Takaichi, Lee Hold Japan-South Korea Summit in Nara, Aiming to Further Improve Ties (Update)

The Yomiuri Shimbun

17:58 JST, January 13, 2026

NARA — Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung reaffirmed the significance of Japan-South Korea cooperation in the international community at a summit meeting held in Nara City on Tuesday.

At the beginning of the session, the prime minister welcomed Lee to her home prefecture of Nara and expressed her desire to make this a year in which Japan-South Korea relations are elevated to new heights.

Noting that last year marked the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic ties between Japan and South Korea, Lee stated that the meeting holds exceptional significance for opening a new 60-year chapter in their relationship.

Lee arrived at Kansai Airport on the presidential plane on Tuesday morning. This trip marks his first visit to Japan since August, continuing the reciprocal leadership visits that were reinstated in 2023.

The meeting marked the second time the two leaders had met since their previous session on the sidelines of an international conference in South Korea last October.

The Japanese and South Korean governments have reached an agreement to cooperate on DNA testing of human remains recovered from the Chosei Coal Mine in Yamaguchi Prefecture, according to multiple government sources.

The undersea mine was the site of a tragic wartime disaster in which 183 people, including many laborers from the Korean Peninsula, perished in a flooding accident.

During the summit meeting, Takaichi is believed to have outlined this cooperative policy to Lee. By taking these concrete steps, the Japanese government aims to pave the way for a more future-oriented partnership, the sources said.

The leaders are scheduled to visit a historic temple in Nara Prefecture on Wednesday, a move aimed at fostering mutual friendship.

They were also expected to exchange views on global affairs, including the latest developments in the United States and China.

In light of Lee’s state visit to China from Jan. 4-7, diplomatic relations with Beijing are expected to be on the agenda. Takaichi was to provide an overview of the current deterioration in Japan-China relations and explain her policy of seeking a resolution through continued dialogue.

In addition to the situation in North Korea, Takaichi and Lee were likely to discuss how to respond to the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, which had been intensifying its “America First” stance through actions such as its attack on Venezuela.

They also shared the goal of normalizing bilateral Japan-South Korea defense exchanges, which had stalled following the suspension of refueling support for South Korean Air Force aircraft by the Self-Defense Forces.