▲ President Lee Jae Myung (R) and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi shake hands at an ancient temple in Nara Prefecture on Jan. 14, 2026, in this file photo. (Pool photo) (Yonhap)

Japan PM-S Korea visit

Japanese PM Takaichi to visit S. Korea's Andong next week for talks with Lee

SEOUL, May 15 (Yonhap) -- Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi will visit South Korea's central city of Andong next week for a two-day trip that will include summit talks with President Lee Jae Myung, the presidential office announced Friday.

The Japanese prime minister's trip, set to begin Tuesday, is part of the so-called "shuttle diplomacy" between the two neighboring countries and comes at an earlier invitation from Lee.

Lee and Takaichi last met in January when the South Korean president visited Nara Prefecture, the Japanese leader's hometown. Andong, located some 190 kilometers from Seoul in North Gyeongsang Province, is Lee's hometown.

The presidential office said Takaichi's upcoming trip will mark the first exchange of visits by incumbent leaders of South Korea and Japan to each other's hometowns.

On the first day of Takaichi's trip, the two leaders will hold summit talks, deliver a joint press statement and attend a dinner, along with other friendship events, according to Cheong Wa Dae.

Their discussions will likely focus on the direction of bilateral relations and ways to strengthen cooperation in various areas, including the economy and better protection for the countries' people visiting each other.

The prolonged conflict in the Middle East and other pending global issues will also be high on the agenda, Cheong Wa Dae said.

The office said the upcoming summit as part of "shuttle diplomacy" is expected to deepen the "solid solidarity and trust" between the two leaders, and serve as an opportunity to strengthen the foundation for the future-oriented development of Seoul-Tokyo ties.

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