The visit is expected to highlight the improvement of Japan-South Korea relations. According to the presidential office, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba will visit South Korea for two days from the 30th at the invitation of President Lee.
The two leaders are scheduled to hold a Japan-Korea summit meeting and a dinner in Busan. Presidential Spokesperson Kang Yoo-jung said at a press conference on the 26th, "Prime Minister Ishiba's visit to Korea is the first of its kind this year."
"This is because the two leaders agreed to meet in South Korea soon after the shuttle diplomacy that resumed in August," he said, adding, "At the time, President Lee proposed holding the meeting in a local area rather than in Seoul."
Kang added, "The last time a Japanese prime minister visited a city other than Seoul was in 2004, when former Prime Minister Koizumi met former President Roh Moo-hyun on Jeju Island.
"Through this meeting, the leaders of Japan and South Korea will further strengthen the foundation for future-oriented cooperation between the two countries and promote regional cooperation," Kang added.
"We will exchange frank views on ways to strengthen Japan-Korea and Japan-US-Korea cooperation toward peace and stability, as well as issues of common interest to the region and the world," he said.
At a summit held in Japan in August this year, President Lee mentioned a regional city in South Korea as a possible location for the next summit.
At the time, President Lee told Prime Minister Ishiba, "I have heard that you have a special interest in the balanced development of regional areas. If you visit South Korea as part of your next shuttle diplomacy, I would like to visit the regional areas, not Seoul.
After the meeting, the two leaders issued a joint statement addressing common issues facing the two countries, including regional revitalization, the problem of population concentration in the capital area, low birth rates, aging, and population decline.
Prime Minister Ishiba announced his intention to resign on the 7th of this month, and is expected to resign after the LDP's new presidential election is held on the 4th of next month. Prime Minister Ishiba's visit to South Korea is expected to be a sign of the continued shuttle diplomacy between Japan and South Korea.
This is seen as reflecting the will of both countries to build a future-oriented relationship.
2025/09/30 07:02 KST
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