laborers and Japan's Sado Island gold mines, a UNESCO World Heritage site.
Participants included Akihisa Nagashima, an executive of the Japanese group, and Joo Ho-young, head of the South Korean group. After the meeting, Nagashima said, "There are various issues between the two countries, but I hope our groups will be able to solve them one by one."
In a congratulatory message, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi described South Korea as an important neighboring country and emphasized the need for cooperation to address international challenges. She added that the importance of Japan-South Korea relations and trilateral cooperation with the United States is increasing in the current strategic environment.
This was the first such meeting since one in Tokyo in September 2023. A planned December 2024 session was canceled amid confusion from then-President Yoon Suk Yeol's declaration of emergency martial law. Next year's plenary will be held in Tokyo.