South Korea and Japan are planning a Lee-Ishiba meeting in Tokyo towards the end of August, according to a recent report
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to Visit Japan for Bilateral and Trilateral Talks
South Korean President Lee Jae Myung is set to make his first visit to Japan since taking office, scheduled for August 23-24, 2025. During this two-day visit, President Lee will meet with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba to discuss bilateral ties and trilateral cooperation with the United States.
The visit follows President Lee's inauguration in June 2025 and is part of efforts to foster pragmatic and stable relations between South Korea and Japan, despite historical issues remaining sensitive. The visit comes one day before Lee’s planned summit with U.S. President Donald Trump on August 25.
President Lee has expressed a pragmatic approach toward Japan, emphasizing future-focused cooperation and consistent diplomacy, moving away from his earlier tougher stances on historical disputes. During their meeting, they are expected to discuss ways to advance bilateral ties and bolster trilateral cooperation with the United States.
If realized, this visit would be President Lee's first to Japan since taking office in early June. The exact date of the summit is not publicly disclosed at the moment, and the venue for the potential S. Korea-Japan summit has not been disclosed.
The offices of President Lee and Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba are coordinating to hold a summit in Tokyo. The meeting between Lee and Ishiba, if it occurs, would be their second encounter since Lee took office. They last met in person on June 17 at the Group of Seven summit in Canada.
The potential S. Korea-Japan summit, if it occurs, would be the second high-level meeting between the two countries since the inauguration of Lee's administration. The summit, if held, would signal the resumption of "shuttle diplomacy" between the leaders of South Korea and Japan.
Presidential spokesperson Kang Yu-jung confirmed that the two sides have been coordinating the summit. The presidential office will announce the schedules once they are confirmed. Lee is also expected to visit Washington for his first summit with US President Donald Trump later this month.
The information about the summit comes from a Japanese report published on Saturday. The report was based on multiple government sources, and the schedule for the summit has not yet been confirmed. The summit, if it occurs, would be the first meeting between Lee and Ishiba.
The summit, if held around Aug. 23, according to Japan's Asahi Shimbun, aims to enhance high-level communications and address shared regional security challenges, including North Korea. The summit would be an important step towards strengthening the relations between South Korea and Japan and their shared commitment to regional security and stability.
Politics and general news might focus on reports indicating that South Korean President Lee Jae Myung is expected to hold a summit with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba around August 23. This potential meeting, if confirmed, would be their first encounter since Lee took office and could mark the resumption of "shuttle diplomacy" between the leaders of South Korea and Japan. The summit could further bolster trilateral cooperation with the United States, aiming to enhance high-level communications and address shared regional security challenges, including North Korea.
