Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is scheduled to visit Seoul on September 6-7 for a summit with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol, according to Yoon’s office. During the visit, the two leaders will evaluate the advancements in their cooperative efforts and explore opportunities to strengthen their partnership before Kishida's resignation later this month.
“Both sides will look back on the achievements of cooperation they have made through 11 rounds of summits and discuss the future direction of development of bilateral, regional and global cooperation”, it said in a statement.
Since assuming office in 2022, President Yoon has prioritized repairing relations with Japan and enhancing security cooperation to address North Korea’s military threats. His efforts have led to a significant warming of the previously strained ties between the two countries. Additionally, Yoon’s diplomatic initiatives have facilitated stronger trilateral security collaboration among South Korea, Japan, and the United States, culminating in a landmark summit between the three leaders at Camp David last year.
Kishida has announced his resignation in September, concluding a three-year term marked by political scandals and increasing living costs. Last week, President Yoon stated that cooperation with Japan and the United States would persist despite the upcoming leadership changes in Tokyo and Washington. According to Yoon’s office, Kishida is anticipated to offer valuable advice on foreign policy and the future development of bilateral relations to his successor, drawing from his experience.