Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi visited South Korea on May 19-20, meeting South Korean President Lee Jae Myung in Lee’s hometown of Andong. It was the first reciprocal summit visit since the two met in January in Nara, Takaichi’s hometown, reinforcing the sense that shuttle diplomacy between the two countries is taking root.
Japan and South Korea are neighbors and U.S. allies, and in a Northeast Asia beset by threats from China, Russia, and North Korea, communication between them on their shared values – democracy, a market economy, the rule of law – matters. Both countries also need to coordinate their response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s demands for higher tariffs and greater defense spending. This latest meeting advanced their cooperation on energy security.
Takaichi is one of the LDP’s leading hawks and has pledged to continue the legacy of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Lee, by contrast, is a progressive from the Democratic Party of Korea, a background that in Japan is often associated with conciliation toward North Korea and a frosty attitude toward Tokyo. Some feared relations would deteriorate accordingly, but Lee has pursued pragmatism and moved closer to Japan, and Takaichi has responded in kind. The two countries’ many thorny disputes – historical and territorial – have been effectively shelved in favor of the urgent agenda.
