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Lee and Takaichi to hold first bilateral summit Thursday

Published: 28 Oct. 2025, 09:22 Updated: 28 Oct. 2025, 14:34

Korean President Lee Jae Myung, left, and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi [EPA/YONHAP]

President Lee Jae Myung and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi are expected to hold their first bilateral summit on Thursday, according to a report by the Asahi Shimbun on Tuesday, noting that both governments are currently coordinating the details.

Takaichi is scheduled to arrive in Korea on Thursday to attend the APEC Economic Leaders' Meeting, which opens the following day in Gyeongju, North Gyeongsang. She is expected to meet with Lee in a bilateral summit on the day of her arrival.

On Oct. 21, shortly after Takaichi was inaugurated, President Lee wrote on Facebook, “I look forward to having a constructive dialogue with Prime Minister Takaichi in person at the upcoming APEC summit in Gyeongju.”

During National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac’s visit to Japan for two days starting Oct. 21, he met with Keiichi Ichikawa, the newly appointed secretary-general of Japan’s National Security Secretariat, as well as former Prime Ministers Taro Aso and Yoshihide Suga.

“We hope to continue shuttle diplomacy to help advance bilateral relations,” Wi was quoted as saying at the time.

Aso, who played the role of kingmaker in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s latest leadership election, reportedly said, “I will continue to do my part to support Korea-Japan relations.”

Although Prime Minister Takaichi is known for her hawkish stance, the Asahi noted that she has emphasized cooperation with Korea since taking office and is expected to underscore the importance of bilateral ties during the summit.

At her inauguration press conference on Oct. 21, Takaichi said she enjoys kimchi as well as Korean cosmetics and dramas, and added, “I hope to have the opportunity to meet President Lee.”

Takaichi is a regular visitor to the controversial Yasukuni Shrine, where Class-A war criminals from World War II are enshrined. However, she reportedly refrained from visiting the shrine during the autumn festival held from Oct. 17 to 19, apparently out of diplomatic consideration for relations with Korea and China.

President Lee is scheduled to hold a Korea-U.S. summit with U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday, followed by a meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday. A U.S.-China summit is also expected to take place on Thursday, the same day as the proposed Korea-Japan summit.

This article was originally written in Korean and translated by a bilingual reporter with the help of generative AI tools. It was then edited by a native English-speaking editor. All AI-assisted translations are reviewed and refined by our newsroom.
BY KIM JI-HYE [[email protected]]