Lee’s go to comes two days earlier than his essential first summit in Washington, DC with US President Donald Trump.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has hosted South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in Tokyo for a go to aimed toward reaffirming safety cooperation and showcasing pleasant ties between the 2 East Asian neighbours going through widespread challenges from their mutual ally, america.
On his first official go to to Japan since taking workplace in June, Lee met Ishiba on Saturday on the premier’s residence to debate bilateral ties, together with nearer safety cooperation with the US beneath a trilateral pact signed by their predecessors.
“Because the strategic atmosphere surrounding each our nations grows more and more extreme, the significance of our relationships, in addition to trilateral cooperation with america, continues to develop,” Ishiba mentioned in a joint announcement with Lee after their assembly.
The leaders agreed to renew shuttle diplomacy, develop exchanges reminiscent of working vacation programmes, and step up cooperation in defence, financial safety, synthetic intelligence and different areas. Additionally they pledged nearer coordination in opposition to North Korea’s nuclear and missile threats.
大韓民国 李在明大統領をお迎えしました。就任後初の二国間訪問先に日本を選んでいただき、6月のカナダ以来の面会となります。新たな時代のニーズに沿った日韓関係を築いていきたいと思います。 pic.twitter.com/DVFAgKVJgA
— 石破茂 (@shigeruishiba) August 23, 2025
The snap election victory of the liberal Lee – following the impeachment of conservative President Yoon Suk Yeol for declaring martial legislation – raised issues in Tokyo that relations with Seoul might bitter.
Lee has criticised previous efforts to enhance ties strained by lingering resentment over Japan’s colonial rule. The South Korean authorities final week expressed “deep disappointment and remorse” after Japanese officers visited a shrine in Tokyo to Japan’s conflict lifeless that many Koreans see as an emblem of Japan’s wartime aggression.
In Tokyo, nevertheless, Lee reaffirmed assist for nearer relations with Japan as he did when he met Ishiba for the primary time in June on the sidelines of a Group of Seven (G7) summit in Canada.
Lee’s choice to go to Tokyo earlier than Washington has been nicely acquired by Japanese officers, who see it as an indication Lee is inserting nice significance on relations between the 2 neighbours.
For Ishiba, who faces strain from right-wing rivals inside his governing social gathering to resign over its July election loss, Lee’s go to and a profitable summit might shore up his assist.
Regardless of their variations, the 2 US allies rely closely on Washington to counter China’s rising regional affect. Collectively, they host about 80,000 US troopers, dozens of US warships and a whole bunch of navy plane.
Japan and South Korea additionally share widespread floor on commerce, with each agreeing to fifteen % tariffs on US imports of their items after Trump had threatened steeper duties.
We “agreed that unwavering cooperation between South Korea, the US and Japan is paramount within the quickly altering worldwide scenario, and determined to create a virtuous cycle during which the event of South Korea-Japan relations results in stronger cooperation”, Lee mentioned alongside Ishiba.
Lee’s go to comes two days earlier than his essential first summit in Washington with US President Donald Trump. The 2 males are anticipated to debate safety issues, together with China, North Korea, and Seoul’s monetary contribution for US forces stationed in South Korea – one thing the US chief has repeatedly pressed it to extend.
