Japan PM Kishida, S. Korea’s Yoon Agree to Cooperate on Protecting Citizens Abroad; Aims to Shore Up Japan, S. Korea Ties (UPDATE 1)

By Shinsuke Uemura / Yomiuri Shimbun Staff Writer

18:19 JST, September 6, 2024 (updated at 20:30 JST)

SEOUL — Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol in Seoul on Friday, where Kishida said a memorandum of understanding was signed for the two countries to cooperate in the protection of Japanese and South Korean citizens residing in third countries.

The meeting was part of reciprocal visits by the leaders of the two countries, as Kishida aims to shore up the trend toward improved relations between Tokyo and Seoul, which he has been promoting with Yoon. They were expected to discuss cooperative measures for the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between the two countries next year, including expanded people-to-people exchanges.

“With President Yoon, I was able to open a new chapter in Japan-Korea relations. We must continue on this path,” Kishida said to reporters in Seoul after the meeting. “This is an example of the growing trust between our two countries,” he added, referring to the memorandum.

This is the fifth reciprocal visit between Japan and South Korea since the two countries decided to resume such talks in March last year for the first time in about 12 years. The two leaders have built trust in each other, with this being their 12th face-to-face meeting.