Japanese Defense Minister to visit South Korea for the first time in nine years? = South Korean reports

"Former Defense Minister Nakatani is making arrangements to visit South Korea as early as the end of December and meet with South Korean Defense Minister Kim Yong-hyun," Kyodo News reported on the 18th, citing multiple sources.
If the visit to South Korea is realized, it will be the first meeting in nine years. "If this meeting between the defense ministers of the two countries is realized, it will be a good opportunity for Japan and South Korea to strengthen their defense cooperation with the inauguration of former US President Donald Trump, who was elected in the US presidential election.
"They are expected to confirm the importance of cooperation between the two countries, as well as discuss North Korea's missile launches and Russia-North Korea military cooperation," Kyodo News reported.
On the 2nd of last month, shortly after assuming his position, Defense Minister Nakatani attended an event hosted by the South Korean Embassy in Japan and said, "I will visit South Korea as soon as possible.
At the time, Defense Minister Nakatani said, "Japan-South Korea defense cooperation is progressing rapidly," and added, "Needless to say, the problem facing both Japan and South Korea is North Korea's nuclear and missile capabilities."
"Defense cooperation between our two countries has become more important than ever, and I will do my utmost to further advance defense cooperation between our two countries," he said.
Defense Minister Nakatani also expressed his intention to visit South Korea during a telephone conversation with Defense Minister Kim on the 10th of the same month.