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Lee’s sojourn comes 2 days earlier his important archetypal acme successful Washington, DC with US President Donald Trump.
Published On 23 Aug 2025
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba has hosted South Korean President Lee Jae Myung successful Tokyo for a sojourn aimed astatine reaffirming information practice and showcasing affable ties betwixt the 2 East Asian neighbours facing communal challenges from their communal ally, the United States.
On his archetypal authoritative sojourn to Japan since taking bureau successful June, Lee met Ishiba connected Saturday astatine the premier’s residence to sermon bilateral ties, including person information practice with the US nether a trilateral pact signed by their predecessors.
“As the strategical situation surrounding some our countries grows progressively severe, the value of our relations, arsenic good arsenic trilateral practice with the United States, continues to grow,” Ishiba said successful a associated announcement with Lee aft their meeting.
The leaders agreed to resume shuttle diplomacy, grow exchanges specified arsenic moving vacation programmes, and measurement up practice successful defence, economical security, artificial quality and different areas. They besides pledged person coordination against North Korea’s atomic and rocket 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 drawback predetermination triumph of the wide Lee – pursuing the impeachment of blimpish President Yoon Suk Yeol for declaring martial instrumentality – raised concerns successful Tokyo that relations with Seoul could sour.
Lee has criticised past efforts to amended ties strained by lingering resentment implicit Japan’s assemblage rule. The South Korean authorities past week expressed “deep disappointment and regret” aft Japanese officials visited a shrine successful Tokyo to Japan’s warfare dormant that galore Koreans spot arsenic a awesome of Japan’s wartime aggression.
In Tokyo, however, Lee reaffirmed enactment for person relations with Japan arsenic helium did erstwhile helium met Ishiba for the archetypal clip successful June connected the sidelines of a Group of Seven (G7) acme successful Canada.
Lee’s determination to sojourn Tokyo earlier Washington has been good received by Japanese officials, who spot it arsenic a motion Lee is placing large value connected relations betwixt the 2 neighbours.
For Ishiba, who faces unit from right-wing rivals wrong his governing enactment to resign implicit its July predetermination loss, Lee’s sojourn and a palmy acme could enactment up his support.
Despite their differences, the 2 US allies trust heavy connected Washington to antagonistic China’s increasing determination influence. Together, they big astir 80,000 US soldiers, dozens of US warships and hundreds of subject aircraft.
Japan and South Korea besides stock communal crushed connected trade, with some agreeing to 15 percent tariffs connected US imports of their goods aft Trump had threatened steeper duties.
We “agreed that unwavering practice betwixt South Korea, the US and Japan is paramount successful the rapidly changing planetary situation, and decided to make a virtuous rhythm successful which the improvement of South Korea-Japan relations leads to stronger cooperation”, Lee said alongside Ishiba.
Lee’s sojourn comes 2 days earlier his important archetypal acme successful Washington with US President Donald Trump. The 2 men are expected to sermon information concerns, including China, North Korea, and Seoul’s fiscal publication for US forces stationed successful South Korea – thing the US person has repeatedly pressed it to increase.
English (US) ·