South Korean President Lee Jae Myung to visit Japan - Media calls it ”first round of shuttle diplomacy”

According to multiple Japanese media reports, the Japanese and South Korean governments have begun coordinating a visit by South Korean President Lee Jae-myung to Japan in late August.
In the same month, when the G7 Summit was held in Kananaskis, western Canada, he held the first Japan-Korea summit meeting with Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, and the two leaders agreed to hold a "Sino-Japanese summit" in which they would visit each other's countries.
The two leaders agreed to promote "shuttle diplomacy." Kyodo News reported that "this is expected to be the first step in 'shuttle diplomacy.'" Lee is known for his long history of tough language and behavior toward Japan.
Lee, who was the leader of the largest opposition party during the administration of former President Yoon Seok-yeol, who established a friendly relationship with Japan, criticized Yoon's policy toward Japan as "humiliating diplomacy." However, at the presidential election held in June,
Lee, who ran for the general election, was seen as the leading candidate from the start, and as it became more and more likely that he would become South Korea's leader, he stopped making "hardline" remarks against Japan.
In the video, he mentioned Japan-South Korea relations, saying, "I really want to be friends with Japan," and expressed his desire to promote cooperation with Japan in areas such as cultural exchange and the economy.
Lee, who became the 21st president and advocated "pragmatic diplomacy," has maintained a stance of prioritizing Japan-Korea relations.
At the beginning of the meeting, Ishiba congratulated Lee on his inauguration as president, saying, "This year marks the 60th anniversary of the normalization of diplomatic relations between Japan and South Korea.
"I hope that not only will exchanges between companies and individuals flourish, but that cooperation between Japan and Korea will also become a major force for the region and the world," Lee said.
The relationship between Japan and Korea is also called "close yet distant countries." It is an inseparable relationship, like neighbors who share a garden." He added, "There are small differences and differences of opinion, but we overcome those differences."
"I hope that the two countries will cooperate in various areas and further develop a relationship that is beneficial to both countries," he said.
The anniversary of the anniversary marked 100 years. Prior to this, commemorative events were held in Japan and South Korea, hosted by their respective embassies. The event was held at the Japanese Embassy in Seoul on the 19th of the same month, and Lee was absent from the commemorative event due to his attendance at the G7 Summit.
Lee said, "I hope that Korea-Japan relations will continue to develop in a stable and future-oriented manner," and added, "In the midst of the rapidly changing international situation, both countries will seek ways to respond."
On the 30th of last month, former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who serves as chairman of the bipartisan Japan-Korea Parliamentary Friendship League, visited South Korea and met with Lee. On the 1st of this month, Suga and others told Ishiba that Lee
When reporting on his meeting with the Prime Minister, Ishiba expressed his desire to promote "shuttle diplomacy." Japan-Korea shuttle diplomacy is a system in which the Japanese Prime Minister and the South Korean President visit each other to discuss issues between the two countries.
The idea was to hold a casual meeting at a resort-like location, and in July 2004, the meeting took place on Cheju Island in South Korea between then Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and President Roh Moo-hyun.
The two leaders subsequently met in Ibusuki, Kagoshima Prefecture in December 2004 and in Seoul in June 2005, but Koizumi's visit to Yasukuni Shrine sparked growing opposition in South Korea, and Japan-South Korea relations worsened.
It was then revived in 2008 between President Lee Myung-bak and Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda, but was discontinued in December 2011 when Lee Myung-bak and Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda met in Kyoto.
The talks between the two sides turned into an exchange of words over the comfort women issue, and relations were subsequently severed. President Park Geun-hye did not visit Japan, and President Moon Jae-in engaged in "shuttle diplomacy" with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
However, the tide turned in May 2022 with the inauguration of former President Yoon, who showed a desire to improve Japan-Korea relations.
For the first time in 12 years, "shuttle diplomacy" was revived between then Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and the then Prime Minister. Kyodo News reported on the 8th that "President Lee Jae Myung is in the process of making arrangements to visit Japan in late August," and that "Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba and
The report said, "They will hold talks and confirm their intention to continue communication toward the stable development of Japan-South Korea relations." If this comes to fruition, it will be Lee's first visit to Japan since taking office as president. Kyodo said, "The Japanese government has
With North Korea, which is advancing its development, and China, which is strengthening its maritime expansion, in mind, he wants to promote cooperation between Japan and South Korea, and Japan, the United States, and South Korea in the field of security. "Attention will be focused on whether Lee will raise the issue of history between Japan and South Korea," he said.
The points were explained.