Japanese Foreign Minister Attends G7 Foreign Ministers Meeting... Will a Korea-Japan Foreign Ministers Meeting Take Place?

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Ji-eun] Japanese Foreign Minister Hayashi Yoshimasa will attend the Group of Seven (G7) Foreign and Development Ministers' Meeting held from the 10th to the 12th (local time). Attention is focused on whether this meeting will mark the first encounter between Foreign Minister Chung Eui-yong and Foreign Minister Hayashi.

The Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on the 10th that Foreign Minister Hayashi will visit the United Kingdom for four days starting on the 10th to attend the G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' Meeting.

This G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' Meeting will be held in Liverpool, the host country of the year, the United Kingdom, and in addition to the official members, South Korea, Australia, India, South Africa, and ASEAN have been invited.

Foreign Minister Chung is also scheduled to attend this G7 Foreign and Development Ministers' Meeting, raising expectations for the first Korea-Japan foreign ministers' meeting since the launch of the Kishida Cabinet. Relations between the two countries have been deteriorating due to unresolved historical issues such as forced labor and comfort women, as well as Japan's recent territorial claims over Dokdo.

Foreign Minister Chung sent a congratulatory letter to Foreign Minister Hayashi, who took office on the 10th of last month, but they have not yet had a phone conversation.

Kyodo News reported that Foreign Minister Hayashi is coordinating a first face-to-face bilateral meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during this visit to the UK, and is also expected to hold individual meetings with several foreign ministers, including UK Foreign Secretary Liz Truss, the host country.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.