South Korea's President Lee visits Japan for summit with PM Takaichi

SEOUL, Jan. 13 (UPI) -- South Korean President Lee Jae Myung departed Seoul on Tuesday for a two-day visit to Japan, where he is scheduled to hold a bilateral summit with Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi as the two countries seek to deepen cooperation amid heightened regional tensions.

The summit is taking place in the ancient city of Nara, Japan's first permanent capital and Takaichi's hometown, adding symbolic weight to the meeting.

Takaichi highlighted that symbolism in a post on X ahead of Lee's arrival, saying the leaders would meet "in the ancient capital of Nara with more than 1,300 years of history and longstanding cultural exchanges between Japan and the Korean Peninsula," adding that she hopes the talks will help push bilateral relations "in a forward-looking way."

Seoul and Tokyo, whose relations have long been strained by historical disputes, have seen ties thaw in recent years as they confront shared challenges, including North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threats and volatility in U.S.-China relations.

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Ahead of the trip, South Korea's presidential office said the visit reflects a commitment by both leaders to maintain regular, high-level dialogue.

National Security Adviser Wi Sung-lac said in a press briefing Friday that the summit follows through on an agreement reached when Lee and Takaichi met on the sidelines of last year's APEC summit in Gyeongju to sustain so-called "shuttle diplomacy" between Seoul and Tokyo.

Wi said the talks are expected to focus on strengthening trust between the two leaders while expanding cooperation in future-oriented areas such as artificial intelligence. Lingering wartime historical issues are also expected to be on the agenda, alongside coordination around regional and global security challenges.

Lee's Japan visit comes less than a week after a high-profile trip to China, where he met President Xi Jinping, underscoring his administration's emphasis on "pragmatic diplomacy" and balancing relations with Seoul's two largest regional neighbors.

The diplomatic choreography comes amid friction between Tokyo and Beijing, fueled by Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan last November. The conservative leader told parliament that a Chinese attempt to blockade or seize Taiwan could constitute an "existential threat" to Japan, raising the possibility of a military response under Japan's security laws.

Beijing, which considers the self-governing democracy of Taiwan a breakaway province, responded sharply, lodging formal protests and tightening export controls on some rare-earth elements to Japan.

Lee and Takaichi began holding talks in Nara shortly after the South Korean president's arrival. On Wednesday, the two leaders are scheduled to visit Horyu-ji Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site that houses the world's oldest surviving wooden structures. Lee is also expected to meet members of the Korean community in the Kansai region before returning to Seoul later in the day.