President Lee Jae Myung of South Korea (left) speaks at his summit with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Nara, Japan, on Jan. 13, 2026. (Kim Tae-hyeong/Hankyoreh)
At his summit with the Japanese prime minister on Tuesday, President Lee Jae Myung emphasised the significance of cooperation between Korea and Japan in addition to three-way collaboration with the US to reply to quickly altering worldwide circumstances, and pressured that Korea, China and Japan ought to search frequent floor for cooperation.
The 2 leaders additionally agreed to coordinate on points associated to the state of affairs on the Korean Peninsula.
Following his summit with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in Nara, Japan, on Tuesday, Lee said in a joint press convention that the 2 nations “exchanged views on a broad vary of regional and world points.”
“We additionally agreed on the significance of Korea-Japan and Korea-US-Japan cooperation for regional peace and stability amid quickly altering worldwide circumstances,” Lee stated.
“As well as, I emphasised the necessity for South Korea, China and Japan to search out as a lot frequent floor as attainable, talk with one another, and cooperate.”
The 2 leaders are believed to have held in-depth discussions that day on the continued battle between China and Japan and the unilateralism proven by the Trump administration within the US.
Final November, Takaichi talked about the potential for Japanese navy intervention within the occasion of a Taiwan contingency, which triggered a powerful response from China. The connection between China and Japan has continued to deteriorate since, with escalating navy stress and restrictions utilized to uncommon earth exports to Japan. South Korea’s stance relating to this example has been a key concern.
In an interview with NHK on Monday, Lee emphasised neutrality, stating that “relations with Japan are as necessary for Korea as these with China.”
“In my opinion, that’s a matter for China and Japan to handle and never one thing we have to get entangled in,” he instructed the Japanese broadcaster.
In the course of the summit, Lee went a step additional, emphasizing the message that South Korea, China, and Japan ought to search the “best frequent floor attainable and cooperate.” This comment was interpreted as an expression of his willingness to play a constructive position in stabilizing the state of affairs with out taking sides.
Relating to China’s restrictions on uncommon earth exports to Japan, Takaichi said in a press briefing after the assembly that she and Lee had held in-depth discussions on provide chain cooperation. Nevertheless, Lee didn’t straight handle this problem, which is a delicate matter for China.
The 2 leaders additionally agreed to work collectively on the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, easing navy tensions, and establishing peace. This level was confirmed in Lee’s assertion: “The 2 nations reaffirmed their dedication to the whole denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and the institution of lasting peace, and agreed to proceed shut coordination on North Korea coverage.”
Takaichi said, “With regard to responses to North Korea, together with the nuclear and missile points, we reaffirmed that we’ll proceed to work carefully collectively towards the whole denuclearization of North Korea, via shut coordination between Japan and the Republic of Korea, in addition to amongst Japan, the Republic of Korea, and the US.”
She additionally expressed gratitude for the “robust assist” from Lee towards the “instant decision of the abductions problem,” referring to Japanese residents who have been kidnapped by North Korea.
By Park Min-hee, senior employees author
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