Lee Holds Summit with Takaichi: "Cooperation Beyond Precedent... Advancing Korea-Japan Relations"

Korea-Japan Summit Held in Andong, Gyeongbuk on May 19

President Lee: "Japan, a Vital Partner"

Takaichi: "Both Countries Are Pillars of Regional Stability"

On the 19th, President Lee Jae-myung told Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, "If we broaden our understanding and empathy for each other without being bound by precedents or conventions, we will be able to devise practical and groundbreaking ways to cooperate."

President Lee made these remarks during the Korea-Japan summit held at a hotel in Andong, Gyeongbuk, adding, "I hope that today’s summit, which is being held in the first year of the new 60 years of Korea-Japan relations, will serve as a step forward in further advancing the best possible relationship between our two countries."

President Lee Jae-myung and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi are meeting and exchanging greetings at a hotel in Andong, Gyeongbuk, the venue for the summit meeting on May 19, 2026. Photo by Yonhap News

President Lee stated, "The current international situation is like a storm. I believe that cooperation and communication between allied countries are needed now more than ever." He went on to say, "Through strong bilateral cooperation and by jointly overcoming the difficulties in the international situation, we realize just how important cooperation between our two countries is."

President Lee also highlighted several points: the participation of both Korea and Japan in the Hormuz Strait Initiative led by the United Kingdom and France; the participation of Prime Minister Kim Min-seok in the Asia Carbon Neutral Community Plus summit, which was initiated by Prime Minister Takaichi; and the cooperation between the two countries in repatriating citizens stranded in the Middle East.

Regarding these issues, President Lee said, "Even in the midst of various difficult situations, the steadfast friendship between our two countries is shining even brighter and continues to develop." He added, "In just four months, both the Prime Minister and I have visited each other's hometowns. This is not only unprecedented in the history of Korea-Japan relations but is also rarely seen in other countries."

This summit marks the third meeting between the two leaders, coming about four months after their previous summit on January 13 in Nara Prefecture, the hometown of Prime Minister Takaichi. President Lee said, "When I visited the Prime Minister’s hometown of Nara in January, I received truly special hospitality. I believe this truly demonstrates the essence of shuttle diplomacy between Korea and Japan."

President Lee Jae-myung and Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi are holding a small-scale summit at a hotel in Andong, Gyeongbuk, on the 19th. 2026.5.19 Yonhap News Agency

President Lee also mentioned the full-scale launch of efforts to identify the remains of victims from the Josei Coal Mine flooding incident during the Japanese colonial period. He stated, "We have moved closer to realizing the wishes of the bereaved families through working-level consultations on DNA analysis for the Josei Coal Mine." He added, "The joint consultative body for social issues is now shedding light on new areas of cooperation that had previously been overshadowed by the challenges of social development."

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi responded, "The international community, including the situation in the Middle East, is facing extremely challenging times." She continued, "Even in such circumstances, I believe it is very important that, through the leadership of both the President and myself, we continue to steadily develop the foundation of good relations between our two countries and play a central role in stabilizing the Indo-Pacific region."

She added, "I hope we can have an open and candid exchange of views for the benefit of both Korea and Japan, as well as for the peace and stability of the region and the international community."

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