Korea and Japan are preparing for a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in mid-January in Japan's Nara Prefecture. According to a Japanese media report, the talks are set for around January 13-14, with Todaiji Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site, considered as a possible venue. This arrangement reflects commitments to sustain positive momentum in bilateral ties through shuttle diplomacy.
Korea and Japan are coordinating arrangements for a summit between President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Nara Prefecture, Japan. Japan's Mainichi Shimbun reported on December 11, citing diplomatic sources, that the talks are planned for around January 13-14 in Nara City. The prefecture is Takaichi's hometown, and Todaiji Temple, renowned for its Great Buddha Statue and a UNESCO World Heritage site, is being considered as a potential venue.
The two leaders most recently held summit talks on October 30 on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang Province, Korea, and had a brief meeting on November 23 during the Group of 20 leaders' gathering in Johannesburg, South Africa. If it proceeds, this trip would mark Lee's second visit to Japan, following his August trip to Tokyo where he met Takaichi's predecessor, Shigeru Ishiba.
The summit underscores the leaders' commitment to maintaining positive momentum in bilateral relations through shuttle diplomacy, involving reciprocal visits. Lee has committed to advancing ties with Japan via a two-track approach that fosters future-oriented cooperation while addressing historical and territorial issues separately. Tensions persist, however, as Lee's office recently reaffirmed that the easternmost islets of Dokdo are indisputably Korean territory, rejecting Takaichi's renewed claims to the islets.
