Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi left South Korea on Wednesday after a two-day visit to Andong, the hometown of President Lee Jae Myung, where the two leaders held a bilateral summit and agreed to boost cooperation on supply chains and energy supplies.
A vehicle carrying Prime Minister Takaichi left a hotel in Andong, 190 kilometers southeast of Seoul, at around 8:50 a.m. on Wednesday, heading to Daegu International Airport for her flight back to Japan. Police and security officials were deployed, while citizens and reporters gathered to see her off.
During Tuesday's summit, President Lee Jae Myung and Prime Minister Takaichi agreed to strengthen cooperation in supply chains and in securing crude oil and liquefied natural gas supplies amid concerns over disruptions from the Middle East conflict. They also reaffirmed trilateral cooperation with the United States for regional peace and stability.
Lee referred to upcoming DNA tests on remains at the wartime Chosei coal mine in Japan's Ube, describing it as a small but meaningful first step on historical issues. The leaders noted they have now met four times in seven months, confirming that shuttle diplomacy has been fully established.
The two attended a banquet dinner featuring fusion Korean cuisine and a performance. Takaichi proposed holding the next round of shuttle diplomacy in a Japanese hot spring town.
